How Music Teaches Kids to Self-Regulate
children learn to self-regulate gradually. dance in sync find a calm song how music teaches kids to self-regulate pat or tap to the beat. sing sing and sway Jun 06, 2024
BY KINDERMUSIK
How Music Teaches Kids to Self-Regulate
He’s so whiny. She’s a hitter. He cries non-stop. She can’t stop talking…if this sounds like your child(ren), they’re not wild—they need help learning how to self-regulate.
When grownups are overstimulated or don’t get their way, we (usually) use tools like taking a deep breath or a walk to make sure we don’t lose it. When we self-regulate, we balance our nervous systems. That helps us access our prefrontal cortex, where logic lives.
When it comes to self-regulation in children, they’ve got two things working against them:
1) They aren’t born with the tools to regulate their nervous systems, and
2) Their prefrontal cortex isn’t fully formed, so they need extra help to reach and dissect that logic.
Enter music!
Music is one of the BEST tools to help instill calm and promote self-regulation while combatting dysregulation.
Why?
There are lots of scientific reasons, but the common thread is music is joyful and rewarding. When we feel joy, we want to experience it again, right?
Here are three musical ways to help kids self-regulate.
Pat or tap to the beat.
We’re all born with internal rhythm and subconsciously seek it. So, when we pat or tap to the beat, our body’s internal rhythms slow down or speed up to match it.
Rhythm patterns creates predictability. Predictability creates safety. And safety creates balance.
Try “Hickory Dickory Dock” on the free Kindermusik App.
If you’ve got a tiny tot, bounce or pat them on their body to really help them feel the beat. Older toddlers and preschoolers might like a wooden spoon and a pot to create that 1-2-3 pattern themselves!
Find a calm song, sing, and sway.
Research tells us singing calms babies twice as long as talking. So, singing to your baby is a no-brainer, but it really captures the attention of all children faster.
And moving to the music simultaneously slows the heart rate and works hard to balance our nervous systems.
Try “All through the Night” on the free Kindermusik App.
For babies and young toddlers, hold them and rock or sway gently as the song plays. For older toddlers and kiddos who might not want to be coddled, give them a prop to spark imagination. Lightweight scarves, dish towels, or a pillow case are perfect options!
Dance in sync.
When we’re in unity—like following dance steps together—our boundaries soften, our sense of belonging increases, and our communication is stronger. It’s the same for children!
Remember the song “Teddy Bear”?
Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear turn around
Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear touch the ground…
Stream it on Kindermusik’s app and watch focus, active listening, and giggles change the mood. For babies and pre-walkers, simply hold them while you do the steps. They’ll still feel the power and safety of moving with you.
Children learn to self-regulate gradually.
Self-regulation develops over time, so it is definitely a process. Our job as grownups is to help find the tools that connect with their brains and bodies, and because music touches everything from our internal rhythms to our emotions, it’s a great place to start.
Want more musical self-regulation tools? Find a Kindermusik class near you or check out our classroom kits for teachers.
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consistent cowbell crazy sounds: what the voice can do creativity skills in music education crucial pre-reading cut down on cell phone babbling dance in sync dancing dear students developing balance and coordination developing fine motor skills developing gross motor skills developing strong relationships develops inhibitory control devotion of activity diy beach in a bottle! do music? yep! you're probably smarter do your research. don’t be scared… don’t forget to play! don’t have preconceived notions about when “real speech” will occur don’t just sit there – move! draw what you hear. embrace your “baby voice” emotional intelligence emotional learning enhance phonemic awareness establish a daily routine for music. everyone can sing everything you needed to know about a kindermusik class explore the three b's expressing ideas expression feeling it fetuses begin to form a connection with their mother’s voice around the 4th month of pregnancy find a calm song find a family class that helps you grow find an affordable program and reduce student debt finding your place in the performing arts follow the child for children with unique learning styles for the love of musik: starting a kindermusik studio four on the 4th: four ways early music classes prepare your child for school… and for life four on the fourth: four reasons to sing the day away free music rituals album freeplay getting grounded giving gifts group communication skills growing up in kindermusik guiro hang back from the sales frenzy. have a dance party. head voice for kids head voice vs. chest voice hearing hearing it hearing system heavy traffic high-pitched kids hoping to nurture social-emotional wellness in your child? music helps. how can music class help my family regulate noise? how do babies bond? how kindermusik prepares your child for school how loud is too loud? how music affects your mood and your mind how music strengthens emotional development and bonding how music teaches kids to self-regulate how postnatal singing supports secure attachment how pre- and postnatal singing support secure attachment how the voice works how to keep the daily rhythms and routines that matter to your child imaginations impact: music and the differently abled improved happiness levels in your right brain: the mind’s response to music in-person or virtual music class help? incorporate themes. increases literacy and pre-reading skills infant music classes instrument exploration instrument exposure intentional pitch just sing keep learners engaged at home with songs that connect to each lesson. keep learning about creativity kid songs kids beats kids generation kids get it: music is magic kids love music kids need to be kids kids playing kids playlist kindermusik kindermusik and the music city: betsy flanagan speaks at the national head start