Archive for the ‘toddler music activities’ tag
ECE Brain Research receives Grammy Funding
So did Bruce Springsteen, Count Basie and k.d. lang.
Now Laurel Trainor has a Grammy award, too.
Hers is not the traditional, gold-plated, miniature gramophone, but a cheque in the amount of $39,800. And she didn’t have to produce a movie soundtrack or sing an outstanding song to get it.
The director of the McMaster Institute for Music and the Mind is one of only 22 successful applicants for a 2008 grant from the Grammy Foundation in California, which received 102 applications for a share of $600,000 in disbursements.
She and her research team will use the money to finance a study of how — or whether — babies benefit from early music education. The project is unique because it involves a younger than usual study group — six-month-old infants — and their parents, and will not be conducted in the precisely controlled environment of Mac’s auditory labs.
Starting in the fall, Trainor’s team, which includes research partner and PhD student David Gerry, will recruit 80 babies from the Wesley Ontario Early Years Centre and Today’s Family Ontario Early Years Centre, which serve the city’s west and Mountain ridings respectively.
After a round of pre-testing, they will start taking weekly classes at their centres with a Suzuki early childhood education teacher. When the babies reach the ripe old age of one, the lessons will end and the “students” will be retested.
Trainor hopes to establish that exposing them to Suzuki ECE music lessons can improve their perceptual, cognitive and social development.
There are no expectations of baby virtuosos tinkling the ivories or tootling the flute.
The Suzuki ECE program, developed 15 years ago by Canadian Dorothy Jones, uses percussion instruments, nursery rhymes, finger play, action songs and storytelling to help little people develop such skills as rhythm, pitch, memory, observation, listening, fine and gross motor co-ordination.
“The younger children don’t play violins,” smiles Trainor, a professor in Mac’s department of psychology, neuroscience and behaviour. “There’s a lot of singing, clapping, xylophones.”
The project began when Today’s Family staff contacted the Music and the Mind institute for advice on setting up music programs for their young charges.
Trainor and Gerry saw a perfect opportunity for testing the theory that music training at a very early age could have long-lasting benefits. Although that hypothesis in itself is not news, the researchers wanted to reach a population that wouldn’t ordinarily be exposed to music lessons, especially expensive classes such as Suzuki.
After six months, Trainor’s team will use a variety of methods to measure the difference between infants who were in the study and those who weren’t.
While all of the teaching and some of the testing will be conducted in the class environment, babies will have to attend Trainor’s lab at Mac for an electroencephalogram (EEG). They’ll be outfitted with a fetching net bonnet consisting of 128 electrodes, which are attached to the scalp to record brain activity.
The results will show whether the babies have developed an aesthetic response that allows them to distinguish pleasant musical sounds from discordant ones, and melodies played with no expression from those with variations in pitch, timing and expression.
Trainor plans to gauge the infants’ cognitive development by looking at their early language skills.
“I suspect that language development will be accelerated in kids with music training,” says Trainor, who plays principal flute with Symphony Hamilton. “Studies show that music training increases cognitive development in all other areas and also trains the attentional system.”
She’ll also look at the social interactions of the babies and how they are taking cues from each other, observing the structure of activities, and attempting to mimic behaviour.
Laurel Brydges, of Today’s Child, says the centre is “totally excited” about the partnership with Trainor’s researchers. The Ontario Early Years Centres are all about providing children with the best opportunities for life, she says, and the Suzuki training will only enhance their healthy development.
“The more assets a child has, the more they stay out of trouble,” says Brydges. “It’s going to be interesting.”
Brydges says she expects the project will show there is a big difference when an infant receives live music training from a professional instructor as opposed to just listening to a tape.
If the findings support Trainor’s hypothesis, she will try to get ongoing government and private support to keep the project going, ideally expanding it to older children and poor neighbourhoods.
The Grammy Foundation, part of whose mandate is music education, “is a perfect fit,” says Trainor, but $40,000 is the maximum grant it bestows.
“We sure could have used more, but we’ll manage. If we find (the results) quite beneficial, we will look for donors to keep it going independent of research.”
905-526-4689
Toddler music
Musical toys make wonderful gifts but how do you know which ones are right for your kids? These toys offer more than just fun and entertainment; they are also one of the best kids learning toys available. But the challenge is to provide kids with age-appropriate toys that can challenge them and motivate them to engage in active play time. This article provides some facts to help you know how to buy the right musical toys for your kids from the baby years to school age years.
