Lullaby and classical music and their benefits for your child's brain development.
Music is a vital part of human lives. Singing a lullaby for toddlers to your baby positively impacts their brain development. According to a study conducted in Spain in 2013 by Partanen et.al, fetal auditory learning starts at the onset of hearing.
In addition, as stated in the Healthline article, babies who listen to repeated music while still in the womb can easily be calmed by the same music after birth.
Lullaby for toddlers and your baby's brain development
Playing music can be magical during pregnancy. According to a parenting class conducted by Unicef, the baby in the womb starts hearing at around 16-18 weeks of pregnancy. By 24 weeks, they can move their head as a response to voices, noises, and music they hear outside the womb.
For several years, singing a lullaby to a baby has been part of many parents' bedtime routines, and it benefits the baby's brain development in different ways. Lullaby for toddlers is a song with a calm melody that soothes and relaxes the baby as they sleep.
Lullabies originated from different ancient origins and are based on a 6/8-time signature. The gentle melody accompanied by repetitive lyrics makes it easier for a kid to remember the song.
In a study conducted at Harvard’s Music Lab, as stated in the article of WebMD, they found out that babies’ reactions to listening to lullabies are
- decreased heart rates
- dilated pupils; and
- reduced electrodermal activity.
Electrodermal activity refers to the pleasure from the skin's electrical resistance. The study shows that singing a lullaby for toddlers to a baby has special psychological effects on them. Lullaby is proven to be beneficial to their brain development.
Benefits of listening to a lullaby for toddlers to baby’s brain development
Aside from putting a baby to a calm and relaxing sleep, there are other benefits a lullaby can give your baby that are related to brain development.
Lullaby for toddlers can stimulate your kid’s language development. The lyrics of a lullaby can help your baby learn new words, widen their vocabulary, and develop their listening skills. And because lullabies often have repetitive lyrics, your baby will easily remember the new words they learned.
Moreover, singing a lullaby to your child strengthens your relationship with them. Listening to a lullaby as part of their bedtime routine encourages parent-child bonding.
You can include your own lyrics to your lullaby that show your emotions towards your child. That will help the baby to feel closer to you.
Best music for babies’ development
Since lullabies came from different origins, melody differs from parent to parent. You can always be creative in singing your lullaby song for baby to sleep.
Your own melody and lyrics can also benefit your baby’s brain development. An original lullaby from their mom or dad can be very special for them.
However, you can also sing a classical lullaby song for baby to sleep for baby's brain development. Classical nursery rhymes are also commonly used as a lullaby.
Here are some of the famous Filipino lullaby for toddlers that have been passed from generation to generation:
- Ugoy ng Duyan – this lullaby song for baby to sleep expresses the longing of a child to go back to the time when their mom is rocking them to sleep, showering them with the warmth of a mother's love. This classical lullaby was written and composed by Lucio San Pedro and Levi Celerio, Filipino National Artists for Music.
- Ili-Ili Tulog Anay – this lullaby song for baby to sleep is a Filipino traditional folk song with a gentle melody. Written in Ilonggo, it has a lyric that translates to “Sleep, little one. Your mother isn’t here because she is out buying bread.” The Philippine Madrigal Singers has a version of this folk song.
- Dandansoy – is a soothing Visayan lullaby song for baby to sleep and a sad song about someone who is left behind by a sweetheart. The song is a plea for the one who left to return home. The melody is gentle that can surely put your baby to sleep.
Other famous lullaby for toddlers originated from another country:
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Row, Row, Row Your Boat
This classic nursery rhyme has been sung around since the late 1800s. It has short verses that are easy to remember due to repetitive lyrics. It has a calming rhythm despite the happy message of the song.
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Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star
The most iconic English lullaby that is also sung since the 1800s. The lyrics describe the beauty of a twinkling star in the night sky. Many parents are still singing this song as a lullaby these days.
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Rock-a-bye baby
One of the most well-known lullabies for young children has to be this one. It is believed that this well-known nursery rhyme was first composed in 18th-century England (or America?).
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Good Night
This is something that 1960s parents can connect to! This well-known Beatles song was written by John Lennon for his son Julian, and it is reassuring and comforting.
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Brahm’s Lullaby
Doesn’t ring a bell? We’re sure you know this song. It goes like this: “Lullaby and good night, With roses bedight. Creep into thy bed, There pillow thy head.”
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Amazing Grace
The legendary Etta James gives a powerful and uplifting performance of this well-known song. This is a song that is frequently sung in church gatherings as well.
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Isn’t she lovely
Is your baby a girl? This song by Stevie Wonder, an homage to his own daughter Aisha, is one sweet lullaby song for baby to sleep.
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Star Light, Star Bright
Sing this classic lullaby for toddlers to put your child to sleep. You can point out the stars in the night sky while singing.
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Que sera sera
The title means, “Whatever will be, will be.” Sing this lullaby song for baby to sleep to calm and comfort him or her.
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You are my sunshine
These lovely lyrics were written by Jimmie Davis and Charles Mitchell in the late 1930s, and many performers have used them, including Johnny Cash and Aretha Franklin.
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Somewhere over the rainbow
This is a popular lullaby song for baby to sleep from the famous movie, "The Wizard of Oz". When your baby gets older, you can let him/her watch the movie too!
Developmental benefits of playing
Play is not just play! It has wide-ranging effects on your child’s development. When you focus on play and exercise—or playcersise!—you’ll be happy to discover an explosion of growth in your child’s mind and body.
Through play, children learn and discover more about the world and themselves. Play helps children to build confidence, feel loved, happy and safe, and learn about caring for others. It also allows them to improve their social skills at the same time develop language and communication skills.
“Movement can help children develop, not only motorically but emotionally and socially as well,” says G S Don Morris, an expert in this area.
“Their well-being can be greatly enhanced if they are given simple foundations in all areas during their early years. These foundations will carry through as they continue to develop and learn at home and at school.”
Aside from improving children’s motor, social and emotional skills, playing is also essential for boosting their cognitive skills and early brain development. In fact, a newborn’s brain has 100 billion neurons that are not yet connected in networks—and these connections, which play can help to form and reinforce, are what really make the brain work.
READ MORE:
Baby exercise na pwedeng subukan sa iyong baby at ang benepisyo nito sa kaniyang development
"The experience of play changes the connections of the neurons at the front end of your brain," says Sergio Pellis, a researcher at the University of Lethbridge in Alberta, Canada. "And without play experience, those neurons aren't changed."
It is absolutely essential that parents understand the role that play (movement) has in the development of a child’s overall development.
By being aware of play’s countless benefits to a child’s physiological, cognitive, social as well as emotional well-being, parents will be able to support their children and help them achieve their fullest potential.
The best part? Play comes naturally to every child, and it’s fun! There’s no better way to create a closer bond with your little one.
But here is an important thing to remember: Children must be free to move around to play, and if they wear bulky or lawlaw diapers, it hinders their movements.
For example, if your toddler is chasing a ball while wearing a lawlaw diaper, the bulk between her legs makes her sakang. You don't want that to happen to your child, right?
When your child has less lawlaw diapers, they are free to move and enjoy play unhindered! Here are a few playcercises for your tiny tots that you can do from ages one to 24 months:
Additional report by: Jobelle Macayan
Photo: www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/asian-young-mother-singing-lullaby-touching-2101170409