MÜNSTER, Germany, December 1, 2010 /PRNewswire/ -- During the first few years of their lives, children need far more opportunities to joyful playing singing than are currently provided. This is the primary conclusion of a comprehensive study involving 500 kindergartens carried out by Dr. Thomas Blank and Dr. Karl Adamek (University of Münster, Germany) along with the Münster Public Health Department. In the study, 88% of children who sang frequently that way were, according to medical findings, found to be ready for normal schooling, compared to only 44% for children who sang less often.

For the first time, the study has provided convincing empirical evidence that joyful playing singing supports the development of kindergarten children in all physical, mental and social areas to an extent which has been underestimated. This applies in particular to their speech development, social behaviour and aggression control. Every child can benefit in many ways from increased singing, especially children from migratory or uneducated backgrounds. An explanation for these findings is provided by neurobiological and physiological studies, which show that singing leads to an increased production of feel-good hormones and the reduction of aggression hormones. For this reason, Neurobiology Professor Gerald Hüther describes singing as "powerful nourishment for children's brains." On the other hand, those who are not given the opportunity to develop their natural singing ability will be disadvantaged in life.

All results of this study have been published by Dr. Thomas Blank and Dr. Karl Adamek in "Singen in der Kindheit - Eine empirische Studie zur Gesundheit und Schulfähigkeit von Kindergartenkindern und das Canto elementar Konzept zum Praxistransfer" (Singing in Childhood - An Empirical Study of Health and School Readiness of Kindergarten Children and the Elementary Canto Concept for Practical Implementation), Waxmann Verlag (Münster, Germany). The former Honorary President of the Hamburg University of Music and Theatre, Prof. Dr. Dr. h.c. Hermann Rauhe, describes this book as a milestone, the results of which should not only provide guidance for kindergarten teachers, teachers and parents, but should also be viewed as a positive message during the current education crisis.

Information: Further information and a book overview in german language are available at

http://www.il-canto-del-mondo.de/singen-in-der-kindheit.html

Authors: Dr. Blank thomas.blank@uni-bielefeld.de and Dr. Adamek: adamekk@uni-muenster.de. Tel. +49-251-1365875

SOURCE: Il canto del mondo

CONTACT: Information: Further information and a book overview in germanlanguageare available athttp://www.il-canto-del-mondo.de/singen-in-der-kindheit.html. Authors: Dr.Blank thomas.blank@uni-bielefeld.de and Dr. Adamek:adamekk@uni-muenster.de. Tel. +49-251-1365875