Musical play may boost understanding and long-term learning in babies

Study of nine-month-old children showed regular musically-based play sessions improved their ability to process speech sounds and rhythms

Taking babies along to musical play sessions may boost their cognitive skills and have a long-lasting impact on their learning, researchers say.

A study of nine-month-old infants found that regular play sessions arranged around musical activities improved the children's ability to process speech sounds as well as musical rhythms.