Effects of Music and Storytelling on Linguistic, Socioemotional, and Adaptive Development in Children Aged 12-36 Months: an Intervention Protocol in Municipal Early Childhood Centers

Summary

This randomized clinical trial aims to evaluate the impact of a structured enriched environment on the linguistic, adaptive behavior, and socioemotional development of children aged 12 to 36 months. The study addresses two main questions:

Does the intervention improve linguistic, adaptive behavior, and socioemotional development compared to standard care? Does parental guidance amplify the benefits of the intervention?

Participants will be randomly assigned to one of two groups:

Intervention Group:

Children will participate in musical activities twice per week (singing, exploring simple instruments, and musical games) and daily storytelling sessions using interactive and visual aids.

Within this group, parents in the "with guidance" subgroup will attend biweekly meetings to learn strategies for reinforcing the intervention at home, while the "without guidance" subgroup will not include parental training.

Control Group:

Children will receive standard care complemented by alternative artistic and pedagogical activities (e.g., drawing, painting), without the structured intervention.

Conditions

• Child Development
• Adaptive Behavior
• Early Child Development
• Music Education
• Preschool Education

Interventions

BEHAVIORAL

Storytelling Sessions

Children will participate in structured storytelling sessions, held once a week for 30 minutes per session. The sessions will use interactive narrative techniques, including voice modulation, gestures, and visual aids, to enhance cognitive, linguistic, and socio-emotional development. The intervention is designed to promote active engagement, stimulate imagination, and improve attention and language skills in early childhood.

BEHAVIORAL

Music Education Sessions

Children will participate in structured music education sessions, conducted twice per week for 40 minutes each. The sessions will include rhythm exercises, vocalization, body percussion, and instrumental exploration using age-appropriate musical instruments. Activities will be designed to enhance cognitive, motor, and socio-emotional development by fostering auditory discrimination, fine and gross motor coordination, and social interaction. The intervention follows an interactive and play-based methodology, ensuring active engagement and progressive learning.

BEHAVIORAL

Parental Guidance Sessions

Parents or guardians will attend 8 biweekly training sessions (60 minutes each) designed to equip them with strategies for cognitive, linguistic, and socio-emotional stimulation in early childhood. The sessions will include practical guidance on storytelling techniques, musical interaction, and play-based learning to reinforce the intervention at home. The goal is to create continuity between structured intervention activities and the home environment, maximizing developmental outcomes for the children. Sessions will be interactive, combining theoretical content with practical exercises and demonstrations

BEHAVIORAL

Standard Daycare Activities

Children in this group will participate in regular daycare activities, including artistic and pedagogical tasks such as drawing, painting, and modeling. These activities are part of the standard curriculum and do not include structured storytelling or music education interventions

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Coordination for the Improvement of Higher Education Personnel

  collaborator OTHER

• Universidade Federal de Pernambuco

  lead OTHER

Study Design

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Purpose

TREATMENT

Masking

TRIPLE

Model

PARALLEL

Eligibility

Min Age

12 Months

Max Age

36 Months

Sex

ALL

Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Timeline & Regulatory

Start

2025-06-02

Primary Completion

2025-10-31

Completion

2025-11-30

Countries

• Brazil

Study Locations