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Music is a universal language—one that babies are tuned into from the very beginning. The rhythm of your voice, the melody of a lullaby, and the beat of a favorite song all play a role in your child&#8217;s development. According to Vered Benhorin, music therapist, psychotherapist and founder of <a href="https://www.babyintune.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Baby in Tune</a>, &#8220;Music is a powerful tool for connection. It provides cues that help babies understand their world and build relationships.&#8221;



From aiding in emotional development to fostering cognitive growth, music is more than just entertainment—it’s an essential part of how children learn. Below, Vered shares tips with Vivvi on how to use music to support your child’s learning and emotional development at every stage.



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Babies 0-8 Months: Establishing Routines with Music</h3>



Do you know why preschool teachers use a clean-up song every time they want kids to transition from playing to cleaning? Because it works! The song becomes a behavioral cue, meaning the kids associate the song with cleaning. But it’s not just a mental association. They even have a physical reaction when they hear the song and immediately start cleaning. Your baby is the same way. You can use music as a cue to help your baby fall asleep. If you sing the same lullaby every time you put your baby to sleep eventually the song will elicit sleepy behavior. Your baby will start to rub their eyes and yawn. I promise it works! Here are some tips to make it successful:



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>Use the same lullaby every night. You can try <a href="https://open.spotify.com/track/3Docj0HZ2s5AKI1ZKnnuMW?si=369c66b3d4254c37" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">this one</a>.</li>
</ul>



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>Start earlier than you’d think, even while you’re feeding and changing your baby so that they have the chance to learn it and associate it with sleepiness.</li>



<li>As they’re falling asleep start to slow down your singing, slowly bring down the volume, and essentially do a fade out like at the end of a song.</li>
</ul>



<ol class="wp-block-list"></ol>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Babies 9-18 Months: Building Security Through Musical Play</h3>



If your baby is heading for a big milestone like crawling or walking, you might be experiencing some extra clinginess or fussiness. Your baby is excited about the prospect of independence but they’re also nervous about being able to have distance between you. And that paired with your baby’s increased awareness of strangers, may lead to separation anxiety.



One of the best ways to help your baby work through this is by playing peekaboo. Peekaboo helps your baby practice you leaving and returning in a playful way. But the best part of peekaboo is the song of it. Think of how you say “peekaboo!” It’s probably high pitched with exictement. Your baby loves high tones and dynamics in your speech. You can play peekaboo just using that element, but to make it even more fun and effective, use a peekaboo song. My song&nbsp;<a href="https://open.spotify.com/track/1wfduBsQJarGxo95iGcsFz?si=e6224651b40147f4" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Peekaboo</a>&nbsp;is a great one to try because it includes animal sounds too for extra giggles



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Babies 18-36 Months: Boosting Language and Social Skills with Drumming</h3>



For this age drumming is the way to go. Drumming has been shown to help your baby develop language AND social skills. When you drum with your baby you are getting in sync with them which studies show increases your baby’s feeling of connection with you. And when you syncopate your beat you are teaching your baby the building blocks of language.



The best way to do it is to have a few drums, or pots, or Tupperware, and some wooden spoons. You are going to keep a steady beat and then maybe play around with it. Your baby can drum along or just listen to you. Keep your beat going for longer than you’d think. Switch up your rhythm every now and then and try to really get into it.



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Why Music Matters in Early Development</h3>



Music is a simple yet profound way to bond with your baby while also fostering their cognitive, emotional, and social growth. Studies have shown that exposure to music helps babies develop better listening skills, memory retention, and even emotional regulation. Whether through singing, playing instruments, or simply dancing together, incorporating music into your daily routine can create meaningful moments of connection.



For even more ideas on how to use music in your daily routine, check out Vered Benhorin’s new book, <a href="https://www.babyintune.com/book" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">What Do I Do With My Baby All Day?!</a>, available now. You can also find her music on Spotify, Amazon, and iTunes under the name Vered. Let the music play, and let the connections grow!

