| While accepted more or less as innovative fact for | | | | setting. A year later, their babies responded more |
| decades, new medical research is beginning to verify | | | | favorably to the songs they remembered, compared |
| the use of music in stimulating the growth process of | | | | to similar pieces of music. |
| unborn children. | | | | Researchers in the study also believe children react |
| Parents who play music for their child in utero or | | | | to the pace of the music more than its type. The |
| during early infancy encourage the child's early mental | | | | music's complexity is important, too, since more |
| thought processes, giving the child's mind some | | | | complex pieces offer more challenging potential for |
| gentle nurturing that begins even before conventional | | | | the child's mind to understand. |
| education is possible. Music stimulates the mind and | | | | When not to overdo it. |
| encourages its abilities to predict and answer logical | | | | However, many child experts warn that playing too |
| sequences. For children, this can translate directly into | | | | much music can cause the nursery child to become |
| helping engender problem-solving skills. | | | | over stimulated and simply stop attempting to |
| What to play for your child | | | | understand the music played for them. An |
| The music played for the child often represents the | | | | over-stimulated, bored child will exhibit the same signs |
| type of effect that parents desire. For example, | | | | of impatience as adults - shiftless movements, |
| playing classical music often has a soothing effect | | | | looking around the room, and preoccupation with |
| thanks to its gentle melodies and complex | | | | other things. That's when it's time, doctors say, to |
| arrangements. | | | | give the music a rest for a while. |
| New evidence suggests babies remember and react | | | | How to find music for your child. |
| positively to music played for them, too. A recent | | | | There are dozens of albums on the market that are |
| study by Britain's Leicester University showed children | | | | specially designed for children, in many different |
| responded equally well to classical, pop, and reggae | | | | musical styles. A number of combination speakers, |
| music styles. Expectant mothers were invited to | | | | night-light, and plush animal combinations are also |
| choose a type of music to play in a comfortable | | | | available for the nursery. |