The Magic of Music for Kids: How Songs and Movement Support Child Development

What if we told you that one of the most powerful tools for supporting your child's development is something you probably already have in your home?

Music is a therapeutic powerhouse that pediatric occupational therapists use every single day to help children build essential skills. From calming an overwhelmed body to strengthening motor skills and improving focus, the right music at the right time can unleash your child's ability to learn, regulate, and thrive.

The best part? Music is incredibly versatile. You can use it anywhere–at home during homework time, in the car during transitions, during meals, or as part of your bedtime routine. And you don't need any special training or expensive equipment to start seeing benefits.

Let's explore how you can harness the therapeutic power of music to support your child's development.

Why Music Works: The Science Behind the Magic

Music does something remarkable in the brain. When your child hears music, multiple areas of their brain light up simultaneously – areas responsible for movement, emotion, memory, attention, and sensory processing.

This whole-brain activation is why music can be so effective for supporting development. It helps:

• Regulate the body's arousal level (promoting calm or alertness as needed)

• Organize the sensory system for better focus and attention

• Support motor planning as children learn to move their bodies to rhythms

• Build memory and sequencing skills through repetition and patterns

• Develop bilateral coordination as both sides of the body work together

• Strengthen fine and gross motor skills through movement and finger play

  
  

As pediatric occupational therapists, we see music as a natural regulator. It meets children where they are and gently guides their bodies toward the state they need to be in.

Setting the Mood: Using Music to Regulate Your Child's Body

Not all music affects the body the same way. Different types of music send different messages to the brain about how alert or calm to be.

Calming Music for Regulation

When your child needs to settle down, focus, or prepare for quiet activities, choose:

• Classical music with slow, steady tempos

• Nature sounds (ocean waves, rain, forest sounds)

• Lullabies or gentle acoustic songs

• Instrumental music without lyrics (less distracting)

When to use calming music:

• Before bedtime as part of a wind-down routine

• During homework or focused learning activities

• After school, when your child needs to decompress

• During meals, to create a peaceful atmosphere

• When you notice early signs of overwhelm

Alerting Music for Energy

When your child needs a boost of energy, motivation, or engagement, try:

• Upbeat songs with strong rhythms

• Music with a faster tempo

• Songs with repetitive, predictable beats

• Movement songs that encourage dancing and jumping

When to use alerting music:

• During morning routines to help wake up the body

• Between homework assignments as an energizing break

• During transitions that tend to drag

• When your child seems sluggish or disengaged

Important note: Every child responds to music differently. What's calming to one child might be alerting to another. Pay attention to how YOUR child's body responds to different types of music, and adjust accordingly. The auditory system naturally changes as we age, so your child's preferences may differ from yours.

Music and Movement: Building Gross Motor Skills

One of music's superpowers is its ability to get bodies moving - and movement is essential for healthy development.

Whole Body Wake-Ups

Use music to incorporate regular movement breaks during activities that require sitting:

• Play an upbeat song during homework movement breaks

• Encourage stretching, jumping, or dancing to the music

• This helps reset your child's posture and attention

Regular movement breaks prevent slouching and keep your child's body alert and ready to learn.

Moving to the Beat

When children move to a rhythm, they're working on:

• Timing and rhythm awareness (important for speech and reading)

• Body awareness (knowing where their body is in space)

• Attention and focus (tracking the beat requires concentration)

• Motor planning (coordinating movements to match the music)

Try activities like:

• Marching to a drumbeat

• Clapping to the rhythm of a song

• Moving fast during fast parts and slow during slow parts

Executive Function Through Music

Stop and start games, such as freezing when the music stops.

Balance and Coordination Through Music

Make balance practice fun by adding music:

• Stand on one foot during a favorite song

• Hop on one foot, then the other, to the beat

• Skip or gallop across the room to music

• Walk on a line or balance beam while music plays

These activities build the foundational balance skills needed for sports, playground activities, and everyday movement.

Bilateral Coordination: Getting Both Sides Working Together

Bilateral coordination is the ability to use both sides of the body together in a coordinated way. It is essential for everything from handwriting to tying shoes to catching a ball.

Music provides a natural, engaging way to practice this skill:

Crossing the midline:

• Touch the opposite knee with the opposite hand to the beat

• Cross arms to tap opposite shoulders

• Reach across the body to grab scarves or ribbons

Midline activities:

• Clapping hands together

• Patting knees with both hands

• Stomping both feet together

Right/left discrimination:

• "Put your right hand up, put your left hand down."

• Alternating movements (right hand up, left hand up, right hand down, left hand down)

• Simon Says games set to music

These activities help the two sides of the brain communicate better, which supports reading, writing, and complex motor tasks.

Fine Motor Skills: Music for Little Hands

Music is perfect for developing hand and finger skills, too.

Finger Play Songs

Songs with finger movements are ideal for younger children developing hand awareness:

• "Itsy Bitsy Spider"

• "Where is Thumbkin?"

• "Open Shut Them"

• "Five Little Monkeys"

These songs help children:

• Isolate individual fingers

• Coordinate both hands together

• Strengthen small hand muscles

• Develop finger dexterity

Pro tip: Use finger play songs as a warm-up before handwriting, drawing, or coloring. Just like athletes warm up before sports, hands benefit from a warm-up before fine motor tasks.

Playing Simple Instruments

Let your child explore:

• Shaking maracas or bells

• Tapping drums or tambourines

• Playing a small keyboard or xylophone

• Strumming a ukulele

These activities build hand strength, coordination, and rhythm awareness.

Sequencing and Memory: Learning Through Song

Music is one of the most effective ways to build the ability to remember and perform steps in the correct order.

Think about it: you probably still remember songs from your childhood, complete with all the words and movements. That's the power of musical memory.

Activities that build sequencing:

• Multi-step dance routines set to music

• Songs with specific movement patterns

• Action songs with verses that build on each other

When children learn movement sequences through music, they're learning by doing. This strengthens memory and sequencing skills in a way that's more effective than verbal instruction alone.

Practical Tips: Making Music Work for Your Family

Create a Personalized Playlist

Build different playlists for different needs:

• Morning wake-up playlist

• Calm-down playlist

• Homework focus playlist

• Bedtime wind-down playlist

• Movement break playlist

Use Music as a Timer

Instead of saying "You have 10 more minutes," play a specific song. When the song ends, it's time to transition. This makes time more concrete for young children.

Make It Interactive

Let your child:

• Help choose songs for different activities

• Create their own movements to music

• Play simple instruments along with songs

• Request favorite songs for specific routines

Background vs. Foreground Music

Background music plays softly while your child does another activity (homework, puzzles, art).

Foreground music is the main activity–dancing, singing, moving, and playing instruments.

Both have benefits. Experiment to see what works best for your child and the situation.

Music Makes Everything Better

Music sets the tone. It's a powerful developmental tool that's accessible to every family. Whether you're helping your child wake up for school, focus on homework, build motor skills, or wind down for bed, the right music at the right time can make all the difference.

Start simple. Pick one routine where music could help, choose a few appropriate songs, and see what happens. You might be amazed at how quickly music becomes an essential part of your family's day.

Want personalized guidance on using music and movement to support your child's unique needs? Schedule a consultation with our team in Teaneck or Waldwick, NJ.