Playing music is one of the common ways to soothe and calm irritable infants and children. But did you know that it is not only effective and relaxing for children and adults? Apparently, music therapy is also a great way for children to learn!
In a study conducted at the University of Southern California’s Brain and Creativity Institute in the year 2016, researchers discovered how beneficial it is for children to be immersed in music therapy.
According to the study, musical experiences in childhood accelerates brain development, especially in the field of language acquisition and reading skills.
Amanda Browman Gray
As a testament to the truth of the research mentioned above, meet Bo. The adorable 2-year-old Bo has Down Syndrome, and before he could even talk, he is already learning new words through listening to music every day!
Bo and Lydia are siblings whose connection is strengthened by music. Lydia would often play the guitar and sing while Bo listens. Afterward, Bo would join his talented sister and enjoy singing together.
For instance, Bo’s doting mother, Amanda Bowman Gray had to take a shower and asked Bo’s older sister, Lydia to watch after the energetic boy.
While their mother was taking a shower, Lydia grabbed her guitar and started playing for her brother. As soon as Lydia began, Bo started laughing, clapping, and singing along with the beautiful music.
When Amanda got out of the shower, she was awestruck to see Lydia and Bo playing together. To make the moment even more mesmerizing, Bo was singing along You Are My Sunshine with his sister. Through the beautiful melody, he and his sister created Bo, learns to speak easier.
Wanting to immortalize the sweet moment unfolding right before her eyes, Amanda decided to record the beautiful music Lydia and Bo was creating. She, then, posted the heartwarming video online to share with her family and friends.
In the said video, Lydia played the guitar while Bo is sitting happily nearby. Eagerly, he watched his sister and listened to her as she sings. And when his favorite parts hit the air, Bo started to sing along as well. With a proud smile, Bo sang the words: happy, gray, dear, and away.
What Amanda was not expecting was the overwhelming response of the people all over the world to their beautiful video. In Facebook alone, their video already reached more than 62-million of views!
According to Amanda, the 2-year-old Bo is still learning to speak new words, as of now, he already knows more than 12. Unsurprisingly, all of these words were acquired through music.
“Every word he has learned has been through music and singing,” Amanda explained.
Lydia, on the other hand, is doing a great job in helping her mother teach Bo. According to the talented girl, she is happy to be able to teach her brother and she enjoys playing the guitar and singing with him.
Not all siblings have a strong bond and connection with each other so for Amanda, she’s blessed to have a daughter and a son who love each other very much and aren’t hesitant to express it. Indeed, Lydia and Bo is the perfect testament that siblings are friends gifted by God!
Watch the moving video below and see for yourself how Lydia was able to teach Bo how to speak through the power of music therapy!