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Fostering Early Musical Talent With Toys

By Jennifer McDonald


A child's musical affinity is something that numerous institutions have studied the effect that music has on learning, including the University Of Washington, Massachusetts Institute of Technology and the University of California at Irvine. Because of this, it's no surprise that companies that cater to children are offering an increase in musical talent through toys that focus in this area. The findings support that learning toys focusing on music actually benefit children of all ages.

Although the old stereotype of music teachers and tutors reflects a stodgy grown-up teaching elementary school-age children how to play the violin or tickle the ivories, in reality there are many opportunities for high school and college students. Younger children often respond better to people closer to their age. The teen is also closer in time to learning music theory and remembering different tricks and tips on how they learned to play their instrument of choice.

For parents seeking a music teacher for their youngsters, an older student is less expensive than a professional and can pass on plenty of valuable information that is sufficient for learning until they know whether their child is serious about music. Not only do the older student teachers enjoy the money, they have additional experience to put on applications for college scholarships.

For students considering teaching as a career, taking a summer job as a camp counselor is a good start. It gives them a chance to learn how to interact with younger children while spending their summertime playing instruments they love and making new friends. This also gives high school students a chance to spend some independent time away from home before taking the big step of going off to college. It is also a way to help earn some college money. There are many openings as camp counselors in fine arts camps, as well as those specifically designed for marching band, orchestra, ensembles, horns, percussion and just plain music camp.

I know that times have changed because of the internet. Bands are going directly to music listeners with their own websites and pages on MySpace. This is absolutely fantastic because it allows anyone to throw his or her hat in the ring and get noticed. But how noticed do they get?

Musical toys should be a part of every preschool toy chest. Playing with music is fun for kids. In addition, the approach of using learning toys takes much of the pressure off parents during these younger years. There are many interactive toys that feature tone and rhythm, as well as those that actually allow a young child to create their own music combinations.

Playing with music does not have to be expensive. In fact, a creative parent can provide the cognitive benefit and foster talent in music in almost any situation. Sounds surrounds us, so the best approach is to always be aware and help bring that awareness to your child. Have you ever seen a commercial where the creators compose a symphony with street sounds?

Teens with promising talent in music and who have demonstrated musical interest and have taken advanced training or have involved themselves in tours, camps and tutoring programs are often the first to receive music scholarships for college.




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