Preschool age children may be at one of the best ages to begin their music education. In the first few years of life, a child's brain makes connections more rapidly than ever, increasing the brain's capacity to grow and learn.
As Victor Hugo once said, “Music expresses that which cannot be put into words and cannot remain silent.” This can be especially applicable to our young children, who are experiencing much of life for the first time and have so much to say which they can’t always put into words. Our goal for our music camps is to open young minds to a whole new world of expression through music, to prepare them for academic learning, to foster their creativity and to build their self esteem.
The experts’ research at Northwestern University’s Auditory Neuroscience Laboratory (as well as the research of many others) has shown that music training enhances the nervous system's ability to process sight and sound, and may be more important for enhancing verbal communication and social skills than learning phonics and other preschool programs.
Other benefits from early music exposure are:
- Improved self-esteem and body attentiveness
- Keener motor development and creative development
- Introduction to concepts such as balance, coordination, and rhythm
In addition to these marked benefits, the joy of seeing children learn about and make music for the first time is indescribable. Young minds catch on to musical concepts so quickly and find expression that cannot be found in other mediums of communication. Early music education can be a wonderful blessing in a child's life!
