They move to the beat of their own internal rhythm. And sway back and forth like palms on a breezy Caribbean day. Then turn in swift circles, stumbling and falling, giggling helplessly. The little dancers – they move me.

My girls love to dance. As soon as they hear music – it doesn’t matter what kind – they start to rock and clap with pure joy. Like most kids, they embody innate rhythm and do what feels natural – unlike us inhibited adults who are afraid of looking foolish when our spirits move us.

Have you ever seen the anticipation on a young child’s face as she waited for you to play her favorite song? How about the elation of feeling free to express herself and having you cheer her on? Or the satisfaction of having danced through "Rockin’ Robin" without falling down once? Lately, I’ve been noticing these things in my house.

And it’s no wonder. Research has shown that the early childhood years are an important window of time to nurture children’s musical potential. It’s the time when our little sponges are most open to new things and are eager to learn. More than just an art form, music – like math or language – entails its own type of intelligence, is wonderful for self-expression, and can set the stage for brain growth and development.

According to Dr. Bruce Perry, Senior Fellow, CIVITAS Initiative, Baylor College of Medicine, experiences such as music and movement are "the chief architect of the brain. Experiences that fill a baby’s first days, months and years have a decisive impact on the structure of the child’s brain and their future intellectual, social and emotional abilities."

Early childhood classes are the perfect way to introduce your child to new experiences with music and movement. Mother of four Celeste Cifala Roy, director of Evanston, Ill.-based Everybody Move, structures her program to maximize children’s exposure to music and motion. Class begins with a participatory "circle time," during which songs are accompanied by an Autoharp. Instruments, scarves, puppets and other props are used to encourage developmentally appropriate learning. "Free play" time allows kids to explore the space – which is filled with ramps, tunnels and climbing bars – safely. Class ends with another circle activity: dance and juice. Parents are encouraged to practice the songs and dances at home to fill their kids’ lives with celebration.

"It’s important for parents to come to a class like this ready to play," Celeste says. "One of my goals is to encourage parents to revisit their youthful freedom and to sing, dance and laugh. Our children are watching and learning everything from us. So crawl up a ramp, roll on the floor, balance a bean bag on your head – just be silly!"

Being silly, Celeste notes, adds a lot more value to the experience than you might think. "I believe this helps to cultivate a happy, more confident adult in all of us. Being confident in your body helps you later be confident with your voice."

Filling your child’s days with song and dance, then, is not only fun – it’s educational. I remember this as I go with the flow of my kids’ antics and encourage them to dance with me. The freedom of motion is healthy for all of us. So the next time you’re running out the door to work or another commitment, pause and feel the music with your child. Dance a little – it’ll go a long way.