Music is a source of joy, and we all know that it also plays a crucial role in a child’s development. Its influence goes beyond entertainment, affecting cognitive, emotional, and social growth. Furthermore, music is a therapeutic tool for children dealing with various challenges.
Music therapy is a therapeutic approach that primarily employs music or musical components such as harmony and rhythm to enhance mental, emotional, and physical health. Music eases a person’s stress, provides a means for non-verbal expression, and promotes relaxation through singing, instrumental performance, songwriting, or listening. This well-established and widely recognised practice in psychology harnesses the diverse elements of music—physical, emotional, mental, aesthetic, and spiritual—to enhance individuals’ overall well-being. With the assistance of a music therapist, music can be utilised to delight, uplift, open the mind, and stimulate the senses in order to achieve multiple therapeutic aims.
Brief History
Music’s healing power has been acknowledged for centuries. The writings of Plato and Pythagoras, two prominent Greek philosophers, extensively explored the topic of music and its impact, often advocating for music and music therapy. Hippocrates, the father of medicine, used it to treat his patients. Native Americans relied on chants and dances to heal the sick, while Arabs built hospitals with dedicated music rooms. Following the aftermath of World Wars I and II, music therapy began to flourish in the UK and the US, as hospitals employed musicians to assist soldiers dealing with PTSD and to play for wounded soldiers.
During the 1800s, research was conducted on the physiological changes that music could induce. The year 1950 marked the establishment of the National Association for Music Therapy. In 1971, another organisation known as the American Association for Music Therapy was established. In 1998, the two organisations came together to create the American Music Therapy Association.
Music in Child Development
Music offers immense developmental advantages for children. Music can improve fine and large motor skills. Dancing and singing may appear to be basic tasks, but they actually serve as the foundational elements for developing mobility skills such as bending and jumping.
Children enhance their language abilities as song lyrics are deeply embedded in language. Rhythms and tunes help children learn phrases, grasp rhyming patterns, and understand context. Music fosters communication and collaboration among children.
Music as Therapy
Music lifts our moods. When we listen to music or play an instrument that we like, we feel better. Learning an instrument can become a fulfilling new hobby, serving as a valuable tool for enhancing mental health and navigating challenging situations throughout life.
It’s interesting to note that music therapy operates without the need for verbal communication, setting it apart from other therapeutic approaches that require conversation. Ultimately, it varies based on individual needs, and there are instances where both types of therapy can be beneficial. Music offers a unique experience that doesn’t necessitate conversation. While self-expression is integral to talking therapy, music therapy facilitates creative expression, offering a more enjoyable means of navigating challenging emotions. This can be especially advantageous for children who are introverted, experience communication challenges, or struggle with intricate emotions such as loss or anxiety.
Helping children harness the power of music for managing their emotions plays a crucial role in their early child development and supports them through school and learning. Children will not only discover how to articulate their feelings, but they will also find solace in music, especially during tough times. The consistent and repetitive qualities of music can foster a feeling of stability and calmness, making it especially beneficial for children facing anxiety or navigating stressful situations, such as beginning a new school year or experiencing family transitions.
Music therapy frequently includes collaborative activities, enabling children to create music collectively, exchange their compositions, and provide mutual support. Engaging in these interactions fosters the development of social skills, empathy, and a sense of belonging—essential elements for emotional well-being. By engaging in musical activities together, children have the opportunity to build meaningful connections that offer emotional support.
Kinds of Music Therapy
Professional therapists use various therapeutic approaches. Some of them are Drumming Therapy, which functions like meditation, encouraging participants to synchronise through rhythm. Improvisation is spontaneous music-making, either freely or within a set theme, fostering creativity and self-expression. Benenzon Music Therapy blends psychoanalysis with music to help individuals identify their “musical sound identity,” reflecting their emotional state and aiding emotional regulation. Faster music can boost alertness and concentration, upbeat music encourages positivity, and slower tempos promote relaxation by calming the mind and reducing stress.
The Amani Project, a collaboration between Smile Foundation and the Amani Project USA, has empathy through music at its core. Children attend music therapy workshops under the guidance of mentors, where they are trained to play various musical instruments and learn to work together in harmony to create something beautiful. This initiative has benefited hundreds of students, enhancing their empathy and emotional management.
Smile For Child Development
Smile’s education initiative, Mission Education, has been working towards holistic child development on children belonging from marginalised communities of India. Our core belief is to provide these young learners with the knowledge and skills that foster their holistic development. Through projects like Amani, we have offered students a unique opportunity to explore their talents, refining their musical abilities and equipping them with skills that distinguish them as well-rounded individuals, ready to thrive in the broader world.
Your support can help our young maestros continue their educational journey and nurture their passions, enabling them to engage with the world in harmony with the rhythm of progress.