conference and expo kindermusik blog kindermusik class for toddlers kindermusik classroom instruments and their big brothers kindermusik community kindermusik is the key kindermusik reviews: cutie sue and the darkness kindermusik reviews: the book with no pictures kindermusik reviews: the not so quiet library kindermusik reviews: what do you do with a problem? kindermusik's approach kindermusik’s gift guide lack of attention span needed language and literacy skills language and speech language skills lesson learned: how my son spent $1200 on itunes let kids create their own magic. letter sound let’s play: is it an instrument? listen to instrumental songs. look for a longer shelf life. love and music: a magical connection love for music is the answer lower stress - better health lullabies maintains babies’ attention and stimulates emotional responses (like smiling) master instruments math skills melody magic: music strengthens social bonds memorization motorcycle movement and music: hop moving and the mind music music affects the science of reading music and literacy are processed the same way…through sound! 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play leads children to sort information in new ways and to seek symbolic representations. play music! play stretches the imagination through fantasy playing instruments power of play-based learning practical at–home developmental strategies praise prenatal and postnatal singing is one of the easiest ways to jumpstart secure attachment. prioritize grownup social-emotional growth anytime. prioritize imaginative play promotes active listening read aloud. reading abilities realizing your child’s musical potential reduce screen time. reflecting on july’s summer camp magic! regulate emotions repeat that sound to a familiar tune repetition repetition repetition research: involving parents increases positive outcome for kids enrolled in head start reserved space: dedicated grey matter for music! reunited: a short film about music and the human spirit rhyme rhythm right choice for family risk and growth: a balancing act rock concerts schedule learning time. science center stage: gratitude science center stage: kids’ brains grow faster with music science center stage: music changes the brain science center stage: music improves brain development in children science center stage: music may boost language learning in babies science center stage: the imaginary friend science of music science of reading science spotlight: how music impacts our mood scientific secure attachment seeing it self awareness and the dragon: a parenting fairytale self-confidence. self-regulation to emotional expression sequencing series of positive and nurturing interactions shape of lips share new school year musical rituals with families before classes begin shoes off simple diy crafts that let kids be creative and expressive simple gifts for kids simple gifts for kids: batteries not required simple toys or props sing sing aloud. sing and dance that stress away sing and sway sing like a pirate! sing throughout the day singing and movement singing dad singing helps grownups self-regulate singing in choir makes you happier singing is the best singing is the way singing mom singing parents sirens and fireworks sleeping infant so social social skills social-emotional growth social-emotional learning soft music solving problems sound sound first – symbol second sound vocabulary sounds speak up. speech skill sports events square peg in a square hole: music in the preschool experience – a natural fit squirm steady beat steady beats for kids steady beats matters story time! reading to kids the right way storytime strengthens the vestibular system stretching them to their limits as we create strong relationship studio kindermusik classes study after study summer camp summer camp on a summer slide summer slide summer slide: what you should know sun’s out support divergent thinking through play support physical distancing and social-emotional development with seated or outdoor musical activities. talk teach creativity teaching kids to become creative the beginning of life is beautifully composed the best gifts are often not the most expensive the best kind of summer school the blues: music and mood the box vs. the toy that came in it: why the box wins the brain looks for patterns. the collaborative for academic the gift of health: music boosts the immune system the gift of love: a parent’s perspective of kindermusik the gift of time: holiday activities for the whole family the neurosciences and music vi: music the power of “i love you” rituals the science behind singing to your child the surprising connections between social-emotional skills and cognitive development the surprising reasons why grownups love kindermusik too toddlers and toys too loud: how to prevent early hearing loss in children tools tools for kids top 5 tips for buying the perfect simple gifts for kids triangle trudel music studio trust trust relevant experts. try to live by this rule of five unique brain patterns universal language: music therapy use a mirror to visualize phonemes using music to address challenging behaviors utero vacuum cleaner we have no earlids. we hear with our brains. we love our kindermusik educators what can i do to prevent early hearing loss? what does it take? becoming a kindermusik educator what kids need what kids want: quality time what kinds of activities should an infant music class include? what makes kindermusik so compelling to children what’s wrong with toddler music lessons? when it comes to your kids investing early pays off whisper white noise for babies who knew? kindermusik changes lives in jordan why barefoot is best why do children need a “music program”? why do you sing? why does music increase literacy development? why is newborn bonding important and when does it happen? why is unstructured play important? why music is better than white noise for babies why shared musical experiences with your child are so important (and ideas to implement!) why singing to your child every day is vital why songs stick in our heads why toddler music lessons aren’t the best idea wiggle will i gain confidence as a parent? with love woodblock worried about partying in college? a music major ain’t got time for that! you can benefit together you know it: kids feel stress young kids