Wonder why you love singing to you baby so much? There are lots of reasons why your baby responds so positively. As well, there are reasons why you love it too! Here is our Top Five list of benefits of singing for both baby and you:
Benefits of singing for your baby
Teaches listening: Singing helps babies learn how to recognize sounds and it helps them to start to understand words and their meaning.
Expression of Love: Your voice is your child’s favourite sound. When you sing to your child, she understands this as a calming and bonding experience.
Learning: Kids’ songs teach your child about their world -colours, numbers, letters, etc… As well, songs and music are a fantastic first step to supporting initial developmental milestones – social and emotional (bonding with family), cognitive (math, language, patterns), movement and bodily kinesthetic (sign language, tying words to objects),
Falling asleep: Your baby loves the sound of your voice. Singing songs to them at nap time and bed time is a nurturing way to comfort them.
Cause and Effect: Songs with patterns (counting, different words added every verse) help babies to learn about cause and effect and what is happening next
Benefits of singing for you
It feels good! Singing releases dopamine (the feel-good hormone), which reduces stress naturally and makes you feel good
Improves your sleep: Singing also improves lung capacity. It gets oxygen flowing through the body. This helps support a deeper and more restful sleep, particularly important for parents of newborns!
Good for your body: Singing can slow down your heart rate, decreases blood pressure and therefore helps you to relax
Tools to support parenting: It’s great to have songs to sing throughout the day! Transition songs can signal the start or end of everyday activities (clean up, bath, food). These songs can help you and your child have fun while doing regular activities.
Bond with your child: Singing together brings everyone closer. It’s is a fun and intimate way to interact and feel connected.
Lisa Haberman has been helping to bring music into the lives of more than 30 000 families at Rainbow Songs, Toronto’s beloved music school for babies, toddlers and preschoolers. Find a location near you at one of their 20 GTA locations.