Discover how music can enhance your child’s development, build stronger bonds, and create a more structured daily routine.

How Music Shapes Early Learning

Vivvi is proud to announce the opening of three new child care and early learning campuses in Tudor City, South Slope, and Carnegie Hill. These new locations expand Vivvi’s footprint in New York City, bringing its trusted, high-quality child care to more working families and employer partners.



Vivvi provides child care and early learning for today’s families, aligning the exceptional quality families deserve with the flexibility they need. Vivvi also <a href="https://employers.vivvi.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">partners with employers</a> of all sizes to make caregiving benefits more accessible and affordable.



The company’s expansion means more full-time child care for families and more backup care availability for companies that offer Vivvi as a benefit to their caregiving employees. In addition to its Vivvi locations, the company partners with more than 4,500 caregiving providers around the globe to serve working families across every geography, career stage and caregiving need.



“We’re thrilled to expand Vivvi into these vibrant neighborhoods,” said Charles Bonello, co-founder and CEO of Vivvi. “Each community has unique needs, and we’re excited to support more families with the exceptional care and learning Vivvi is known for. This growth represents our commitment to making high-quality child care more accessible for working parents.”



The new campuses include:



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>Tudor City: A convenient midtown location, ideal for families and corporate partners in and around Manhattan’s bustling business districts</li>



<li>South Slope: Nestled in the heart of Brooklyn, this campus caters to the needs of families in one of NYC’s most dynamic and family-friendly neighborhoods</li>



<li>Carnegie Hill: Expanding Vivvi’s presence on the Upper East Side, this new location meets the growing demand for child care in the area</li>
</ul>



Vivvi’s infant, toddler and preschool programs feature a <a href="https://vivvi.com/blog/family/articles/what-is-inquiry-based-learning" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">research-based curriculum</a>, which uses play and exploration to guide children towards key learning and developmental milestones. Vivvi’s approach blends elements from educational philosophies like Montessori and Reggio to create a nurturing and stimulating environment for children ages 6 weeks through 5 years. With light-filled classrooms, dedicated spaces for movement, and an emphasis on flexibility and accessibility, Vivvi continues to set a high standard for child care and early learning in the New York Metropolitan area.



For more information about Vivvi’s new locations in Tudor City, South Slope, and Carnegie Hill, or to enroll your child in any of our infant, toddler, or preschool programs, please visit <a href="http://vivvi.com/locations" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">vivvi.com/locations</a>.

Vivvi's new locations expand the company's footprint in New York City, bringing its trusted, high-quality child care to more working families and employer partners.

Vivvi Expands into Three New Neighborhoods in New York City

Vivvi Expands into Three New Neighborhoods in NYC

Have you ever noticed how your little one can spend what feels like hours watching a line of ants march across the sidewalk? Or maybe they&#8217;re totally absorbed in pouring water between cups in the bathtub? That&#8217;s not just play – it&#8217;s your child&#8217;s natural way of learning about their world, and it&#8217;s absolutely magical to watch.



At Vivvi, we call this inquiry-based learning, and it&#8217;s at the heart of how we support children&#8217;s natural curiosity every day. But don&#8217;t let the fancy term fool you; it&#8217;s simply about following your child&#8217;s lead and helping them explore what fascinates them.



The Journey Begins: Babies as Scientists 



Your baby is learning about their world from day one, and they&#8217;ve got some pretty creative ways of doing it! Those moments when your little one stares intently at their own hands or puts everything in their mouth? They&#8217;re actually conducting their own tiny science experiments. When your baby drops that spoon from the high chair for the hundredth time, they&#8217;re not just testing your patience – they&#8217;re learning about gravity, cause and effect, and even a bit about how you&#8217;ll react.



At Vivvi, our <a href="https://vivvi.com/infant" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">infant classrooms</a> are safe, engaging spaces where babies can explore everything from texture-rich sensory bottles to mirror play. We notice what captures each baby&#8217;s attention and provide new materials that build on their interests.



