There are many cute toys, books, tapes, videos, and other programs on the market that use music.  Some entertain, some stimulate language, some encourage small motor development.  We should not assume, however, that a product or program that uses music stimulates music development. 

Many popular toys, tapes, and programs designed for little children are based on erroneous adult assumptions that upbeat accompaniments, cute words, and jazzy electronic sounds stimulate music development.  Toys that elicit sounds have been around for years.  We probably all grew up with something that made a sound like a cow when we pushed a button, and nobody considered it to be for music learning.  Toys and media have become more sophisticated through technology, so now music is piped into toys instead of the old cow’s “moo,” in order to make numbers, letters, and colors more attractive.  Often the child “loves” the toy, tape, video, or book, and parents assume it is stimulating their child’s music development.

It is only in the last thirty years that researchers have begun to uncover the process of music learning in the young child.  It is the unaccompanied, solo voice that does more for your child’s music development than the typical rock accompaniments that are so readily available.  It is your voice and the intimacy of your involvement in your child’s music development that will do more than any commercial tape of songs with elaborate words and upbeat accompaniments.  It is songs and chants without words in various tonalities and meters that will stimulate music learning more than any slick toy, book of cute songs, or charming videos.  The CD or iPod playlist that you create for your little one from Come Children, Sing! meets all of these criteria, and can accompany your child anywhere.