Why musical toys are good for babies and toddlers
Music is an integral part of our society and culture. It’s the universal language that brings people together regardless of beliefs, backgrounds and race. It pervades our daily lives in various forms of media through the radio, smartphones, television and more. Some people express themselves and emotions through music.
Studies suggest that one of the first senses that babies develop is their sense of hearing. Listening to music is also an essential part of fetal development which is why expecting mothers are encouraged to listen to music.
The developmental benefits of music extends to when babies are born. Musical toys are highly recommended during a children’s early development. At an early age, children are already exposed to music. They listen to nursery rhymes, lullabies and even made-up songs. So introducing musical toys to their playtime is the only logical step.
Allowing little children to play and make music using musical toys help them learn in a variety of ways. These toys are more than just toys because they not only entertain but also help children learn and set their mood. So yes, musical toys are good for babies and toddlers.
Let’s take a closer look at why you should let your children play with musical toys.
Creativity & Imagination
Musical toys foster creativity and imagination. Children are inherently curious with the things around them and they are most likely to enjoy the music they create when playing with musical toys. Developing children’s creativity and imagination through play at an early age sets them up for bigger things in the future. These skills allow them to discover new things and come up with solutions to real life problems when they grow older. Some of the most popular singers and musicians were exposed to music at an early age so who knows your children might become one of them in the future.
Gross & Fine Motor Skills
Gross motor skills is defined as the ability of the body to use a large group of muscles to perform a specific action like standing, walking, jumping and many more. Fine motor skills on the other hand (no pun intended) is the skill to use the muscles in the hand and fingers in coordination with the eyes to perform tasks like grasping and holding.
Musical toys like xylophones and maracas encourage children to use fine motor skills to create music and sit up straight while doing it. When little children play and do things repeatedly, it can result in improvement of essential skills like fine motor and gross motor skills.
Cognitive & Sensory Development
Many studies have shown that playing with musical instruments at an early age increases brain activity which can lead to rapid brain development and creates neural pathways in the brain. This growth helps with children’s cognitive development especially in areas of language and communication, problem-solving and analytical thinking. As children create and experiment with music, they also improve their listening skills.
