Supporting Thinking in Infants and Toddlers Through Active Music and Play Experiences

While most adults know that movement supports physical development, it is less well-known that it also supports cognitive development. Infants quickly learn that banging, squeezing, or shaking a toy can produce interesting results. One way to support young children’s early learning is to provide materials they can move to make things happen. Adults can also support infants' movement by playing and singing music with different rhythms and tempos, and by dancing with babies to different types of music. This helps babies learn that their body can move in different ways in response to what is going on around them.
This video was created as part of the Center's effort to study the effects of physical and outdoor play, funded in part by Head Start Body Start. See more in this series at: www.easternct....
Copyright 2010 by the Center for Early Childhood Education at Eastern Connecticut State University. This video may only be used for educational purposes. It may not be used for commercial purposes and may not be edited or adapted without written permission from the Center for Early Childhood Education. For more information, visit www.easternct....