How music is helping Fort Worth’s youngest learners find their voice
A swarm of toddlers and preschoolers filled the Southwest Regional Library’s meeting room on a recent Thursday, eager to move and groove with a reading break in between.
They sang “If You’re Happy and You Know It,” “Itsy Bitsy Spider,” and “Old MacDonald Had a Farm” alongside their parents and caregivers. They used egg-shaped, multicolored salt shakers to dance while identifying body parts such as their stomach, nose and elbow. They sat crisscross applesauce and listened intently as they heard the story of Parker the T. Rex while the book “Parker’s Place” was read to them.
This was a typical day at the Music and Movement class provided at various branches of the Fort Worth Public Library system, which incorporates music and early literacy to children up 5. The class is one example of many where music and dance are used as tools to help children learn the world around them during their most critical years of child development.
Research shows that music can help improve children’s vocabulary and promote phonological awareness, a foundational skill that helps children recognize and manipulate spoken parts of sentences and words. The National Association for the Education of Young Children encourages parents to use music as a tool to help children develop skills in math, reading and social studies through repeating patterns, creating rhymes and exposing them to music from around the world.
Natalie Redmon and her 5-year-old son Noah, 3-year-old son Graham and 1-year-old daughter Letty go to the library’s Music and Movement class every Thursday, she said. At home, singing and reading are incorporated into daily routines. They sing “Happy Birthday” while brushing their teeth every morning and gather before bedtime to read a story together.
“I think it starts with a parent. Your kids are going to be interested in the things that you love. I love to read myself, and the kids are always seeing me read,” Remond said. “I think that’s helped them to be like, ‘Oh, I’m going to get my own book out’ or ‘I have my own stack of books’ or ‘(I) get my own library card.’”
Lindsay Boaz, whose almost-2-year-old daughter Lyla also attended the Music and Movement class, said they’ve been listening to classical music composer Bach recently. Lyla seems more likely to focus on something, like playing with blocks or Play-Doh, for a longer period of time when the music is playing. Lyla also knows the ABC nursery rhyme sequence and can point out the letters in books.
“I think that reading is one of the most important things you can do for a child’s language development,” Lindsay Boaz said. “It’s not about being perfect or getting through the whole book or anything like that ... I’m so grateful that the library provides programs like this.”
Whitney Flores, managing director of Creative Soul Music School, noted how research shows that musical training has positive effects on children’s cognitive development. One study notes that these children have “better verbal memory, second-language pronunciation accuracy, reading ability and executive functions.”
Creative Soul Music School, which coins itself as the largest music school in North Texas, has locations in Fort Worth, Southlake, Watauga, Colleyville and Lewisville. It offers early childhood group classes for ages up to 3 and 4 to 6, and children can take private lessons as young as 3.
The goal of the Mommy Baby Makin’ Music Class for infants and toddlers is to expose them to music and instruments early and to foster a love for it. The Lil’ Soul Music Class for preschoolers and kindergartners aims to foster independence and confidence while learning the basics of music and performance.
Flores noted how voice lessons can also help develop young children with language development.
“What’s great about voice lessons at an early age is that they can learn how to pronounce,” she said. “We also teach them how to match pitch, which is matching sounds essentially as well … it’s really helpful with speech.”
