Every child is born with an innate musical aptitude! Many studies have shown that it is during the early years of a child's life that the brain's music center is developed through exposure to music. Music, because it evokes emotional responses, stimulates every area of the young child's brain and enhances language development, cognitive learning and complex tasks similar to those it has to do when working on math problems. As parents, teachers and care givers of these little ones, it is vitally important to provide the opportunities and freedom for them to explore musical instruments and sound and let them make their own music and rhythms. They must be given the opportunity to become as familiar and involved with music as they are with stories, creative arts and manipulative play.

Music in The Classroom:
Everyone who works with children agrees that children love music! They love to listen and dance to music. They love to sing familiar tunes and rhymes and make up their own songs and draw fantastic pictures while listening to music. Music enhances learning in every domain. Use songs when learning to count, learning colors, body parts and their actions, memorizing the alphabet; the names of animals and everyday familiar objects and life activities and events. Musical activities play an important part in developing children's small and large motor skills and their coordination. Songs that involve large motor actions and patterns, rhythms and working together can teach a whole range of concepts from simple directional words to doing two or three things at the same time. Songs can bring an awareness of nature and the weather, feelings, emotions, and cultural diversity. There are songs to sing about social skills, kindness, generosity and helpfulness. Music brings even the shyest child into the group to participate, especially when shaking an instrument of his or her own creation. Music is an important part of every early childhood classroom. Use music in the background at any time, use music to signal changing activities or to change the mood in the classroom from busy activity to rest time. Most importantly, music sets the stage for a happy, warm atmosphere conducive to learning, creativity and self expression.

Create a Music Interest Center	Make your own musical instruments
Music Activities	Musical Finger Plays
Sheet Music