The benefits of singing

Music is our first language. When we are developing in the womb, we respond to external sounds through movement and become familiar with the sound of our mother’s voice. Every sound a baby responds to and makes is part of their language development. As children develop, nursery rhymes and songs are used to help them learn and memorise concepts (like the alphabet, for example). 

Before 7 years of age, our right hemisphere (often thought of as the creative side of the brain) is more active and so, it makes sense that creative methods of learning engage children more. In relation to music, this side of the brain is responsible for “melody recognition, language comprehension, rhythm, spatial orientation and picture recognition". These are skills that lay the foundations for the development of grammar, spelling and other literacy skills.

How music positively affects us the brain

In The Well Balanced Child, Sally Goddard (2005) writes “Music is processed at all levels in the brain. From the brain stem it can affect heart rate, breathing, and arousal; through the limbic system it has a powerful impact on feelings and emotions; in the cortex, it can create visual images and associations - it is in the cortex that it is understood at an intellectual level. In this respect, music has the power to affect all levels of the human psyche.” 

Many studies have been conducted that suggest developing musical skills early in life was indicative of a child’s reading age, phonological awareness, spatial intelligence and verbal memory amongst other things. 

As Goddard writes: “Singing is particularly powerful in entraining the listening and voicing skills which underlie spoken and written language". It has the effect of slowing down sounds that can often be rushed in everyday speech; often extending the vowels while “the consonants stop and start sound, giving sound structure (and meaning) to the words". 

This allows the brain more time for phonological processing and supports skills required for reading and spelling. The repetition that is often involved in singing or chanting also helps to improve short-term memory. Singing is a process of externalising sound before the ‘inner voice’ can develop, which is also a necessary part of developing reading and writing. 

It has been suggested that neurological changes occur when people chant or sing as a group:

"Their nervous system activity becomes synchronous; they become like, or of, one mind. Their stress hormones decrease, muscle tension decreases and the heart rate normalises. More oxygen enters the system, just by virtue of breathing in and out. You can think of it as controlled hyperventilation and we know that when people hyperventilate they enter into altered states. They feel high, have a certain clarity of mind and sometimes physical vision". - Sally Goddard

So whether it’s singing along to your favourite song(s) as a family or joining a choir just remember how powerful it can be for your brain and development to sing!