Bringing your child to an early childhood music class is like opening a door to a new world of opportunity not only for your child, but also for you as a parent. We are all growing together as parents and children, and shared experiences like the ones found in parent-child music classes can have a tremendous impact on that growth.

As a parent myself, I am aware of the ups and downs of child-rearing. I am all too familiar with feelings overwhelmed, exhausted, and unsure of how to nurture, discipline, guide, and cherish my child in the most loving way possible.

Because of the innate demands and challenges of child-rearing, it is common for parents to feel overwhelmed and frustrated at times. If you feel distant from your child, even for a moment, the day to day demands of child-rearing are suddenly a more difficult.

In my experience, however, if I devote time to focus on bonding with my child it makes my job as a parent much easier. It also has a significant impact on my child as he or she feels valued and important. This bonding time can be as simple as playing peek-a-boo or as structured as attending a parent-child music class.

Our Early Childhood Parent-Child Music Classes are a fantastic way to help parents not only connect with their child, but also gain skills that will help them at home. Singing, dancing, and playing instruments are all positive ways to interact that can be mutually enjoyable and even a little fun! It is delightful to hear your baby giggle while you sing a silly song and bounce them on your knee. It is exciting to watch your baby or toddler explore the sounds of different instruments, move their bodies in new ways, and use their voices to make silly sounds or even begin to sing. And of course, soothing your child with gentle singing during relaxation is a beautiful bonding experience.

In music therapy, we help parents develop stronger bonds with their children through shared musical experiences. We teach parents songs to sing, instruments to play, and ways to move and dance with their child. When a parent engages with their child musically, it deepens the parent-child bond and can even improve parenting skills and child behaviors!

A recent study looked at the impact of music therapy programs on parent-child interactions. More specifically, it looked at parents positive physical and verbal responses to their child. The music therapy services (which were offered in homes), were intended to help parents increase their positive responses and parenting skills, and thereby improve their child’s behaviors. As a result of music therapy and parent education, the vast majority of parents increased their positive responses. They were more willing to let their child take the lead during play and initiate their own actions, which increased the child’s positive experience and led to increased bonding (Yang, 2016).

When a parent attends an early childhood music class with their child (led by a music therapist) they are putting themselves in a position to learn and gain skills that will not only help their child progress, but that will directly influence their parenting and the parent-child bond. Music classes, combined with parent education (explanation of why/how to sing certain songs or why/how to play certain instruments), can impact both parent and child in a number of ways.

For example, as a Parent, you will:

1. Bond with your child through shared musical experiences during music class
2. Connect with your child outside of music class by singing the songs learned together at home, in the car, etc.
3. Gain skills on how to use singing, musical instruments, dancing, and relaxation to help your child: See it in action during class, then use it on your own at home!

The Child will:

1. Discover new sounds, movements, and ways to use their voice that will lead to increased positive self expression (and improved communication with parents!)
2. Enjoy sharing a fun and meaningful experience with their parent with their full undivided attention, and will feel more valued and loved (music deepens emotions for children too)
3. Gain a range of new skills that have a direct impact on critical areas of their development (communication, attention, coordination, etc)

Bringing your child to an early childhood music class is like opening a door to a new world of opportunity not only for your child, but also for you as a parent. We are all growing together as parents and children, and shared experiences like the ones found in parent-child music classes can have a tremendous impact on that growth.

For more information on our Parent-Child Music Classes, please visit our page on Developmental Music Groups for Children.

Research study reference:

Yang, Y. (2016). Parents and young children with disabilities: The effects of a home-based music therapy program on parent-child interactions. Journal of Music Therapy, 53(1), pp. 27-54

For additional resources, I highly recommend this article: https://harmonymusictherapy.com//porch.com/advice/musical-moments-at-home