Benefits of Singing and Tips to Help Your Child Sing

Singing is a beautiful activity. Listening to your child sing is probably one of the most beautiful things you’ll hear. There are several benefits of singing in early childhood. Giving them the right training at the beginning can take them places in the long run. The best time to learn to sing is at a young age. So, go ahead and introduce your child to the beautiful world of music!

How Does Singing Benefit Kids

Apart from being a fun activity, singing comes along with a lot of benefits. Here are a few benefits of teaching children how to sing:

1. Helps Develop the Brain

Singing is one activity that gets different parts of your brain running. This activity has an impact on fine motor behaviour, visual imagery, language, and emotions. In addition to this, singing involves remembering the lyrics, reciting the song, and knowing when to start the song. All of this improves the concentration skills of a child. Singing has also proven to enhance your child’s imagination and creativity. Further, scientific studies show that singing can help improve the plasticity of the brain or neuroplasticity as it is called. It refers to the ability of the mind to learn new things. Singing can also be therapeutic, so the best way to get your child to de-stress is by engaging in some much-needed singing activities.

2. Improves Communication Skills

Don’t be surprised if your little one can sing way before she can even talk. Singing is much easier than talking, as music is catchy. This activity has proven to be beneficial in enhancing communication skills as well. Children, through singing, learn how to string words and sounds together to form a sentence. They also learn how to express themselves. In addition to expressing their feelings and emotions, they also learn to listen to the people around them, which forms a vital part of communication, and listening to the different beats and sounds of music can do just that. Also, before singing, you are required to listen to the music, pitch, and tones. With this, the child’s listening capacity and ability increases.

3. Improves Respiratory And Cardiac Functioning

Did you know that singing is, in fact, anaerobic exercise? This means that it contributes to the improvement of the cardiovascular system. Singing helps in increasing the level of alertness and concentration as well, as is the case with every aerobic exercise after the oxygenation of blood. For respiratory systems, singing improves the thoracic activity that in turn aids several breathing mechanisms and enhances it. Also, a lot of muscles in the upper body are exercised as well. Finally, singing can lower the flourishing of bacteria in the upper respiratory tract, as there is a much better flow of air. Singing is a great way to reduce stress too.

4. Improves the Cognitive Processes

Cognition refers to the thinking processes. Singing can positively impact your child’s cognitive processes as when your child sings, she is constantly thinking of what notes to hit when to sing along, and the various musical sounds that come along with this activity. When the track is a familiar one, your child is again thinking of multiple things like where the song was heard, the lyrics, and the dance steps associated with it. Thinking, in turn, helps in the mental processes and development of the brain.

5. Helps Boost Self-Confidence

Sometimes, learning a new song is all the therapy you need. For a child, knowing that she can sing can instil in the child, a sense of satisfaction and pride. Also, singing is a talent. When your child knows that she can sing, then there is a boost in self-confidence.

Ways to Get Your Child to Learn Singing

Some of the ways to get your child to learn singing include:

1. Teaching fundamentals

Starting with the basic always helps as it is the first step to anything. Sing a few short but catchy songs or play some music that has a few words. Before you start practising with your child, make her yawn. This might sound weird, but there’s an explanation for it. Yawning before singing is like a warm-up before exercising. It opens the throat, thereby ensuring that you don’t strain while singing. After this, practice a few breathing exercises with your child. This clears out the respiratory tract and helps in the regulation of breathing. Post this, start singing short songs.

2. Tuition’s

There are several singing classes and tuition centres that offer singing courses. If this is not available, singing is a part of almost every school’s extra-curricular activity, so you can get your child to enrol in the same. If your child shows exceptional interest in singing, then you can even go ahead and hire a voice or choir instructor to guide your child the right way. These days, several online courses and programs are available as well, so you can look into this too. You can also let your child in a group choir.

3. Activities and Games

You can incorporate singing into the routine of your child by making it a part of a game or activity that your child will enjoy. You can play a game that involves the child having to repeat the musical sounds that you make. You can also pick a song each week that your child could learn. To make this more fun, call your child’s friends and make this a group activity.

Singing is a wonderful activity. In fact, it is more than just an activity; it is a form of art. Keep this art alive by teaching your child the same! Make sure you bring singing into the daily life of your child. She will thank you for this in the long run.

Also Read: Amazing & Interactive Music Games for Kids