Creating Harmony: How Music Influences A Child’s Emotions
This week's article is all about how instruments and lyrics combined can produce an expression of emotion. In this piece the author, Kimberly Sena Moore (Ph.D.) explores the three musical ways in which you can influence the emotional state of your child.
“The emotion association, speaks to one’s personal connection to music, and how music is used for the self-regulation of emotions. This connection to music-induced emotion regulation is largely formed during the formative adolescent and early adult years, and is closely associated with the development of one’s identity and the influence of peer groups.”
“Here are 3 ideas to get you started, some musical ways you can influence the emotional state of your preschool-aged child:”
1) Musical Transitions
“Transitions are shifts in the schedule. Kids transition daily sleeping to waking, from home to school, from class to class, from school to activity, from activity to home. One, play background music to change the environment of the space and create a calmer mood. Two, create short little transition ditties. You can have a wake-up song, a going-to-bed song”
2) Musical Play
“A second way to influence a preschooler’s emotions is through musical play. Musical play can involve exploring sounds. Bang those pots and pans with each other or create rhythms on items founds in the environment.”
3) Musical Calm
“There are times to play…and times to be calm. This may happen when a child is upset and you want to help him or her feel better, or when a child is too energetic and you want him or her to calm down. Music can help with this, especially if it’s you singing.”
We enjoyed how Moore broke this topic down into three simple sections of how to use music to influence the emotional state of your little one! As we here at Blooming Bebe touch upon all three of the ideas mentioned above, musical transitions, musical play, and musical calm during our rhythmic classes. We do so by connecting with our emotions through the expressions of our bodies. An example of this is seen during our lively drums and percussion classes. Here is where we can release our stress and improve immunity through connecting to the vibrations of the drums, which all leads back to Moore’s study of how music can be structured to enable emotion-related changes in children.
Do you want to start connecting with the vibrations of the drums with your child? Then sign up for our Drums & Percussions classes today by clicking this link.