Music has a strong correlation with cognitive functions, particularly in early childhood development. The period up to age six is a key opportunity for music education, as the young mind is like a malleable sponge. Positive exposure to music can promote healthy development of related cognitive tasks and academic success. Many therapeutic programs combine music with a strategy for individual well-being.
Music in early childhood development has long been theorized to have a strong correlation with numerous cognitive functions. It has been shown by many studies over the last century that it has a great impact on spatial reasoning, creative ability and other aspects of cognition. Because of this, music in early childhood development has seen an increase in inclusion in school curricula.
The early years of childhood, i.e. from birth to the age of six, represent an extremely impressionable time in the ears and minds of young people. The young mind is like a malleable sponge, absorbing any kind of information thrown at it, and can be shaped in a variety of ways. This is not the same as how adults process music. Many other disciplines, apart from music, such as language, are much more difficult to learn after the childhood window closes.
Researchers call the period up to age six the musical babbling stage, believing it to be a key opportunity for music in early childhood development. This is similar to the language chat period and is an opportunity for young people to decode the sound images of music and put them into a cultural context. The youngest child who may seem incapable of seemingly simple tasks is even able to identify changes in frequency, melody and stimuli, suggesting an acuity for music from birth.
In terms of music in early childhood development having an effect on other areas of the brain, there is some research that suggests a truth about this. Many creative regions of the brain overlap, so stimulating musical development is thought to, in turn, promote healthy development of related cognitive tasks. Intuitively, it also promotes musical ability later in life. This can also work negatively, as negative musical influences can not only impede development but can also impair basic skills.
Other research suggests that there is also an academic link between positive exposure to music in early childhood development and academic success. One such study, looking into the self-proclaimed Mozart Effect, has suggested evidence that both physical and mental health are positively affected by music. This impact is illustrated in both children and adults, explaining the creation of many therapeutic programs that combine music with a strategy for individual well-being.
Because of the somewhat intangible nature of studying music in infants and young children, there are always doubters and those who question researchers about the validity of the link between music in early childhood development and success in other endeavors. That said, the vast majority are in favor of such early education, sincerely believing in the benefits and trusting the integrity of the studies proving these points. There is little harm that music can do in these early stages of life, giving another substantial reason for integrating music education into a person’s early life.
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