Greenburgh Public Library Blog

The Childhood Experience: Music & Early Childhood Development

It is important to read to your children every day, converse with them frequently using correct grammar and enunciate clearly so they develop better language skills. It is also just as important to introduce music at an early age, with the same goal in mind. The more immersed a child is in language and music, the higher the level of brain development.  Parents and caregivers should sing to their children regularly. Singing can help develop an appreciation of, and a higher level of experimentation with music at a young age.

Music expression is not inherent in every household. There are some parents and caregivers that were not exposed to music at an early age and may not feel that it is important to provide in the early years. Integrating musical education is vital, especially for children 0-6, so they can begin to appreciate tonal sounds and be able to imitate and differentiate those sounds. “During primary music development, children create a "box" or mental representation to unscramble the aural images of music. This multifaceted, complex mental representation is known is "audiation". Audiation is paramount in importance because it is basic to all types of musical thinking. Without audiation, no musical growth can take place.” (The Importance of Music in Early Childhood; Levinowitz) This “unscrambling” or audiation helps with; motor development, problem solving, increase in memory and other key developmental factors in the very young.

Music in early education has also been linked to a child’s interpersonal relationships and sense of belonging. Through music; children can share and manage feelings, communicate and imagine and feel that they are part of something larger. These assets are not something we are born with but must be explored and experienced at an early age.  Language and music go hand in hand. Singing and musical expression is an important device in the Early Literacy Tool Kit. (Why Making Music Matters; Wolf)

Patrons can access a diverse collection of music through Freegal on the Library’s Digital Content website page and through the Library Catalog.

The Children's Department has many musical programs for kids, like Musical Munchkins. Check out the Events Calendar for all Library programs.