Music ignites all areas of child development

Tasmania has some of the poorest literacy levels in the country, with a report by the Australian Bureau of Statistics showing half of all Tasmanian’s aged 15 to 74 are functionally illiterate and more than half are functionally innumerate.

ExitLeft Performance Academy’s Director, Ian Williams, says parents can start to help develop their child’s language, literacy and numeracy skills in the first years of life through involvement in music classes for babies and toddlers.

A 2016 study at the University of Southern California’s Brain and Creativity Institute found that musical experiences in childhood can actually accelerate brain development, particularly in the areas of language acquisition and reading skills. According to the National Association of Music Merchants Foundation (NAMM Foundation), learning to play an instrument can improve mathematical learning and even increase school results.

But academic achievement isn’t the only benefit of music education and exposure. Music ignites all areas of child development and skills for school readiness, including intellectual, social-emotional, motor, language, and overall literacy. It helps the body and the mind work together.

Exposing children to music during early development helps them learn the sounds and meanings of words. Dancing to music helps children build motor skills while allowing them to practice self-expression. For children and adults, music helps strengthen memory skills.

“For toddlers and preschoolers, participating in music can be a dynamic social learning experience. Research has shown that the younger children start participating in music the more beneficial it will be to a child’s development.” Mr Williams said.