Toddlers: The Ultimate Explorers 



Once they&#8217;re on the move, the whole world becomes a laboratory! Take <a href="https://vivvi.com/blog/family/articles/when-i-play-water" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">water play</a>, for instance. What might look like simple splashing is actually your toddler discovering the properties of liquids, practicing hand-eye coordination, and developing early math concepts as they fill and empty containers.



Our <a href="https://vivvi.com/toddler" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">toddler classrooms</a> at Vivvi are filled with these moments of discovery. You might find children investigating how cars roll down ramps of different heights or exploring how shadows change throughout the day. Our teachers watch closely, document these discoveries, and plan new experiences that deepen the learning.



Preschool: Questions Lead the Way 



By preschool age, those famous &#8220;why?&#8221; questions start rolling in, and they&#8217;re pure gold for learning. When a child spots a butterfly in our garden at Vivvi, it might spark a week-long journey of discovery. They might draw pictures of butterflies, build butterfly homes in the block area, or create their own wings for dramatic play. <a href="https://vivvi.com/preschool" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Vivvi&#8217;s preschool</a> teachers support this natural curiosity by adding books, materials, and activities that help children dive deeper into their interests.



How This Magic Happens 



Think of it like a circle of discovery: your child explores something interesting, gets excited about what they find, learns more about it (with gentle guidance from adults), and then uses that knowledge to discover something new. Before you know it, they&#8217;re off on their next adventure!



At Vivvi, our teachers are experts at recognizing these learning moments and gently extending them. When children show interest in how plants grow, for instance, we might add magnifying glasses to examine seeds, <a href="https://vivvi.com/blog/family/articles/gardening-development-young-children" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">create a classroom garden</a>, or explore different types of fruits and vegetables during snack time.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="842" src="https://vivvidotcom.wpcomstaging.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/new-learning-model-1024x842.png" alt="" class="wp-image-6167" srcset="https://vivvidotcom.wpcomstaging.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/new-learning-model-1024x842.png 1024w, https://vivvidotcom.wpcomstaging.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/new-learning-model-300x247.png 300w, https://vivvidotcom.wpcomstaging.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/new-learning-model-768x632.png 768w, https://vivvidotcom.wpcomstaging.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/new-learning-model-1536x1263.png 1536w, https://vivvidotcom.wpcomstaging.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/new-learning-model-1200x987.png 1200w, https://vivvidotcom.wpcomstaging.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/new-learning-model-1568x1290.png 1568w, https://vivvidotcom.wpcomstaging.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/new-learning-model.png 1612w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure>



Why It Matters 



This kind of learning does more than just make children happy (though that&#8217;s pretty important too!). When kids lead their own discoveries, they develop crucial skills like problem-solving and critical thinking. They build confidence in their abilities and learn to work with others. Best of all, because they&#8217;re genuinely interested in what they&#8217;re learning, they&#8217;re more likely to remember and build on their discoveries.



Supporting Your Child&#8217;s Natural Curiosity 



Whether you&#8217;re at home or your child is with us at Vivvi, you can nurture this kind of learning by:



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>Following their interests (even if they seem silly at first)</li>



<li>Asking open-ended questions about what they&#8217;re doing</li>



<li>Adding simple materials to extend their play</li>



<li>Showing genuine interest in their discoveries</li>
</ul>



Remember, every child&#8217;s journey of discovery looks different, and that&#8217;s exactly how it should be. Some might be fascinated by construction vehicles while others can&#8217;t get enough of mixing colors. The key is following their lead while keeping them safe and supported. After all, you&#8217;re their first and most important teacher – and together with Vivvi, we&#8217;re helping your little scientist flourish.



Want to see inquiry-based learning in action? Come visit us at Vivvi, where every day brings new discoveries for our youngest learners.

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Check our newest locations in Manhattan’s Tudor City and Carnegie Hill! <a href="https://vivvi.com/locations">Explore here.</a>

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