Kids love music. Any parent who has witnessed their little one come to life when a song comes on can speak to just how well children respond to a fun rhythm and catchy melody. Free from the self-consciousness that adults sometimes face, kids will freely dance, bop, and sing along at the tops of their lungs.
We live in a time that offers more entertainment options than ever, yet quality music for kids can still be hard to find. And even when you do find something that your kids love, the adults in the room (such as yourself) might struggle to listen to the same repetitive, simplistic songs over and over again. Below, we’ll explore some of the basics of picking out music for toddlers so you can find great tunes that will keep the whole family happy.
Most of us have a general sense that listening to music is good for kids of all ages, including toddlers. But why is that? When you look closer, there is plenty of science behind the benefits of exposure to music for kids early in life. Some of those advantages include:
A literacy boost. Learning to read is one of the biggest hurdles for a young person to clear, and consistent exposure to music can help with that endeavor. The lyrics used in kids’ songs will help them start to put together different sounds and patterns, which is a big step on the road to becoming a reader.
Happiness. Music just feels good. This is true for people of all ages, and that includes the youngest members of our families. When your toddler is having a bad day, playing some music is one of the best ways to turn things around.
Motor skill development. Dancing often comes along with music, especially when kids are involved. The dance moves they copy and create are more than just a good time—they also help kids develop important motor skills that will serve them well later in life.
In addition to the points above, consistent exposure to music seems to be connected with general brain development in young people. So, what music helps toddlers’ brain development? Classical music seems to lead the way, but any music that your child enjoys and will listen to regularly is going to be a great choice.
It’s best not to overthink it when it comes to what music you will play for your young children. In fact, most different genres of music have songs within them that would make excellent options. The key is that the songs grab the attention of your kids and get them interested in hearing more and listening again and again.
As a starting point, think about exposing children to the music that you listen to regularly. This is great because you already know some of the songs, so you won’t have to look around long to find something to play. Just head to your favorite playlist and pick out a few that are kid-friendly. Also, since you enjoy the music personally, you’ll be more inclined to sing and dance, which is going to help get your kids interested right off the bat.
Once you’ve gotten into the habit of playing some music for your toddler, you can expand and look for other sources. Music that is created specifically with kids in mind, such as the kids Christian music (and non-Christian tunes) we produce at Go Fish, is likely to be a big hit. Far from just your standard preschool music, we put tremendous effort into creating music that both kids and adults will love.
Generally speaking, it’s pretty easy to get your kids interested in listening to music. However, kids are unpredictable, and it might take a little more effort than you expect to get this ball rolling.
Try the ideas below to make it more likely that music time will become one of your toddler’s favorite activities:
Be involved. Just putting music on for the child while you do other things might not be a successful game plan. Instead, turn the music on with the intention of listening together while you sit on the floor or dance around the room. Like so many other things in a young child’s life, your involvement can make all the difference.
Make it a game. Young kids don’t want to sit by and be passive bystanders, they want to be involved in the action. With that in mind, try turning some of your favorite songs into games by asking your toddler to do certain things at specific points in the song. For instance, you might have them freeze when the chorus comes on, or do a specific dance move for each different verse.
Play an instrument. If your collection of toys includes some for-play musical instruments, this is a great time to bring them out. Don’t worry about trying to help the child match up their playing with the song or anything like that; just let them rock out and have a great time adding to the music. There will be plenty of time as they get older to take lessons and learn how to play the music more formally if that is something they want to do.
We already mentioned that you can use many different types of music when playing songs for your toddlers. While that is true, there are a few points you’ll want to watch out for when making your selections:
Inappropriate lyrics. Toddlers are likely to repeat just about everything that they hear. So, if there are words in songs that you don’t want your toddler to be saying, you’d be better off skipping those songs entirely. Of course, determining what is “appropriate” for a toddler is a personal decision, so you’ll need to decide for your family where to draw this line.
Too repetitive. This is one that tends to drive adults crazy, but it can also limit the benefit that your kids get from listening to music. Songs that are too simplistic and repetitive don’t deliver the cognitive value that better music provides, and you’ll also find that your kids will quickly tire of these tracks. Some repetition is inevitable in music that kids enjoy (and in music in general), but try to avoid the songs that are just the same few notes and words over and over again.
Words that are hard to understand. If a song has lyrics, the kids are going to want to know what those lyrics are, so they can sing along. While most kids’ songs will make the lyrics easy to understand, music from other genres might not check this box successfully. As a good rule of thumb, if you have trouble picking out some of the words from the song, your toddler will have the same problem.
Looking for a great source of music for your toddler? Go Fish is here for you. As a starting point, find us on your favorite music platforms, including Apple Music and Spotify. You can also subscribe to our YouTube channel to enjoy entertaining videos to go along with our original songs. While we are proud of our Bible songs for kids, we also offer a great collection of secular tunes. We think you’ll love what we have created!
