Neurosmith Music Blocks children can create their own musical masterpieces simply by playing with blocks!

Music Blocks children can create their own musical masterpieces simply by playing with blocks! Place the blocks at random or carefully compose music according to the shapes on the sides of the blocks and their colors. Children are amazed and delighted with the music they are able to create by themselves! And, parents know they are giving their children the benefits of music that will last for years to come.

Music & Math

Music & Reading

Research Studies

To Learn More

Music presents sound in a logical way. Spatial-temporal relationships in music exist as pitch and rhythmic patterns organized in a coherent structure. The cognitive skills used in processing music seem to be used in mathematics as well, and recent research is fast proving that this link does exist!

In one study at the University of California at Irvine, a group of preschoolers who received eight months of piano and keyboard training performed significantly higher on tests measuring spatial reasoning skills than the group who received no training at all.

In another study, researchers took a group of first-graders who were doing poorly in school and enrolled them in a singing program that emphasized pitch and rhythm. Seven months later, the group had caught up to the control group in reading ability and outperformed them in mathematics! Students who continued in the program a second year showed an even higher level of math success.

Music and reading both rely on the ability to discriminate pitch - to distinguish between two sounds. An important part of learning to read is learning the relationship between a letter and its spoken sound. Music facilitates this stage of learning, in which children “sound out” syllables and words.

In one study, researchers tested first-graders on their ability to sound out nonsense words, identify musical notes or chords, and identify the beginning and ending sounds of spoken words. There was a high correlation between how well children could discriminate pitch, and how well they could read.

A separate study of first graders showed that kids who were given even simple music training such as listening to folk songs with strong rhythm and melody - scored significantly higher on reading tests than kids who were given no such training. This research clearly suggests that interaction with music builds better readers

There have been hundreds of fascinating studies done on music and the brain. We’ve summarized three important ones below:

This now-famous study gave us the term “The Mozart Effect.” Rauscher and Shaw noted improved spatial reasoning skills in a group of college students who listened to 10 minutes of a Mozart piano sonata prior to being tested.

“Music and Spatial Task Performance,” Frances Rauscher and Gordon Shaw. Published in Nature, 1993.

Gardiner tested the effect of music and art lessons on the math and reading performance of first and second graders. He saw a marked improvement in the scores of students who were given the enhanced curriculum as compared to students enrolled in the standard arts education.

“Learning Improved by Arts Training,” Martin F. Gardiner, et al. Published in Nature, 1996.

Rauscher and Shaw followed up their 1993 study with an examination of preschoolers and music training. Children who took weekly keyboard lessons performed 34% better on spatial-temporal skills tests than children who took either computer lessons or group singing lessons.

“Music Training Causes Long-Term Enhancement of Preschool Children’s Spatial Temporal Reasoning,” Frances Rauscher & Gordon Shaw. Published in Neurological Research, 1997.

If you would like to learn more about music and your child’s developing mind, check out the following websites, articles and books listed below.

Websites:

"www.childrensmusic.org" >Children’s Music Web ("www.childrensmusic.org)
Designed for children, this site has fun songs and good links to music education sites.

"www.parentsoup.com">Parent Soup
This site offers a wealth of resources for parents - everything from expert advice to chat rooms where you can share your thoughts with other parents on child development.

Articles:

Lisa Feder-Feitel, “Music and Art: How Creativity Stretches Young Minds,” Child Magazine, October 1997.

Debra Viadero, “Music on the Mind,” Education Week, April 8, 1998.

Joanne P. Cavanaugh, “Arithmetic of the Soul,” John Hopkins Magazine, February 1998.

Books:

Robert Jourdain, “Music, The Brain and Ecstasy: How Music Captures Our Imagination,” c. 1997. A clear overview of music, integrating science, psychology and philosophy.

Sources:

(1) “Music is Key,” Music Educator’s Journal (January 1996):6.

(2) Chlan, LL. “Psychophysiologic responses of mechanically ventilated patients to music: a pilot study.” American Journal of Critical Care, 1995 May, 4(3):233-8.

(3) “Mother’s Beat as an Imprinting Stimulus,” in R. O. Benezon, ed., Music Therapy Manual (Springfield, Ill.: Charles C. Thomas, 1981).

(4) Shreeve, J. “Music of the Hemispheres,” Discover, March 1994, p.15.

(5) Joseph, R. “The right cerebral hemisphere: emotion, music, visual-spatial skills, body-image, dreams, and awareness.” Journal of Clinical Psychology, 44(5), 630-73.

(6) Robert Jourdain, “Music, The Brain and Ecstasy: How Music Captures Our Imagination,” c. 1997: 114.