Incorporating Music Into Family Activities Visit the music festivals in your community! Culpeper County Blues Brother’s Review www.culpepertheatre.org Culpeper Fiesta www.facebook.com/culpeperfiesta First Friday Libations on the Lawn www.culpepermuseum .com Sunsets at Salubria – Texas Chainsaw Horns www.germanna.org Thursday Summer Concert Series www.culpeperdowntown.com Fauquier County First Fridays in Old Town www.partnershipforwarrenton.org Friday Night Flights and Live Music, Poplar Springs www.poplarspringsinn.com Music on the Deck, Naked Mountain Vineyard www.nakedmountainwinery.com Twilight Polo at Great Meadow www.greatmeadow.org Sundays in July CM Crockett Park www.fauquiercounty.gov Annual Children’s Festival www.fauquiercounty.gov Prince William County Prince William County Fair www.pwcfair.com 3rd Annual Bands, Brews, and Barbecue Festival www.visitmanassas.com Annual Latino Festival www.manassaslatinofestival.com Multiple Locations Bluemont Music Series www.bluemont.org M By Caroline Stout order? If so, you probably learned the song, “Fifty Nifty United States” as a child. Almost all young children use music as a mnemonic , or memory, device, to learn the alphabet by singing the Alphabet Song, to the tune of “Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star”. Music as a mnemonic device can be a great way for older children to memorize facts in school by making up a song or using a familiar tune. Learning to play a musical instrument can also help a child develop concentration and patience, which will also help him when he must focus his attention on other subjects in school. Social/Emotional/Behavioral skills Following directions is an important social skill for all children to learn, and music can be a fun way to practice this. Parents can sing songs like “The Hokey Pokey” or help children learn concepts such as “fast,” “slow,” “quiet,” and “loud” by demonstrating them while playing simple shaker-style instruments. Older children may participate in a musical group to help them relate to others and learn to work as a team. Making music can be a great way for families to bond together, whether through traditional forms such as singing around a piano or campfire or more contemporary methods such as creating a rap. From the moment children are born, they demonstrate a love for music. Singing lullabies or other special bedtime songs is a great way to introduce a baby to music and also helps to create predictability in the bedtime routine. Families can have fun making up silly songs to prompt the start of other routine activities, such as putting pajamas on or picking up toys. Other Music and Families continued on page 32 usic has many powerful benefits for children. Music has been demonstrated to support learning in a variety of ways, beyond the ability to use the voice or fingers to create music. Music helps to stimulate pathways in the brain involved in language, analytical skills, and memory. But most importantly, music is fun and can be an enjoyable activity for the whole family. Physical skills Music is a wonderful way to encourage physical development for children of all ages. Their fine motor skills and hand-eye coordination can be improved by playing musical instruments. Research shows that children who play wind instruments or sing improve their asthma symptoms. In addition, the rhythms of music can encourage even the most sedentary child to move. Families can enjoy music and movement together by putting on an upbeat song and dancing around. Language skills Music and language have very similar qualities. Both use rhythm and pitch, and both are forms of communication. Singing to babies and young children can assist in language development by drawing out and accenting certain components of words, helping the child pay closer attention to the consonants and vowels. Because music is processed in a different area of the brain than language, it can help to create different pathways in the brain to assist with language development. Parents can help a young child learn language skills by singing rhyming songs and doing finger plays. Cognitive skills Can you name all 50 states in alphabetical 2013 • Issue 4 Piedmont Family Magazine 25