| This article was written for Paducah Parenting magazine. |
| Summer + Music = Fun |
| Brace yourself, parents!! Summer is right around the corner and along with it comes the question, "What can I do now?" Well, maybe not in the first week, but it truly doesn't take long for children to become bored - especially those who have been accustomed to daily structure and activity. Yet, we don't want to get so scheduled and busy that summer vacation feels like work! Summer provides a very necessary time for renewal and relaxation. Is there a way to balance the need for "down time" with the need to keep both the body and mind engaged and stimulated? |
| The answer is YES . . . with music!! |
| Music is good for the mind. Recent brain research indicates that music training can enhance a child's abstract reasoning skills (the ones needed for learning math and science). In addition, listening to music engages both hemispheres of the brain, as opposed to the way many other disciplines engage one side or the other. One of the most telling statistics about intelligence and music resulted from research conducted on college students taking an IQ test. Those who listened to music by Mozart before taking the test scored 8 or 9 points higher than those who listened to a tape of relaxation instructions or those who sat in silence. There's no doubt about it - music does make you smarter. And in the absence or formal academic training over the summer months, it keeps the brain engaged. Music is good for the body too. Movement and dance are natural responses to the musical experience, and summer music camps or classes provide the perfect opportunities to incorporate movement. Children just naturally feel more free to explore movement during the summer months because its "time to play!" |
| Music activities allow for "down time" as well. Music is a great outlet for creative expression and improvisation. What could be more fun for a 4 or 5 year old than exploring the musical story of "Peter and the Wolf" or pretending to be bumblebees while listening to classical music that portrays the moods of the color yellow? Ever notice how background music adds to storytelling? Just try watching a suspenseful movie scene with the volume muted. It's just not the same without the sound effects created by auxiliary percussion and melodies. Children are fascinated with producing sounds on drums, ratchets, thunder tubes, and other pitched percussion. A summer percussion camp can provide a great fit for learning new skills while enjoying the creativity involved in accompanying a story with sound. Percussion activities for older advanced students could combine improvisation on various instruments with reading rhythms and ensemble experiences. Again, music fits the need to "play" with the need to keep the intellect active. |
| Summer months are ideal too, for learning a new instrument. Finding time to practice can be difficult during the hectic schedule of the school year, and summer affords opportunities for success and mastery of skills simply because there is less stress. And last but not least, summer is the best time for attending outdoor concerts with your family. Paducah plays host to many performing groups, from the evening concerts during the Summer Festival to the Paducah Symphony Pops Concert, to the various artists who entertain on Saturday evenings in the "Downtown After Dinner" programs. |
| So, if you find yourself asking, "Are we having fun yet?" don't forget to put music into the equation, because. . . . |
| Summer + Music = FUN!! |
