Young Children And The Music-Movement Connection by Abby Connors
Early Childhood Music Specialist
Connors419@aol.com
feet up in the air? No? Neither do I. When you’re dancing, I doubt you feel compelled to move all over the room, or hurl your body to the floor, just for fun. And I’d guess you don’t automati- cally shriek with excitement every time you jump.
W
This is because you’re a grownup. I’ve taught music to young children for about twenty years, and I’ve come to the conclu- sion that they speak an entirely different body language from ours. It’s as if they speak English and we’re trying to teach them in Latin. It doesn’t work. Young children are still growing into
their bodies. Their instincts compel them to explore their bodies’ capabilities – the strength and range of motion of vari- ous body parts, the possibilities for large motor movement (hopping, jumping, turning and so on); and the use of their bodies to express their emotions. Their mind-boggling energy (did you know that human beings are more active at age two than they ever will be again?), com- bined with their endless need to test their physical abilities, create bodies in near- constant motion. It’s hard for a teacher just to keep up
and make sure no one gets hurt, much less get them to slow down enough to listen and learn. Their urge to stand up, to run around, to stretch their growing muscles and to touch other children can be much stronger than their ability to follow verbal directions like “sit down” and “keep your hands to yourself.” But music teachers have a unique ad- vantage: the brains attached to those run-
TEMPO
hen you’re sitting on the floor, do you periodically lean back and kick your
ning, squirming, wiggling little bodies are genetically programmed to be enchanted by music. They literally can’t resist it. “Nothing activates as many areas of the brain as music,” says researcher Donald Hodges, Covington Distinguished Pro- fessor of Music Education and director of the Music Research Institute at the Uni- versity of North Carolina at Greensboro. Music integrates sensory, motor and affec- tive systems in the brain. One of the most important benefits of early childhood
music education is its role in promoting physical development. As children move to music, they increase coordination, flex- ibility, and motor skills (Bullard, 2010). It not only tames the wildness and disorga- nization of children’s physicality, it helps them transition to our more controlled, socially appropriate, and self-aware lan- guage of movement. Music allows young children to explore movement in an in- tentional and enjoyable way.
FOR THE modern world. musicians
PREPARING creative
WITH CONCENTRATIONS IN: BACHELOR OF ARTS
Performance | Composition Critical/Cultural Studies
BACHELOR OF MUSIC IN: Music Education | Vocal Performance
bucknell.edu/music BucknellUniversityDepartmentOfMusic 42 @BucknellMusic OCTOBER 2014
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