Psychologists aren’t able to define just what it is that draws people to music. They have categorized the reasons that people listen to music – for some, music is a distraction from hard things like pain and sorrow. Other people listen to music for education, to connect with others, to evoke precious memories, to help them focus or to motivate them when training or studying. Some people find music is an important part of developing and expressing their identity. People of all ages listen to music, and almost every culture in every time engages in some form of music. There is definitely something magic about music.
At Butterfly Home, we find that music is a vital part of every day. Music is accessible to all our children – no matter what their level of ability. The joy they get from their favorite songs is amazing.
Grace, our early childhood educator, uses music with the children every day. And we love it when volunteers bring an instrument! Music always draws a crowd.
It’s also incredible to see the children’s faces light up when they can join in and make some music themselves. They love to sing children’s songs together, and contribute by making noise in any way they are able. Sometimes it’s not always in time or in tune – but just as beauty is in the eye of the beholder, music is in the ear of the listener. So it’s always music to our ears!
Noah loves his toy piano – its a simple little instrument, but it brings him great joy to be able to produce a musical sound.
We’ve certainly seen music do magic in all sorts of situations. It can bring peace to a restless child who is dealing with pain and fear. An MP3 player with their own special playlist is often the best therapy for a child like that. Music helps kids step away from their suffering and escape into the song. And it can help shy children open up and start to trust – we love seeing a smile creep onto their faces during music time when they think no-one is looking. Music is an integral part of the sensory room experience, and it’s a great motivator during therapy – especially when we are asking kids to do hard work!
So thank you so much to Sue, Grace and to everyone who contributes to the musical life of our home. Music really is a precious gift to our children.
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