How to bring musical variety into your child's life
Music is the most universal language in the world. Long before speech and language comprehension develop, children understand communication through music. Researchers have long recognised the connection: melodies, rhythm and sounds are already perceived in the womb and evoke feelings of happiness. At first it is the mother's steady heartbeat and, a little later, babies hear their parents singing, the gentle melodies of music boxes or simply music played nearby.
This positive association with music shapes the newborn child throughout life. From the very beginning, lullabies have a particularly calming effect on babies. Singing and making music are also central elements in the further development of babies and toddlers. It is even scientifically proven that children who grow up with music learn to walk faster and speak earlier. Especially in early childhood, music makes an important contribution to the expansion of vocabulary. Whether it's sung and rhymed fingerplays or children's songs with movement sequences: music in any form stimulates the brain, which is why children who make music can remember many new words more easily. Singing together particularly promotes the expansion of vocabulary.
Natural curiosity about music
Children have a natural curiosity for sounds and noises. Music boxes and rattles fascinate your child just as much as music from the radio or songs you sing to them. Toddlers especially enjoy making music themselves. Usually they begin early to produce sounds with their own voice and start making music by striking toys, pots and spoons or other things together. "First instruments are a lovely way to introduce children to the world of music," says Dietlind Löbker, music educator and author of the instructions for the HABA music games.
Musical instruments for babies and toddlers promote their development
Interacting with music promotes the networking of neuronal structures in the brain. "The right and left hemispheres of the brain are used simultaneously. Therefore children who make music learn to speak better and can remember what they have learned more quickly and for longer," says Dietlind Löbker. The music educator emphasizes that when singing and making music several things are processed in the brain at the same time: on the one hand, children pay attention to rhythm, tones and notes. In addition, they must listen attentively and coordinate their movements when playing an instrument. "The earlier children are exposed to music, the better the neural connections in the brain. They can also better cope with their feelings and are more emotionally balanced," summarizes Dietlind Löbker the positive effects of music on early childhood development.
First instruments make it easier to begin making music
The HABA musical instruments support your child in musical development, strengthen the sense of rhythm and train language skills. For all children aged 2 and up there is an instrument: drums, various rattles, glockenspiels or a set of different instruments in a sound construction kit. By experimenting, children discover how noises and tones are produced. Because all parts of the instruments are firmly connected, there are no small parts that can be swallowed and the instruments can easily be carried from one room to another without, for example, the little bells or metallophone plates falling off.
Babies and toddlers especially enjoy the HABA sound hand puppets. You as parents can bring the puppet to life and musically underscore exciting stories. Sewn-in rattles or squeakers provide amusing sounds. Of course, the children can also make the cuddly soft hand puppets come to life themselves! Bright colors, different materials and the cheerful sound effects playfully stimulate all the little ones' senses.
Music educator Dietlind Löbker also contributed to the development of the play ideas here: "Children show the greatest joy when they can make music themselves. This is precisely where HABA's music games come in, inspiring children for the world of music, sounds and tones: In child-appropriate activities they can experiment with sounds, tones, rhythms and movements and thereby playfully acquire important key skills."
