What Babies Learn From Listening to Music

A lot has been learned in recent years about how our brains develop and babies have been found to have billions of brain cells. During their first years, these cells connect with others and over time the connections that are used on a regular basis become stronger. Some of these pathways influence the way we think and many who study this developmental science believe that by listening to classical music we can improve our spatial awareness.


In experiments an adult listening to classical music for 10 minutes put together a jigsaw faster than when not listening and preschoolers given eight months tuition on the piano / keyboards scored 46% higher than those who did not in spatial reasoning IQ test.

The music of Mozart is most especially connected with this idea. Scientists Rauscher, Shaw, and Ky published their findings in 1993 showing that experimental subjects gained an increase in spatio-temporal ability after listening to Mozart's music. This was later reported by the media as 'Listening to Mozart makes you smarter' however the study had never found any link between listening to music and intelligence.
Despite this, all Mothers know that listening to music can do so much for a baby. The effect of music on premature babies has been studied; scientists played lullabies to them for less than an hour on four consecutive days. When they were examined on the last day, the babies who had the music played to them had a stronger heartbeat, lower blood pressure and had gained more weight.

Studies in nurseries and pre-schools also show changes in behavior when the children listen to classical music.

This is hardly surprising. Stop to think how music affects you; a happy tune lifts your spirits and sends the blues away whereas soft music feeds your soul and soothes. Even the most fractious of infants will eventually succumb to a lullaby. All scientists agree that babies benefit from an environment which stimulates the senses, playing classical music is a great way to stimulate the ears.

But playing music to a baby is not quite the same, intimate activity as singing. Many studies had shown that singing, being an active process, has a more beneficial effect than simply listening to music. Signing can boost your immune system, something many new mothers need, and of course the best way to encourage your baby to sing, is to sign to your baby! Pick them up and dance with them, let them bang a drum and make their own music for as long as you can stand it. Encourage them to find the rhythm that they knew in the womb, listening to your heart beat for nine months. And perhaps change to the classics when it comes to nap time.

But what if classical music is not your thing? Does the type of music you share with your baby really matter? Apparently so; rap and head banging rock are not ideal things to play to a baby. The study of animals has shown that jarring and harsh music alters the brain structure; even plants apparently dislike this kind of music, while ivy growing on a house where classical music was frequently played absolutely flourished.

Music is all about fun and new sounds, if your baby gets excited with what you play for him/her then go with it and enjoy. Will he or she become a genius if they listen to classical music? - No, but they will remember all the fun you had together when they grow up, and that may be even more important.

Article by Valentina Kaltchev founder of TheQuiltFairy.com, an online boutique for handmade baby quilts, baby crib bedding, nursery rugs and custom accessories in wide range of colors and themes to satisfy the most discriminating tastes.

Posted in: Baby Care