The Miracle of Music & Your Baby’s Development A special music program for expectant parents Mary Palmer Family Foundation Thank you to our generous sponsors

The Miracle of Music & Your Baby’s Development Thank you to our in-kind sponsors KIND Bars | Orlando Day Nursery | Take5 Massage Thank you to our Informational Table Providers: Cord:Use Cord Blood Bank | Florida Blue | Mother’s Milk Bank of Central Florida UCF College of Medicine: Pediatric Interest Group UCF College of Education and Human Development: Early Childhood Development & Education

The Miracle of Music & Your Baby’s Development Dr. Antonia Novello

Stages of Brain Development

Playing Music to Babies in the Womb  Ears start to develop after a few weeks of conception. Auditory system of brain at 26 weeks.  Altered sound reaches the womb at this stage. Response generally includes change in heart rate and body movements.  It's not a good idea to use headphones on your belly since the music is up close and may overstimulate the baby.

The Mozart Effect  While the “Mozart Effect” has not yet been validated, it’s still important to include classical music in a baby’s life.  Classical music proves better for brain development because it is more complex in structure, instrumentation and harmony. It’s complexity itself offers brain building benefits, with pathways needed for cognitive tasks.

Why is Music Important?

Research Findings  “Singing nursery songs frequently with toddlers will help them stretch their ability to put words together.”(Honig 2004)  “Tunes combined with words can promote language development and the inclusion of music in playtime can help even a shy child warm up and join in.” (Turvett 2006)  Sing simple songs to babies, including some with corresponding hand gestures, such as “Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star.”

Music and Babies

The Power of Music on Babies 0-9 months. Babies can pick out their mother’s voice. Babies actively search out human voices, especially rhythmic ones 9-18mos. Familiar songs help babies feel safe and secure 18-36mos. Toddlers make up songs and dances. They sing to themselves for comfort Bonding 0-9 months. Babies respond to singing and talking by waving their arms, kicking their feet and smiling 9-18 months. Children start moving to beat months. Toddlers dance with each other, which reinforces socialization Learning

Research Findings  Music provides opportunities for children to practice patterns, math concepts, and symbolic thinking skills, all in the context of a joyful noise.  Listening to music facilitates the recall of information, especially recalling memories.  Children who took piano lessons for six months improved their ability to work puzzles and solve their other spatial tasks by as much as 30 percent.  Evidence suggests that music helps with language development. It helps with the identification of speech sounds and patterns.

Playing and Instrument and Intelligence

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