Express

Once we understand something, we must express ourselves to reinforce that understanding. Cooks express themselves through the production of tasty food, and musicians use their instruments to create music.

Children who are in the process of understanding the spoken word express themselves through the use of those words. Similarly, a toddler is never happy with merely walking. Once they know the locomotive process, they turn it into running, skipping, hopping, tumbling and, well, the list goes on.

As our understanding grows, so does our capacity for expression. The beauty of our expressive ability lies in its boundlessness, limited only by the vast expanse of our imaginations.

When you think the realm of possibility for new music has been exhausted, a new song emerges, a testament to the infinite potential of human expression.

A little background to that statement: there are 12 distinct tones in Western music. Combining those tones in different ways creates patterns, which, in turn, become songs. Add some lyrics, and hey, let’s upload our creation to social media. Math will tell you there is a finite number of combinations for 12 tones. Musically, there isn’t.

While free rein on expression can be good, stifling or limiting it has consequences. Children love to experiment with language and movement. Encourage them to do it within safe boundaries, of course.

Engage them in conversation. Encourage new or different ways of moving from one place to another. Their school days will thank you for it.