Playworks sells toys that invite play and enhance development in children from birth through age five

Music has the power to engage, relax, energize, and improve our intellectual and social skills. Some music relaxes our bodies and soothes our minds. Other music gets us moving: clapping our hands, tapping our toes, and dancing . We find ourselves humming a tune or singing along. While we're thoroughly engaged and enjoying ourselves, we're improving our motor skills and developing spatial intelligence. If we're sharing our musical experience with others, we're honing social skills too.

Studies of preschoolers receiving regular music instruction show marked improvements in the children's abilities to follow mazes, copy patterns of color, and draw geometric figures. These spatial skills lay the foundation for more complex reasoning required to understand math and science.

Hands-on participation in music appears to train the brain for higher thinking, and three to 10 year olds appear to reap life-long benefits from their early experiences "making music." Playworks urges teachers and parents to take time to play music of all genres and periods for the children in your lives. Music transcends cultural, geographic, and generational boundaries and builds bridges among people of diverse backgrounds. Sing songs. Grab an instrument and make music. Enjoy! Cherish the moment!