Monday, August 1, 2011

The Effect of Live Music on Infants

The effect that live music has on infants was brought home to me last weekend as my family was rehearsing for our annual family sing together at church. Each summer we gather the troupes from far and wide, pick some music suitable for us and the service, and provide the music for a church service. As we gathered in my daughter's living room and practiced our accapella arrangement of "Yonder Come Day", my 5 month old grandson just couldn't get enough of our rehearsal. He smiled and cooed the entire time.

The next morning we met at church to warm up and my daughter was trying to give him a quick nosh before the service. As soon as we started singing, the baby's head snapped around again and again to listen to the music. He was much more attentive to our singing, than eating, to the chagrin of his mom.

Do we have to be wonderful performers to attract baby's attention? I don't think so. My grandson also quiets down if we sing or play the recording of "John, the Rabbit". He also enjoys listening to his mom play the clarinet. However, it is nice to have some useful songs in your head to pull out at moments notice to distract a crying child, though.

I would love to hear any stories that you might have about music quieting or distracting a child or even one that really captured a baby's attention. Please post them to my blog.

Happy music making!

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