Benefits of Music for Children with Special Needs: Tips for Parents and Educators

From United Cerebral Palsy (UCP) - This article was contributed by Michelle Lazar, MT-BC, Director of Coast Music Therapy. UCP does not endorse the statements made here but offers this information as a service to our readers.

Music can be a motivating and fun way to teach all children, particularly children who have special learning needs. For children and adolescents with cerebral palsy, music strategies may be an effective way to stimulate speech development, provide organization for cognitive and motor development, and create a meaningful environment for socialization and leisure pursuits.

Described below are areas in which music can assist, including practical tips, ways to access music programs and a comprehensive research list.

Cognitive/Academic

Think back to one of the first ways you used music to memorize information…. most likely the ABC Song. Using a simple tune, you were able to remember 26 different letters in order! This demonstrates how songs work as a mnemonic device to aid in memory and learning by organizing information into smaller chunks, making it easier to encode and retain. Other examples of musical mnemonics include learning the days of the week, a telephone number, or the states and capitals through song melodies or chants.

Another benefit of music in teaching new concepts is linked to motivation. A child who is interested and attentive when learning a new skill is much more likely to retain the information over time. In this way, music sparks children’s interest in learning, and creates an optimal environment for long-term skill retention.

Practical Tips:

• Simple rhymes and chants are a practical way for students to memorize spelling rules (I before E except after C), calendar (30 days hath September, April, June, and November…) or history facts (Columbus sailed the ocean blue in 1492).


• There are many song-story books available such as It’s Raining it’s Pouring and There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly which can also be read and sung to increase interest in literacy activities.


• Use words to familiar songs such as Take Me Out to the Ballgame or On Top of Spaghetti as a springboard to discuss new vocabulary and increase comprehension by asking children questions about the song lyrics.


• Chant addition or multiplication facts to a rhythm.


• Use a tune to remember various counting patterns. Example: Count by 3’s to the tune of Jingle Bells, 4’s to the tune of Old McDonald, 6’s to the tune of I’m a Little Teapot, etc.

There are a multitude of academic music recordings available by artists such as Hap Palmer (www.happalmer.com), Twinsisters (www.twinsisters.com), and Miss Jenny (www.edutunes.com).

Communication/Social Interaction

Because singing and speech share many similarities, yet are accessed differently by the brain, music strategies can be used as a means to improve functional communication. Songs of varying lengths can increase the duration of a child’s speech, while rhythm can be used as a timing cue to aid in speech pacing and intelligibility. Singing and wind instruments including whistles, recorders, and horns are also a fun way to increase breath support and oral motor strength. In the social environment, music activities are ideal for children who need more exposure or practice with peers in a motivating setting. Interactive strategies including music instruments and song games can promote social skills such as turn-taking, following directions in a group, eye contact, and cooperative play.

Practical Tips:

• Sing a familiar song, but leave out a word at the end of a phrase or verse for the child to fill in. If the child is able to use full sentences, you can take turns singing verse by verse of a song.


• For children who have more limited language skills, try using pictures to accompany songs. For example, while singing Old McDonald, the child can pick from a variety of animal photos to choose which animal should be used in the next song verse.


• Tapping or beating a drum to a steady slow rhythm is a great way to elicit appropriate pacing and articulation of speech. Encourage the child to match his or her speech to the rate of your beat.


• Many children’s song-games involve partner interaction or group collaboration. Simple songs such as London Bridge, Farmer and the Dell, and Ring Around the Rosy encourage teamwork and physical contact with peers.

Motor Abilities

Research is highly conclusive in supporting rhythm as an external timekeeper for movement. Basic skill areas such as bilateral integration, crossing midline, visual-motor integration, or imitating movement can be targeted with rhythmic music or musical instruments. Recorded music is also an effective method to promote relaxation or provide auditory feedback to improve head posturing and decrease muscle tension.

Practical Tips:

• Action songs such as Head, Shoulders, Knees, and Toes, The Hokey Pokey, The Hand Jive, andLooby Loo provide a great practice opportunity for a variety of motor skills.


• Background music can be selected to encourage relaxation or rhythmic movement, depending on the tempo and mood of the song. For example, classical and new age are good choices for calming, while march tunes, and upbeat children’s songs are suited for gross motor skills such as walking, reaching, or simple aerobic exercises.


• Rhythm instruments are ideal when working on fine motor skills due to the variety of grips and hand positions required to produce a sound. A sample of instruments that motivate kids include plastic castanets, egg shakers, rainsticks, triangles, rhythm sticks, and drums with mallets.

Accessing Music Programs for Children with Disabilities

For children who can participate with peers in a mainstreamed environment, nation-wide programs such asKindermusik (800-628-5687) or Music Together (800-728-2692) are viable options. These programs incorporate movement, singing, and instrument playing mainly for early childhood ages.

For children and adolescents who would benefit from a more individualized or therapeutic approach, music therapy or adapted music lessons are services offered by music therapists. To find a music therapist in your area, contact the American Music Therapy Association at (301) 589-3300.

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