Studies point to a specific cluster of social-emotional skills—called self-regulation skills—as particularly important for a variety of school successes. Children who display strong self-regulation are better able to control their impulses, pay attention, work flexibly toward goals, and show an ability to plan and organize their actions.
Music and music instruction have been revealed as natural means for promoting self-regulation. Studies have linked participation in music lessons with significant increases in attention and perseverance. In fact, one study measured three- and four-year-old children participating in Kindermusik against those not. The children participating in Kindermusik performed consistently higher on four separate age-appropriate tasks designed specifically to measure self-regulation skills.
When intentionally used as part of a pre-K curriculum or preschool curriculum, musical learning can positively impact the cognitive development in children and help children of all abilities be ready to learn at any age. Here are just five ways to use music when teaching children enrolled in a preschool or pre-K curriculum.