When should your kid join a music class

Our relationship with music starts long before we’re born. The hearing sense is the first to be fully developed among all the senses. When a baby is still in the womb, it can hear sounds. A newborn exhibits happiness when listening to music. An infant hums (ah-ah-ah, ooh-ooh-ooh) while sleeping to self-soothe. A toddler babbles routinely, often amusing themselves for long periods by producing strange new sounds (muh-muh, bah-bah). Also, research indicates that the best age to start learning music in childhood. Some of the reasons are - The role of music in a child’s development In the initial three years of a baby’s life, the brain grows significantly to reach the size of an adult’s brain. These years are valuable in helping the baby realize its full potential. Listening to music seems to be one excellent way to do so. Music plays a pivotal role in meeting a child's educational needs as it provides a means of self-expression, giving the child an outlet for feelings and emotions. Besides being a source of enjoyment, music is also a means of communication with others. Music exposes the child to challenges and multi-sensory experiences that enhance learning abilities and encourages cognitive development. In particular, music can also engage cognitive functions, such as planning, working memory and flexibility. Music enhances mathematical, reading, listening and comprehension skills. Music exposes the child to culture and history while learning different musical styles. Music helps to develop imagination and the ability to visualize sound. Research has also found that while teaching music to toddlers, they show a preference for consonants over dissonant music. They prefer the harmonious versions of the musical pieces. Actively engaging with music helps children develop faster than just listening to it. Parents and caregivers across the globe sing to children and feel that singing and playing music can help calm babies and strengthen the bond established between babies and their caregivers. Music helps children to gain a sense of confidence. Lata Mangeshkar, Shreya Ghoshal and M. S. Subbulakshmi started to learn music from an early age (on an average of 5 years). But a few famous Indian singers like Arijit Singh and Jagjit Singh began late. In all likelihood, the best age to start music lessons is undefinable as it depends on the signs of interest shown by the child and recognition of those signs by the parents or caretakers. Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar says, “Knowledge, music and meditation - all the three are required to make education complete.” Gurudev emphasizes the need to introduce children to diverse activities in early childhood. Knowledge nourishes the left brain which deals with science, music nourishes the right brain which deals with arts and meditation helps to balance both the right and left brain. Dive into the world of art and culture with the World Forum for Art & Culture (WFAC) mega Kala Kamp-2022. Especially curated weekly workshops filled with fun, laughter and creativity for all age groups. 🎨