A father's lullaby can soothe a baby to sleep, just as a mother's enthusiastic chant can inspire a whole family to hike the steepest mountain trail. Music and rhythm, in their many forms, are part of all children's lives. The tick-tock of clocks, the purring of cats, and the rhymes and songs on television accompany them as they grow up.
Music is portable.
Part of growing up is learning to make and listen to music. Children of all ages express themselves through music. Even at an early age children sway, bounce, or move their hands in response to music they hear. Many preschoolers make up songs and, with no self-consciousness, sing to themselves as they play. Kids in elementary school learn to sing together as a group and possibly learn to play a musical instrument.