The everyday benefits of music
If you ever pop into Tiny Toez during a busy morning, there’s a good chance you’ll hear it before you see it, a cheerful good morning song floating down the corridor, tiny feet tapping and lots of laughter. Music has a special way of bringing the whole nursery together. It turns ordinary moments into shared ones, helps children feel safe and confident, and (bonus!) makes even tidy-up time a little more magical.
For little ones, music isn’t about performing perfectly or knowing every word. It’s about connection. When we sing together, children watch our faces, copy our sounds, and join in when they’re ready. That’s brilliant for communication and language. Repetition helps children learn new words and phrases, and songs slow language down in a way that makes it easier to hear patterns and remember them. It’s why a child who’s quiet at circle time might suddenly belt out the last word of a favourite rhyme, that little I did it moment is gold.
Music also supports physical development in the most fun way possible. Think about all the skills hiding inside an action song: clapping, stomping, jumping, spinning, pointing, balancing, stopping and starting. That’s coordination, rhythm, body awareness, and listening all wrapped up in a two-minute dance party.
And then there’s the emotional magic. Music helps children regulate their feelings and move through transitions. At nurseries you can play familiar songs as gentle signposts throughout the day, a hello song to settle in, a tidy-up tune for transitions, a calmer rhyme before lunch or nap. Children learn what comes next, which helps them feel secure. If someone is having a wobbly moment, a soft, slow song can work like a warm hug. If the room is a little sleepy, a bouncy beat can lift everyone’s energy in seconds.
And then there’s the emotional magic. Music helps children regulate their feelings and move through transitions. At nurseries you can play familiar songs as gentle signposts throughout the day, a hello song to settle in, a tidy-up tune for transitions, a calmer rhyme before lunch or nap.
Children learn what comes next, which helps them feel secure. If someone is having a wobbly moment, a soft, slow song can work like a warm hug. If the room is a little sleepy, a bouncy beat can lift everyone’s energy in seconds.
Music is also a wonderful way to build friendships. When children play instruments together, they practise turn-taking, waiting, and copying each other. They learn to lead and follow, to be loud together and quiet together. It’s teamwork, just with tambourines.
Easy ways to join in
You don’t need instruments or a voice like Celine Dion or any musical confidence at all. Here are a few favourites ways to get dancing and singing that work brilliantly:
- Add one song to your routine. Choose a “coat on” song, a bath-time rhyme, or a bedtime lullaby. Singing the same one each day helps children feel safe because they know what’s coming next.
- Try “pause songs.” Sing a familiar nursery rhyme and pause before the last word (“Twinkle, twinkle little…”) and let your child fill it in. It’s a playful way to build listening and language.
- Make a kitchen band. Wooden spoons, plastic tubs, and a (safe!) sealed bottle of rice become instant instruments.
- Play Freeze Dance. Put on a song, dance like nobody’s watching, then freeze when the music stops. It’s great for self-regulation and following instructions, and it always ends in laughter.
- Go on a sound walk. On the way to nursery, the shop or park, listen for birds, cars, footsteps, wind, doors. Ask the children about the sounds they are hearing, bring their attention to the variety of music around them.
Music doesn’t just bring smiles to children, adults can fully embrace the joy of letting go to music. So keep shaking, and dancing your way through the day, because music helps children grow in so many ways, and it’s simply joyful. If you hear a familiar tune at home and your little one starts doing the actions all by themselves, that’s the Tiny Toez magic coming with them.
Music has a special way of bringing little ones together, turning ordinary moments into shared ones and making even transitions feel calmer. Through songs, action rhymes and simple listening games, children build language, confidence, coordination and friendships, all while having fun. Best of all, you don’t need instruments or a “perfect” singing voice to join in.