Musical toys come in various forms. From newborn babies up to teenagers, there is something to fit every child’s needs. For young babies, simple rattles and shakers are appealing. In the early years, the best kids learning toys are the ones that meet multiple needs with the same toy. For example, a toy can provide both soft plush characters with musical features, giving kids a new friend with a smiling face and a soft cuddly body that makes musical sounds when played with. Other toys combine musical elements into teething rings, interesting textures, squeaky parts, and colorful inter-active options. Look for toys with a variety of textures, colors, sounds, moving parts or lights. Babies and toddlers get more use from these multi-faceted toys because they meet different needs.
Like with any toys, there are safety considerations, especially with babies and toddlers. The ideal size is a toy that is all one piece, too big to be swallowed yet lightweight so they are easy to grasp. Avoid toys with small pieces that can pose a choking hazard. Even toys that are all one piece should be durable enough to avoid the risk of small pieces or buttons that could break off to become choking hazards. Since the little guys put everything in their mouths, the toys should have smooth surfaces. Wooden painted toys should use only lead-free paint.
Kids of all ages like toys they can interact with. Some musical toys encourage interaction by playing different tunes depending on how they are touched. For babies and toddlers, musical toys are available with flashing lights and other interactive options. For added benefits, look for toys that combine musical tones with color coded buttons which can help teach color recognition. Older babies and toddlers enjoy selecting their favorite songs by recognizing the appropriate buttons.
From about three years old, kids are ready to be introduced to small musical instruments. These classic kids learning toys introduce them to a variety of ways to make sounds, from rattling tambourines, clashing cymbals, clacking wood pieces, and vibrating triangles. Even though kids cannot read music, that is okay because many of these toys include color coded notes and pictures for early note recognition. Some musical toys have optional song sheets for kids who want to play music on their own. Melissa and Doug is a popular brand that offers a variety of wooden musical toys that provide excellent quality musical sounds and are specially designed for young kids.
For older children, toys begin to transition into expensive musical instruments, which are the ultimate kids learning toys. While younger children might not want to pick out a tune or follow notes, school-aged kids love to play solos. They readily learn the underlying math concepts of whole notes, half notes, quarter notes, and so on. Counting is also important to making the right tune. From a recorder or keyboard to guitar or violin, a lifetime of learning and enjoyment can lie ahead. To select the right instrument, parents should follow the child’s lead on taking up an instrument, as this is more likely to ensure commitment and all-important practicing.
Author Bio: Joe Kanooga is a father of two kids, a successful business owner and the author of numerous articles about musical toys and other learning toys. Click here to download our free kids learning toys guidebook filled with helpful tips, ideas and information.
twinkle twinkle little star
|
|
Egy Gawhara Professional Tambourine Riq – Riqq – Rik $399.00 |
|
|
New Percussion Instrument Prof. Def (Tambourine) $199.00 |
|
|
Childs BLUE 5 PIECE DRUM SET Kids Drums Kit Childrens $339.95 |
|
|
Childs Black 5 PIECE DRUM SET Kids Drums Kit Childrens $339.95 |
|
|
Enchantmints Hideaway Horse Music Box $19.99 B1027 To a horse lover, there is no such thing as too many horses. For once the soul of a horse has captured your heart, there is no turning back. Dedicated to horse lovers everywhere, Enchantmints’ new collection of Horse Treasure Boxes feature these graceful animals experiencing the joy of just being themselves. The illustrations are laminated with playful and dreamy images, appealing to all ag… |
|
|
Lambs and Ivy Enchanted Forest Musical Mobile, Green $36.18 The Enchanted Forest Musical Mobile soothes your baby to sleep playing the music of Brahms’ Lullaby. Easy to follow assembly instructions are included. Contains optional wall mount assembly…. |
|
|
Bedtime Originals Baby Zoo Musical Mobile – Chocolate $26.97 Bedtime Originals Baby Zoo Musical Mobile Baby Zoo’s adorable patchwork of happy jungle animals in warm earth tones is sure to bring a smile to your child. The 4 piece bedding set includes a quilt, bumper, sheet and dust ruffle. Baby Zoo collection is available in the following components: -4 Piece Set: Quilt, Bumper, Sheet, Dust Ruffle -Musical mobile features a unique “piggyback” style mobile wi… |
|
|
Musical Adventures (With Puppet) (W/Toy) (Slip) [VHS] $1.24 … |
|
|
Dora’s Playtime Gift Set Dora’s Playtime Gift Set includes Fairytale Adventure & Pirate Adventure DVDs and a Dora The Explorer lunch box! Fairytale Adventure DVD Once upon a time, Dora and Boots went exploring in Fairytale Land. But when Boots falls under a mean witch’s spell, Dora must set out on her toughest adventure yet – she must become a true princess to awaken Sleeping Boots! Will you help her become La Princesa Do… |