How to Use Music To Support Early Communication

How Music and Singing Promote Early Language Development in Infants and Toddlers In this session of the Learn With Less podcast (a special episode brought to you in partnership with the pod-conference, SLP Live), we discussed different ways that music and singing promotes early language development in infants and toddlers. We also discussed research that supports the use of music as a framework to support communication development. In addition, we explored different strategies to help keep a young child engaged in musical activities. Hi, I’m Ayelet Marinovich, your host. Welcome to Learn With Less, a family enrichment program for parents, caregivers, and educators working with infants and toddlers of all developmental levels. In this podcast series, we get together to sing a few songs, discuss some ideas for play, outlines, some insight about early development and talk about life as a parent or caregiver in these early years of parenthood. The mission of Learn With Less® is to provide peace of mind families already have everything they need to support the infants and toddlers in their lives. Now, before we get started, I would like to take a moment to let you know that I am the creator of the Learn With Less® Curriculum, the basis for which is outlined in my best selling books, Understanding Your Baby and Understanding Your Toddler. The Learn With Less® Curriculum also exists as both a live, local offering for families provided by me and a group of licensed facilitators, and as a virtual program. I am the sole recording artist on my musical album, which I do mention later in the episode, called Strength In Words: Music For Families. As the creator of the Learn With Less® Curriculum, I do receive royalties and collect membership and licensing fees. I’m also the host of the Learn With Less podcast, which is a free early development and early parenting resource for parents, caregivers and professionals working with families with infants and toddlers, and which occasionally informs my audience about my paid offerings. I also want to let you know that after listening to this episode of the Learn With Less podcast, you have a few learning outcomes: * You will be able to identify ways that music and singing promotes early development in infants and toddlers* You will be able to identify research that supports the use of music as a framework to support early communication* You’ll be able to pull from a repertoire of songs and rhymes to use in play or a therapeutic context that can target early communication and other early developing skills* You’ll be able to identify additional songs that you already know that might also be utilized in a learning context* And you’ll be able to identify strategies to keep a young child engaged in musical activities Let’s start today’s episode by using our bodies and tapping to the beat. Don’t worry if you don’t consider yourself musical or if the rhythm doesn’t feel like it comes naturally to you. This is about the time you spend with your baby or toddler doing something together. We’ll talk more about why it’s so beneficial later in the episode. Sings