The link between early exposure to baby music and development of intelligence and positive personality traits among infants has long been a source of study and research for both childcare experts and scientists alike.
As parents become increasingly aware about the importance of investing time and money into providing the right tools for the exceptional development of their child, researchers are being intrigued by studies suggesting that early exposure to the right kind of baby music can not only faster and better development of your child’s cognitive and memory functions but also help your child build up traits that will ultimately help him/ her become a socially adjusted and adept person.
There’s a lot of research out there that strongly suggests that babies that listen to classical music — starting as early as third trimester of the pregnancy — have displayed quicker leaning abilities and perform better at schoolwork than children from the same age group who’ve not been exposed to baby music in the womb or in the early months of their life. Manufacturers have been quick to pick up on this and there are products available in the market just for the purpose of playing baby music for your child. These can be a great add to your baby nursery and there’s a lot of choice for not only the music that these ‘music boxes’ play but also for the kind of look and feel they’re available in, so that you can match them to the décor of your baby’s nursery. These products vary from simple to elaborate. Some of these are handcrafted and hand-painted, making them real (and expensive) works of art as well. Alternatively, you could go for a music-box with cartoon characters. They play popular classical tunes in soft tones (such as bells) that babies will find soothing.
In any case, the intent is to expose your child to music as early as possible; the aforementioned products simply make it easier for you to make them listen to the right kind of music. What’s important is that this exposure happens optimally, and I’m happy to note the rising number of parents who’re curious about and open to the implications of music on their child’s development.
Even with the results of the research on this being far from unmistakably conclusive, it is undoubtedly a no loss proposition. Even if the baby music has no recognizable difference on the early build-up of your child’s mental and emotional faculties, there really can’t be any harm in encouraging a taste for classical music early on. At least you have a better hope that your child’s musical tastes won’t develop later on into the loud, nihilistic, even anachronistic music that teenagers seem so partial to these days.
The most cynical of people cannot really argue with evidence that suggests the high degree of influence that a music-rich childhood can be for a person’s intelligence. It has been suggested that there is a strong causal link between listening to baby music and better performance in subjects like math and science later on in school. That hypothesis is further supported by the findings that musicians or musically oriented individuals consistently score higher in these subjects than peers who have had little exposure to music.
There are plenty of arguments that favor the theory that early listening to classical music paves the way for better academic performance and enhanced social skills. Studies have shown that babies learn to adapt through their surroundings and cultures by using rhythms and sounds, and that babies are better able to decipher complex rhythms compared to grown-ups (hence the emphasis on early exposure). And you don’t really need a scientific study to understand that; look at how parents use repeating patterns to help children learn new words like “Ma Ma” and “Pa Pa”. This makes it plain even to the casual observer that children use rhythms and sounds to a large extent in order to make sense of their environment.
Childcare experts have observed that children as young as 12 months in age—well before fully developing rudimentary cognitive abilities—show signs of tuning into music. This is supported by the commonly observed ability displayed by young children to learn the sound patterns and rhythms of foreign languages. This ability is supported by similar neurological pathways in the brain that disappear as children grow older; that is also why experts recommend that children learn foreign languages and how to read music as early as possible.
Those who require further proof as to the utility of baby music for better child growth and development, studies have furnished evidence that suggests that listening to music can be very beneficial for improving memory and recall. Better still, these findings have been found to apply to all age ranges. Now you know why plugging into music while preparing for your exams helped you so much. And while you make your baby listen to music to make him/ her smarter, maybe a little Mozart now and then could even improve your memory functions so you never have to wonder about where you put your car keys. However, even within the camp that is firmly in favor of music being good for mental development of infants, there’s a divide. There are many scientists who do not ascribe to what they regard as the myth of classical music alone being good for children. The music doesn’t have to be limited to classical compositions only, believes this group of researchers. Babies respond just as well to folk tunes and ditties as they would to Beethoven or Paganini. The only requirement is that the music not be of a jarring or disruptive kind, and instead be as soothing or relaxing as possible. So if there’s a particular genre of music that you think you could share with your child, please feel free. Remember that there’s an equal emphasis on developing traits that lead to better cultural and social adjustment, as there is on academic brilliance, so keeping it in tune with the prevalent culture maybe the right thing to do. In the end, all the studies in the world can only give you guidance; you’re the ultimate and best judge of what’s good for you and your child.