A holistic approach to education helps children to gain skills that hone their distinctive talents. This empowers them to approach the world with confidence and creativity. Premiere preschools integrate arts with academics, allowing children to practice autonomy, freedom of expression, and lateral thinking. Here is why music and dance are central to achieving your preschooler’s full potential.
Music and dance grow their brains
Numerous studies have shown that listening to music activates the neural pathways across broad regions of the brain. Aside from the auditory cortex in the temporal lobes, the brain’s emotional center is also influenced by music. Music likewise stimulates the memory regions and activates the motor system—bringing about that uncontrollable tapping of your feet.
Furthermore, the act of making music improves brain plasticity and accelerates the development of several motor, sensory, and cognitive functions that far exceed just music-related learning. One particular study found that children who were musically trained outperformed their non-musically trained counterparts in learning new vocabulary.
As they progress from free movement to structured dance, children learn to pay attention to detail, develop critical thinking, and strengthen their memory. With support, they learn to plan, improvise, rehearse, face failure, and persevere. They develop acceptance and appreciation of their bodies and unique abilities, which improves their self-esteem and self-worth.
Music and dance promote physical development
Children love to dance to music. At an age where their motor skills and coordination are still developing, dancing in tune with music helps children master the use of their arms and legs. From clapping to making hand movements in ‘Itsy Bitsy Spider’ and engaging the whole body in ‘The Hokey Pokey’, dancing promotes brain and body coordination.
Picking up an instrument and learning to make music has further benefits for fine motor skills. String instruments such as the guitar foster the control of fingers and wind instruments like the recorder encourage awareness of the breath. Enhancing the fine motor skills of children is essential as they learn to write and begin to perform tasks such as tying their shoelaces.
Children are made to move and play! Dance keeps children active and sets a vital foundation for the healthy development of their muscular and skeletal systems. It helps children to improve their balance, coordination, strength, and stamina. They become more aware of the importance of their breath and posture and gain better control of their bodies.
Music and dance help them express themselves
Even babies that are unable to speak yet try to communicate through sound play and babbling. Mimicking the sounds that they hear and playing with their voices helps infants to build the neural pathways needed for language development. Even at an early age, music is closely connected to the mood of your child and can make them happy, excited, and even sad.
Children experience a variety of emotions as they grow up. The intensity of these feelings can often be overwhelming. Music offers an avenue for children to recognize emotions, accept them, and express them in a free and safe space. While they may struggle to put their feelings into words, expression and relief through music and dance come naturally.
Music and dance strengthen imagination
Imagination is our ability to create new representations of what we already know. Although it may be considered frivolous by many, an active imagination is an integral life skill. The ability to see beyond plain sight enables empathy, creativity, innovation, and problem-solving—skills that are highly valuable in today’s diverse and ever-changing society.
Music and dance allow children the freedom to exercise their imagination and experiment with new realities. They induce a multi-dimensional mode of thinking that uses the whole brain to generate ideas and integrate them into music, movement, and social interactions. As children embrace their creativity, they are open to the infinite possibilities in their future.
Music and dance build social bonds
Close relationships with friends, teachers, and family are a key part of a child’s emotional and social development. Since our ancestors lived in tribes, we have used music and shared song to build a sense of community and belonging. Researchers have proposed that the external rhythmic framework of music facilitates synchrony and social bonding.
With children coming from increasingly diverse backgrounds, music is an important vessel to introduce classes to different cultures and stories. It also helps children to connect with their communities. As children interact through music and dance, they conquer perceived social barriers and play their part in constructing a more inclusive and equitable society.
Music and dance make them happy
The final reason for incorporating music and dance into preschool education is a simple one: it makes children happy. Love for music and movement is built into our nature. Music and dance fill the cups of children, enrich their daily lives, and allow them to experience positive emotions such as delight, joy, harmony, hope, and triumph.
With so many proven benefits for children to be exposed to music and dance in preschool, it boggles the mind that the majority of preschools across the nation are still enforcing outdated doctrines of rote learning and siloed subject-based instruction. By centering children and allowing them to learn the natural and creative way, we can empower them to face the future as confident leaders and innovators.