Early Literacy- What Do Music and Art Have To Do With It?

Music and visual arts are staples in early childhood settings, but did you know that engaging in these activities also supports early literacy development? Music and visual arts like painting, drawing and sculpting help children embrace literacy through multisensory experiences.

The melodies and rhythms of music are the gateway to language and literacy skills during the early years. From soothing lullabies to lively dance tunes, music captivates young children. Repetitive chants, rhymes, and songs lay the foundation for phonemic awareness and vocabulary expansion as children internalize the tone, rhythm and structure of language.

Music also fosters essential pre-literacy skills such as auditory discrimination and comprehension. Children increase their listening skills and  ability to discern subtle differences in tone, pitch, and tempo when they listen attentively to musical narratives and engage in call-and-response activities,  This not only enhances phonological processing, but also promotes active engagement with storytelling.

Likewise, the visual arts offer a multitude of opportunities to support cognitive development and growing imaginations. From finger painting and collage-making to exploring colors, shapes, and textures, children are on a multi-sensory  journey of self-expression and discovery. Through open-ended hands-on activities, children develop fine motor skills, spatial awareness and visual-spatial reasoning which are  skills that underpin more advanced literacy acquisition.

Exposure to visual arts also enhances children’s visual literacy (the ability to interpret and comprehend visual information) which is essential in today’s multimedia world.  Making sense of pictorial narratives and interpreting visual cues support children’s comprehension skills and  understanding of visual storytelling techniques which are valuable skills for later textual comprehension and critical thinking.

Furthermore, when music and visual arts converge to create multisensory experiences, children not only grow their creativity, but also strengthen the neural connections between auditory and visual processing centers in the brain. Providing collaborative activities such as creating illustrated songbooks, where children draw illustrations inspired by the lyrics and/or tempo of their favorite songs or composing soundtracks for their artwork are just two examples.

Incorporating music and visual arts to support early literacy development promotes inclusivity and accommodates diverse learning styles and abilities. Embracing a multimodal approach to literacy instruction empowers children to use their strengths, preferences, and cultural capital to learn.