Children that love to sing have powerful brains. Every instrument or note that a child learns strengthens their brain, helping them retain more information from school. Better still, a career in music is lucrative for children who love to sing.
Unlike other forms of brain exercise, music works out the entire brain – the right, left, back, and front parts at the same time. So, which programs should you engage your kids in to make them better in music and better in class?
1. Kodaly
Kodaly is one of the most popular programs. It is a group-focused music program that targets the brain’s auditory cortex. This program trains a child to attain the perfect pitch even when no music instrument plays. Although it takes practice, your child will become better with each day they spend training.
During the program, a child learns to use hand movements (known as Curwen) to learn fast and attain more.
The program enhances the memory of a child as the child practices different songs in different rhythms. Your child learns to listen as the program exposes them to varying pitch and rhythm from different songs. As they practice, they use hand movements that strengthen the part of the brain that controls motor activities.
Your child will not only become better in music, but their brain will develop so that they grasp concepts faster.
2. Suzuki
Just like the Kodaly program above, Suzuki promotes the development of the auditory cortex of the child’s brain. The program requires a child to carefully listen to the pitch and rhythm in a song and then imitate what they hear.
The brainchild of Shinichi Suzuki, this program works in the same way children learn language – listening and imitating. A young child learns language by imitating those around them – they learn sound, then words, then phrases, and finally sentences.
When the same concept is applied in music, children first listen to a whole note and then mimic it. Once a child can mimic a note, they then learn to mimic a music phrase, and later a whole music piece. Using this program, teachers, parents, and coaches can train children to play different instruments such as the guitar, cello, and violin. You can teach the child at home or send them to a Broadway school to learn with other kids.
3. Anybody Can Play Piano
This is a program for kids who love playing the piano. The program teaches children as young as three to read music. A program by Karla Hastings Crossett, Anybody Can Play Piano works almost the same way as Suzuki – it parallels language so a child doesn’t have to know how to read.
The program comes in the form of an app that shows your kid how to play piano on a tablet or touchscreen computer. It uses a controller, so the kid can start using the app without your help.
It uses color matching where the colors on your child’s fingers match the colors on the keys. This way, the child will memorize colors, patterns, notes, and keyboard keys. The program website has so many sufficient resources to get your child started.
4. Let’s Play Music
Started by Shelle Soelberg, this program is offered in three years. In the first year, the child learns games, songs, and tones. This year prepares the child to recognize rhythm. In year two, the child learns to play the piano by applying the knowledge from the first year. Here, they will learn intervals, chord notations, and harmony.
By the third year, the child should already have learned to play the piano, including composing their own music.
5. Dalcroze
If your child loves to dance, this might be a great program for them. The program uses movements known as eurhythmics where a child moves their body to the rhythm of the music. The program trains the body to act as an instrument.
Your child learns to be attentive, to concentrate, and their memory is enhanced. At the end of the training, your child will learn to listen, follow, and repeat rhythms. It prepares your child to move to the rhythm of the music in sync.
Conclusion
Most music programs are easy to teach at home through an app or web interface. For all the above programs, your child needs guidance to be the best they can be.