As a mother- or father-to-be, it’s nice to know that your baby will be truly responsive to music even before they’re born. Because they begin to hear and respond to sound in the womb, most babies’ sense of hearing is well developed at birth, and they are already alert to musical sounds—especially the voice of a parent singing! Just as your baby will be ready to learn language, they will be equally prepared to learn music.
Soon after birth, your baby may cry, giggle, coo, and squeal with excitement—all of which help prepare them for expressing themselves musically someday. They’re receptive to music, too. Studies show that babies perceive differences in loudness and melody, respond to tempo changes, and sense when a song is ending. They often move physically when music starts or stops and may show a startle response when the music ends—even in their sleep.
How Will Music Help My Newborn?
All children are amazingly oriented to becoming music-makers! In fact, the first six years of your child’s life will be especially important to their growth and learning. That’s why now is the perfect time to learn about how babies grow musically and how you can help. Music Together is uniquely designed to support your baby’s musical development and, in turn, their overall development—check out how we support early brain development (PDF) and the parent-child relationship (PDF).
With Music Together®, not only will you learn to recognize and support developing music behaviors as your baby starts to coo, move, play, and respond to sounds—you’ll also have the chance to meet and connect with other new parents. You’ll learn new ways to soothe, encourage, communicate, and play with your new baby—and all the while you’ll be building bonds that will last a lifetime.
