I love the way Julee Kowalis describes how a child’s brain works, and how music can be such a powerful influence.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cLhJHLSkvLA]

 Catch this part:  As a child participates in a stimulating activity, it establishes new neural connections.  Each time they repeat the activity, it strengthens this connection.  These neural connections include ALL kinds of development.   Musical activities engage multiple senses at once, establishing and strengthening these developmental skills.

As a degreed Music Therapist, and through my further studies I would also at at least one important thing.  Music includes a positive emotional element, these positive feelings bond with the learning, strengthening it even more, and making it so the child desires to repeat these learning activities over and over again.  Just ask any child who has participated in a “pony ride” lap bounce activity, and the adult who has sore legs due to the amount of repetition required.  “Do it again, Do it again!”