Infants and Music Media

Question: I have not allowed screen time for my baby but recently, I showed him recordings of orchestra performances featuring classical music as well as jazz performances, such as Jazz at the Lincoln Center. He gets very excited by certain instruments as well as the orchestra conductors. He will watch the performances for as much as 10 minutes at a time without looking away. Is this something that I need to cut out to prevent developmental harm?

Answer: Thank you for this question -- how great that you are sharing music in this way with your infant! In terms of developmental concerns, it’s important to note that the amount of time that infants spend on screens isn’t the only thing that matters – the quality of what is watched, if the child is watching with a parent/caregiver, and when they’re watching all matter too. Children under 18 months of age learn differently from screens than we do. Pediatricians mostly worry about infants watching screens alone, for long periods of time, and with no one talking to them. Your description of watching something brief (less than 20-30 minutes/day is ideal), high quality (Lincoln Center is fantastic, but Sesame Street songs would be great too), and together is the best way to ensure that media has a positive effect on your child’s developing mind. 

What do we know about music exposure in infancy? 

One narrative research review revealed that daily music experiences in parent-child interactions are common among many cultures and backgrounds. Infants can be exposed to music from a variety of sources – like parents singing a lullaby to soothe a baby before a nap, to passive music played from recordings. Music-based play and music exposure are universal in early childhood!  

Can music be beneficial for early child development? 

Music is a vital part of child development and skills for school readiness – intellectual, social-emotional, motor, language, and overall literacy. Music exposure early in infancy helps babies learn the sounds and meanings of words. If the classical and jazz music that your child listens to does not have words, you can also talk to them about the instruments or dance or hum along to the music.  

Music can be a source of calming for kids. Repetitive movements and melodies can be soothing in general, especially for a worried or stressed child. Since dancing requires multiple body systems, kids can stay focused more on the present moment when listening to music, lowering stress levels. 

Playing together with music 

Joint media engagement, in which the child and parent/caregiver engage with media together, can aid youth learning through media. Listening to music with other people can heighten social connection – even in early childhood, these interactions can impact brain circuits important for empathy, trust, and cooperation. 

While watching the jazz performance with your son, you could hum and bounce or dance along. As he gets older and begins to talk, you can bring in talking points: 

• “Look at that! That neat instrument is called a saxophone.” 
• “This performance is way out in New York City! Just about x miles from where we live.” 
• “What instrument would you like to learn to play someday at school?” 

Infant singing and caregiver-mediated musical play direct the infants’ attention and help them manage their arousal – they’re able to synchronize emotions with their caregivers. This can help you read your child’s social cues and build a stronger attachment. There’s no “perfect” way to experience music together – so use the inspiration that you get from orchestra videos to then play with kid-friendly musical instruments in real life.  

As your child reaches toddlerhood, he may be more inclined to move along to tunes. Dancing builds motor skills and aids self-expression through movement. Repetition in songs can be helpful for toddlers’ vocabulary growth. Silly songs can make them laugh, and allow children to make their own rhythms – using their own vocal chords, clapping, snapping, stomping, and using wooden spoons to hit a pot. Some engaging toy options include toy drums, shakers, rattles, xylophones, and maracas.  

Things to look out for 

• Infants’ attention is easily captured by visual stimuli on screens. This might make it harder to get his attention while you watch music videos, so make sure there are other times that you have audio-only musical experiences.  
• Videos can be calming for infants, but don’t let it become a habit for managing negative emotions or trying to get to sleep. It’s fine to use slower music for naps and bedtime that doesn’t involve watching a screen, just passive listening. Softer music supports slower breathing before sleeping. 
• For infants under age 18 months, FaceTime, Skype, or other video chats can be beneficial to help build relationships between your child and other loved ones. Infants can’t otherwise learn much from screens at this age, so consider limiting your child’s screen time to watching something together for a brief amount of time, about 20-30 minutes a day. Watching together is the best approach to ensure media has a positive effect on your child’s healthy mental development 
• As your child grows older music can continue to be part of his development. Music can impact your child’s mood, stress, and sleep. You can find more resources about music or media use from the American Academy of Pediatrics at HealthyChildren.org Music and Mood. 
• Consider creating a Family Media Plan to facilitate discussion around safe and practical media use that works for a family’s specific needs  

For more information about screentime, we recommend viewing these previous portal responses and Center resources:  

• Screen Time Limits for Young Children – This previous portal response shares further information on setting time limits for young children.  
• Health Effects of Young Kids Being on Screens Too Long – This previous portal response provides a summary of the links between long amounts of time on screens and specific health outcomes.  
• Watching YouTube Videos to Relax – This previous portal response shares information with parents on using alternative methods to calm emotions rather than YouTube or other forms of technology.  
• 5 Cs of Media Use – This series of age-based handouts shares information about your child’s developmental stages, how this influences media use, and healthy media habits to strive for at home.  

Keep up the great work! 

References: 

• Bright Horizons. (2022, February 25). Children and music: Benefits of music in child development. Bright Horizons Family Solutions. Retrieved July 17, 2025.  
• Hill, D. L. (2016, October 21). Why to avoid TV for infants & toddlers. American Academy of Pediatrics. Retrieved July 17, 2025.  
• Nelson, C. (2023, January 26). Calming, engaging, rewarding: How music can help mental health with children. Mayo Clinic. Retrieved July 17, 2025.  
• Smith, A. R., & Kong, K. L. (2025). Music enrichment programs may promote early language development by enhancing parent responsiveness: A narrative review. Child Development Perspectives, 19(1), 20–29.  
• Virtala, P., & Partanen, E. (2018). Can very early music interventions promote at-risk infants’ development? Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences, 1423(1), 92–101.  
• Williams, E., & Radesky, J. (2025). The 5Cs approach to digital media: Empowering families and professionals to foster healthy screen use for young children. International Journal of Birth and Parent Education, 12(2).  
• UNICEF. (n.d.). How music affects your baby’s brain: Mini Parenting Master Class [Video]. UNICEF. Retrieved July 16, 2025.  

Age: 0-18-months 

Topics: Early childhood, infants, pacing, media content, screen time in infancy, music and child development, music and parenting, music interventions for kids 

Role: Parent