Monday, May 22, 2023

How To Harness Your Child's Musical Interests

 Music is beautiful, simply put. Music has a way of getting people to express their emotions in a beautiful way; it’s ideal for conveying and getting others to feel that exact feeling. Without any words whatsoever, you can still convey the exact feeling you want. Whether it’s love, sorrow, melancholy, or beyond, music has a way of bringing out this feeling. 


But music goes further than this; it’s a beautiful form of art. It gets the body moving, it sets the atmosphere in the space, and it’s a great hobby that brings so much fulfillment. As you can see, the influence of music plays a massive role in everyone. So how can you get your little one to fall in love with this interest? 

Start With Exposing Them To Music

One of the best ways to foster a love for music in your child is to expose them to music of all kinds. This can be as simple as playing the radio in your car or playing music from other cultures at home. When kids are exposed to different rhythms, meters, and tonalities from around the world, it expands their musical vocabulary. Even infants recognize the melody of songs long before they understand the words. Singing to them or playing quiet background music at nap and bedtime can connect your little ones to their musical heritage.

As children get older, they will learn from the music they listen to and their parents' tastes. Exposing them to a variety of music can help them shape their opinions on what music should sound like and where their interests will lie. Then, they can find a way to incorporate music into their lives throughout adulthood. This can include anything from watching a concert to dancing to singing along to their favorite song.

Make Music With Them

From fond memories to having fun, why not make some noise with them? These can even include playing some ukulele songs for them or getting them to learn together. Playing simple songs, like "Wheels on the Bus" or "Twinkle, Twinkle," with your child is a great way to introduce children to music. The repetition of lyrics and melody helps children learn and memorize words, and simple tunes have a happy feeling that can easily complement any theme. When they get older, just play some music for them, or let them just explore. Overall, exposure and these positive nudges will help a lot.

Take Them To Music Events

Whether they play the drums, guitar, piano, or violin, kids who are exposed to live music have an easier time sustaining their interest. It's a big part of what makes them feel like they're not alone in their passion and that someone else believes in them, too. Taking them to see their favorite musicians in concert is a powerful way of showing that you support their musical pursuits. Often, they'll be even more motivated to play at home after having experienced the live performance firsthand. There are plenty of music events from orchestras, rock music, or even small-scale music festivals for the community. 

Sunday, May 14, 2023

The Influence Of Music On Mood And Mental Health

 Have you ever wondered why music is so universal among human cultures? You can go to uncontacted tribes in the Amazon, Africa, and the Arctic, and they will still have music traditions of their own. 


The answer is how it affects our mood. The moment someone discovered that tapping a stick and bobbing their head felt good, everyone started doing it, perhaps fifty thousand years ago. 

In this post, we explore the unique role of music on mood and mental health. We talk about how it can energize, help you cope with stress, and improve your mood over time. 

Music Can Improve Cognitive Performance

Children have to sit in exams in silence. But there is evidence that music can enhance cognitive performance substantially. The reasons for this are complex, but researchers believe it might have something to do with how musical sounds silence some parts of the brain and activate others. 

For instance, science reveals that listening to background music while doing another task can improve your processing speed and memory, especially if you are an older adult. That might be one of the reasons so many office workers use headphones. It helps them concentrate on documents and spreadsheets. 

It could also be why some people listen to music while meditating. Again, it may assist with concentration and focus. 

With that said, not all music is equally beneficial. If it’s too loud or fast, it can actually hamper concentration. 

Music Can Reduce Stress

Another way music influences health is in its ability to reduce stress. Stress is a common problem that many people face in their daily lives and it can wind up becoming quite negative, leading to anxiety and depression. 

Things like playing the piano help to combat this by providing an outlet to let the mind relax. Research shows that playing or listening to soothing music can lower your blood pressure, heart rate, and cortisol levels, a powerful stress-related hormone that can age you faster if you have too much of it. 

The best music to listen to calm down is certain types of classical music, meditative music, and ambient sounds. While they might not have an immediate effect, you should notice a change in your psychology after 30 minutes or so. 


Music Can Lift Your Mood

Related to this last point is music’s ability to elevate your mood. If you’re feeling down, putting on the Stone Roses or Tiana Green music can help you feel better. 

But why is this? It comes down to music’s ability to help people deal with negative emotions, such as sadness or anger. Music appears to switch off these parts of the brain while also offering support, catharsis, and validation for your feelings.

Music Can Improve Sleep Quality

Lastly, there’s some evidence that music may enhance sleep quality, improving your immune system and ability to function during the day. Some people listen to ambient sounds before they sleep to block out other noises in their environment, helping them drift off peacefully instead of cars or other people waking them up.


What kind of influence does music have on your mood and mental health?