The Benefits Of Music For Under 2’s
Following on from last week’s introduction to our blog series, this week we consider how regular music practice with under 2’s can link to development. We are specifically looking at the guidance set out by Birth to 5 Matters but the development will be relevant to whatever pedagogy you are following.
This is a snapshot of the areas mentioned in Birth To 5 Matters for age ranges 1-3 (under 2 years) which specifically link to music, rhythm, moving, and handling instruments:
Communication & Language
- Moves whole body to sounds they enjoy, such as music or a regular beat.
- Listens to and enjoys rhythmic patterns in rhymes and stories, trying to join in with actions or vocalisations.
- Enjoys rhymes and demonstrates listening by trying to join in with actions or vocalisations.
Physical Development
- Enjoys finger and toe rhymes and games.
- Interested in making and exploring sounds with objects.
- Participates in finger and action rhymes, songs and games, imitating the movements and anticipating actions.
- Shows interest, dances and sings to music rhymes and songs, imitating movements of others.
- Intentionally makes sounds with objects and actively responds to music and singing with whole-body dancing.
Literacy
- Waves and taps arms, bounces or stamps to simple rhythms in songs and rhymes.
- Is interested in and anticipates books and rhymes and may have favourites.
- Begins to join in with actions and sounds in familiar song and book sharing experiences.
Maths
- Shows interest in patterned songs and rhymes, perhaps with repeated actions. (Pattern)
- May be aware of number names through their enjoyment of action rhymes and songs that relate to numbers. (Number)
- Joins in with repeated actions in songs and stories. (Pattern)
- Joins in with and predicts what comes next in a story or rhyme. (Pattern)
Understanding The World
- Repeats actions that have an effect, such as, kicking or hitting a mobile or shaking a rattle.
- Becomes absorbed in combining objects, for example, banging two objects or placing objects into containers.
Expressive Arts & Design
- Experiments with a range of media – tools, materials, sound and whole-body movement – through multi-sensory exploration.
- Responds to, and engages with, the world that surrounds them, for example, sounds, movement, people, objects, sensations, emotions (their own and others).
- Moves while singing/vocalising, whilst listening to sounds and music, while playing with sound makers/instruments.
- Mirrors and improvises actions they have observed, such as, clapping or waving.
- Sings/vocalises whilst listening to music or playing with instruments/sound makers.
- Expresses self through physical actions and sound.
We are so excited that the Musician’s Advantage – a long-held neuroscience secret – is finally being shared, and that the importance of music is finally being recognised for its benefits to all areas of learning.
Watch our video for under 2’s below with Boogie Mites Trainer, Tasha.
You can access our Peek-A-Boo You song resources – MP3 and lyrics of the song, video of song in action plus notes on how to lead the song – by clicking the button below.
If you practise this song all week with your under 2’s they will be vocalising and anticipating the moves by the time we publish the 2-3’s article next week!
We have some online practitioner training for our Teenies (under 2’s) Music Programme starting in October. Click the button below to find out more about our upcoming training. If you express an interest in our Autumn training during August you will receive a 10% discount code to use when booking in September.
Download a PDF to share with the under 2’s team. This will help your team to understand the benefits of music for under 2’s, as stated in the revised Birth to 5 Matters guidance which supports the revised EYFS. Great for continuing professional development (CPD) throughout August in preparation for implementing from September 2021.
