Physical benefits

• Very young children have been shown to increase the amount, quality and understanding of speech developed through singing activities such as counting games, nursery rhymes and finger play.

• Singing increases blood flow and lung capacity.

• Combined with movement or dance, singing help combat obesity and increase general physical fitness.

Social benefits

• Singing can lead directly to whole-school improvement, particularly through creating a greater sense of community and increasing social cohesion within the school.

• Music lessons in school can help foster individuality, improve social skills and help create more positive attitudes in general. In studies, these effects have been particularly marked in low-ability, disaffected pupils.

Developmental benefits

• Singing can be used to prepare to start or finish routine activities such as settling down to take the register or signifying the end of the school day. Choose a well known song or create a new song with your whole class.

• Music can be used to reinforce mathematical development through the use of finger and counting games and exploration of musical instruments and sound-makers through sequencing and patterning.

• Studies have shown that school music lessons can benefit reading and language skills. Very young children have been shown to increase the amount, quality and understanding of speech developed through singing activities.

For more detailed information and to links to studies that have informed the above, please see our further reading page.