10 Ways Singing Makes Better Brains

By: Elizabeth Redhead Kriston, MS/CCC-SLP

 “Bye-Bye Water
Bye-Bye Water
Bye-Bye Water
So Sad To See You Go

Merrily It Rolls Along,
Rolls Along,
Rolls Along
Merrily It Rolls Along
Down The Drain It Goes”
Lyrics by: Elizabeth Redhead Kriston

I wrote this catchy little diddy for my daughters to be part of our bath time routine. Adding songs to routines with young children is a wonderful strategy to help with many areas of development including behavior, language, social-emotional, physical, cognitive, and even self-help skills.

To be clear, I am not a singer. In fact, the sound of my singing voice makes me cringe. However, most of the time, children either do not judge poor singing or are a captive audience and silently suffer through the horrific sounds penetrating their ears and then brain. So please don’t use an out of tune vocal instrument as an excuse to not sing.

To help motivate you to use songs in your routines with your little ones, I have compiled a list of some reasons why it is a great idea:

1. Singing helps with transitions and reduces tantrums:

• By singing a song near the end of a favorite routine your child will be prepared for the upcoming change and move to the next routine with less fussing. Think about how hard it can be to convince a child to leave the playground to go home for lunch. Singing a "let’s get ready to leave" song can help

2.  Singing encourages the completion of chores:

• Every preschool teacher knows that the best way to get kids to clean-up toys is to sing the ubiquitous song made famous by that creepy purple dinosaur, Barney and his equally weird friends

3.  Singing supports spontaneous speech:

• By singing in daily routines children can memorize the words of the songs and then fill-in planned pauses. Some children have trouble initiating expressive speech; this gives them practice forming a word on cue.

4.  Singing naturally builds speech fluency:

• The smooth connection of words in songs helps children who are learning to speak in phrases, speak with improved clarity when singing is part of their daily life.
• Some people who stutter find they have less stuttering incidences when singing.
• The natural highs and lows and pitch changes that are built into songs helps children learn to control variations in their voices for speech that sounds natural and effortless

 5.  Singing can increase engagement and meaningful interactions: 

• Singing with a partner can increase back and forth interactions and eye contact. Many songs are fun and create an enjoyable moment between child and caregiver.

6.  Singing enhances brain development: Checkout the links below for more information

Singing to children may help development of language skills
Learning Through Music: The Support of Brain Research
The benefits of music for a child’s development
BUILDING YOUNG BRAINS THROUGH TALKING, READING, AND SINGING

7.  Singing makes the day more fun:

• Routines can be, well, routine and therefore sometimes boring. Even laundry and scrubbing floors is made more fun with music. I promise, give it a try. 

8. Singing often combines movements like finger plays or dance steps. Adding motor movements with songs can do so much.

• Movements can help children initiate speech.
• Songs can help uncoordinated children become more coordinated. Just like songs help link words together fluidly, they can help chain movements.
• Songs can help with remembering steps in an activity like hand washing.

9.  Singing may help with academics. Checkout the link

http://www.medicaldaily.com/singing-or-playing-instrument-improves-brain-function-offsets-rich-kidpoor-kid-academic-297156

10.  Singing can develop memory skills:

• Just like mnemonics, songs can help the brain remember just about anything.

There are so many opportunities during a day to embed a song. Choose a routine your child loves and one that is hard for them. Create songs or use a song you already know and make it part of the routine. Pairing a song with an activity is as easy as singing Wheels on the Bus as you paint or draw. When the wheels go round and round, so does the crayon. When the wipers go swish-swish, so does the paintbrush. It’s fun and easy.

Bonus Song

The song I sing when baking or playing with Play-Doh with kids is sung to the tune of Row Your Boat:

“Roll, roll, roll the dough
gently up and down.

When we roll out the dough,
We will never frown.”
Lyrics by: Elizabeth Redhead Kriston