DJC#017 – Soundtracks of Growth: Introducing Children to the World of Music

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Music has always been a part of my life ever since I can remember. Whether it was listening to my tape deck (and CD player later on), the car radio with my parents, or sneaking my walkman under my pillow to listen after bedtime, I’ve had a connection to it. I play it all the time – around the house (Bob Marley is playing right now), in the car, while I’m exercising. I wanted our son to appreciate music as well, so we started playing music for him really early…like in the womb early.

Let’s talk about how to introduce your child to music and the lasting effect it can have on them.

In Utero

Before our son was born, I had read the articles about how playing music for a child in utero can help with their brain development and creativity. Most of the articles mentioned playing classical music. Now I don’t dislike classical music, but it’s not really my jam either.

So I played what my wife and I like and listen to. I had a pair of headphones where the ear swiveled sideways to sit perfectly flat on her belly. We’d lay in bed and I’d shuffle through some of our favorite songs as we talk about our son and feel him moving.

One time we had to put some music on for him when we went to one of those prenatal imaging centers that does the 3D photos and records the heartbeat. Our little guy wasn’t moving around and we needed him to in order to get into the right position for the imaging. So what did I do? I put “Give It Away” by the Red Hot Chili Peppers on and that got him moving!

As I mentioned, my wife and I listen to a lot of music and enjoy going to shows, so it’s no surprise that our son had even been to a concert before he was born – at least four that I can recall. Here’s an excerpt from my journal to our son –

I played you some music tonight. It’s been a little while since I’ve done that. It’s mostly lullaby versions of popular songs. Hopefully you like them. I’m planning to play them a lot to put you to sleep. There’s some Bob Marley on the playlist too – he’s one of my all-time favorites.I hope you like music as much as I do. Maybe you’ll even learn to play it? Your great-grandpa played in a band a long, long time ago. So maybe it’ll run in the family a couple generations later. I love listening to music. In fact, I’m listening to some right now. I’m looking forward to listening to lots of it with you. I mean you have now been to four concerts in your mommy’s belly. We saw Coldplay at the Rose Bowl on Saturday, and the Friday before that you mom and tías went to see Adele at Staples Center. I think you were enjoying the music bud. I just found a bunch more of those lullabies for your playlist!

August 22, 2016

Make Playlists

I started making playlists for our son before he was born, and I have continued doing this as he’s grown. The first playlist was all lullabies for before and after he was born to help calm him and get him to sleep. The sleeping part didn’t necessarily work (he didn’t start sleeping through the night until he was about one and a half…lucky us), but I’d like to think hearing the music did something for him. Twinkle Twinkle Little Rockstar is the artist that takes songs from the biggest musicians and turns them into beautiful lullabies. They’re great songs for relaxing and bedtime.

I made the next playlist for his first birthday because hey you gotta have cool music at the party, right? I made another playlist that was full of his favorite songs so when he’d say, “Daddy, play Spider-Man!” I’d be able to quickly find and play it. I hadn’t added anything to his playlist for a while until lately when I realized how he wasn’t really into as many of these songs anymore. So I thought to myself, why not continuously create new playlists each year? This way you can see the evolution of your child’s musical tastes and it creates a snapshot in time of what they were into each year. So I created a 2023 playlist a few weeks back and starting to add songs that he likes.

Take Them to A Concert

After playing hours upon hours of music for our son, he has developed an affection for it – both his own songs and those that we love. He developed an enough of a liking for a couple bands coming into town, so we decide to introduce him to a couple of concerts – The Lumineers and Imagine Dragons.

He was so excited to go and loved the experience. We knew the loud volume would be an issue, so we made sure to bring his noise-canceling ear protectors. We knew the concerts might be a little long for him so we loaded him up with snacks. Overall they were both a success. The Lumineers show was a little less exciting as we were sitting farther away from the stage, and we left a little early before he fell asleep. The Imagine Dragons concert was at an outdoor amphitheater, and it was much better suited for him as he was able to move around freely and dance.

If you’re going to take you child to a concert, I’d recommend going to an outdoor venue like this and getting lawn seats. I don’t think we’ll be looking to take him to another concert anytime real soon, but there will be a day when he discovers a new artists that rolls through town, and we’ll be more than happy to take him.

Exploring Music on Their Own

Part of what I believe about being a great parent is exposing your child to new things and showing them what’s out there and the art of the possible. Exposing our son to music at an early age has not turned him into some Little Mozart, but it has made him appreciate music and enjoy fiddling on my sister’s old keyboard (my Mom saved just about everything from our childhood) or singing into a microphone. We want to have him take a music lesson soon, but if he’s not into it, we won’t force him.

I’ve taken him to the record store where we’ve bought a record and then gone home to listen to it. We’ll hear him singing the words or humming the melodies of songs in the back seat of the car. Exposing him is just what we’re doing, and what he does with that will be up to him. We did the same for my stepsons by exposing them to music and different genres at that. They both thoroughly enjoy music and going to shows now that they’re older.

Music holds an incredible power to shape your child(ren)’s life in amazing ways. When you introduce them to music from a young age, you’re opening up a whole world of self-discovery, emotional expression, and brain growth. So, let those catchy tunes fill your home, have dance parties, and get ready to witness your little one embark on a lifelong adventure with music by their side. It’s like giving them a backstage pass to the soundtrack of their own lives!