Singing to your babies and toddlers is one of the best ways to introduce music into their lives. This type of auditory stimulation can also help develop speech, communication, and cognitive skills. You can get even more “bang for your buck” with one simple idea: contrast. When you sing to your child, sing both soft sounds and loud sounds (not too loud, obviously). Sing both fast and slow songs. Sing high sounds and low sounds. If you’re bilingual, sing in both languages. Ham it up! It’s ok to sound silly.
Here are some easy ways to add contrast
- Sing very high, then very low
- Sing very loud, then very soft
- Sing very fast, then very slow
Music and speech both depend on hearing contrast, and exposing your child to these contrasts early is a wonderful way to help them think, speak, and enjoy music throughout their lives.