Early childhood is a critical period in which children make rapid progress in developmental domains and establish a foundation for lifelong learning. Music education offered during this period is not limited to the acquisition of musical skills; it also makes multifaceted contributions to cognitive, linguistic, social-emotional, personality, and motor development. The literature shows that music activities enhance children’s attention, memory, problem-solving, and abstract thinking skills, while in language development they support vocabulary, pronunciation, and early literacy skills. Moreover, rhythms, songs, and rhymes make language learning an enjoyable and effective process. From a social-emotional perspective, music is an important tool for developing skills such as empathy, cooperation, responsibility, and emotional expression. Group music activities strengthen children’s sense of belonging, while individual musical expression fosters self-confidence and self-concept. In terms of personality development, music offers children opportunities to explore their creativity, recognize themselves, and develop cultural identity. Regarding motor development, movement activities integrated with music support both gross motor skills (running, jumping, balancing) and fine motor skills (playing instruments, hand-eye coordination, using rhythm instruments).

In conclusion, music education in early childhood should be considered as a holistic learning area and integrated as a fundamental component of educational programs. Planned music education practices supported by teacher training, family involvement, the integration of culturally meaningful music, and further experimental research will strengthen children’s multifaceted development and contribute to their lifelong learning motivation.