Children not Meeting Developmental Milestones when Starting School

As new report reveals teachers’ concerns for children not meeting developmental milestones when starting school, teacher explains fun/easy ways to get your child school ready-role of parent/carer in early years is critical in helping to reach milestones-

Clare Shaw, founder and teacher at Mini Mozart has responded to an alarming new report by early years charity Kindred2 about children not being school ready when entering primary school. The findings showed that teachers expressed concerns about children not meeting a range of development milestones this included basic motor skills and physical skills (cannot sit on a carpet due to lack of core strength, clumsy movements, dropping things, not being able to walk up a staircase).

The role of parents/carers in the early years has a huge impact on development and school readiness. Mum of two, Clare shares some tips on what parents/carers can do with their children to get them school ready. These screen free tips are fun and easy to follow and do not put parents or their children under pressure. They are designed to help children to reach their development milestones and thrive when they start school.

Music can be used to ignite all areas of child development from physical, intellectual, motor, language, memory and social-emotional skills plus qualities such as confidence, curiosity, discipline and respect– ideal for getting them school ready.

Physical benefits including core, balance, hand-eye coordination

Teachers have reported that some children were not meeting their physical development milestones when they start school. From being clumsy, dropping things, not being able to climb a staircase to lacking core skills therefore not being able to sit on a carpet.

You and your pre-schooler can get some exercise and boost co-ordination skills when you challenge each other to make up the funniest/happiest/saddest/highest/lowest/fastest/slowest dance moves in accordance with what song is playing. Action and movement songs encourage children to move their bodies. These activities help children to develop fine and gross motor skills and enhance hand-eye coordination something which teachers said were lacking in some children entering reception.

Try pausing the music at random times, your child should stop and “freeze,” holding whatever position s/he is currently in. This game is great for building a child’s concentration, listening and balancing skills.

Language development including pronunciation and intonation

Incorporating songs into your daily routine supports language development. Through repetitive listening and singing, children are exposed to a range of vocabulary and linguistic structures, helping them to comprehend and use new words. Rhythmic patterns in songs also help with pronunciation and intonation. So expose your child to melodies by singing often! Even if you don’t think you have a good voice, sing along to your favourite playlist. Turn the grocery list into a song by singing it to “Twinkle Twinkle Little Star.” Sing your instructions to your child with any melody that pops into your head even old Britney Spears’ songs work! Try it and see how this will help your child develop memory skills and confidence.

Helps with listening and concentration

Experience the world together through music — while teaching your child to be a better listener. Find folk songs and traditional musical styles from different countries and regions, and listen to the songs together. Talk about what you like (“I love the strong beat!”), what you hear (“I hear a piano”), how you feel (“This song makes me feel relaxed”), what the words in the songs mean.

Promotes emotional intelligence and self regulation

Songs provide an outlet for children to express themselves. Through music, children can eternalise and process feelings. This helps to promote emotional intelligence and self-regulation, key skills for well-being and development. One simple and fun game to encourage your child to express themselves involves calling out a song (eg Old Macdonald had a farm, If you’re happy and you know it) and an expression eg hop like a bunny, scurry like a mouse, clap to show you’re happy.

Helps memory retention

Music and rhythm can help to enhance memory retention in children. Songs that incorporate educational themes such as alphabet, numbers and colours make it easier for pre-schoolers to remember complex information.

 Observational skills, abstract thinking and encouraging experimentation

Sensory music play activates and stimulates a child’s senses. These senses are how children learn about the world around them and make sense of the new things they’re experiencing each day. Sensory play builds observational skills and abstract thinking and encourages experimentation. It’s excellent for helping to calm a child who may be feeling anxious or angry.

To get started you could encourage your child to make their own musical instruments. They can make drums using pots and spoons or maracas with dried beans and a paper cup or a guitar from an empty tissue box and some rubber bands.  Sound tubes can be made using an empty paper towel roll filled with uncooked rice or beads and secured at the end with fabric or tape. Your little one will delight in the process of making the toys, hearing the different noises they make and developing their motor skills.

Gets you school ready from fine motor skills to cultivating patience and discipline and improving confidence and social skills

Music can be used to help your child to develop the skills s/he needs for school readiness. This does not just refer to learning intellectual skills, like reading and writing (although music helps with these skills too). But music and in particular attendance at music-based classes like Mini Mozart can also help your child to develop fine motor skills, language skills, memory skills, and social skills plus qualities such as confidence, curiosity, discipline and respect.