The drive to move to music is evident across a variety of contexts, from the simple urge to tap our toe to a song on the radio, to massive crowds dancing in time at a rock concert. Though seemingly effortless, beat synchronization is difficult to master and children are often poor beat synchronizers. Nevertheless, auditory‐motor integration is fundamental for many daily processes, such as speech. A topic that has been relatively understudied concerns how stimulus properties affect young children's movement in responses to auditory stimuli. In the present study, we examined how musical groove (adult‐rated desire to move) affected 3.0‐ to 6.9‐year‐old children's free dancing in the comfort of their home (n = 78). In the high groove conditions, children danced more and with more energy compared to the low groove conditions. Moreover, in the high groove condition, children's movement tempos corresponded better with the tempos of the music. Results point to early childhood sensitivity to the musical features that motivate adults to move to music. High groove music may therefore prove especially effective at facilitating early auditory‐motor integration. A video abstract of this article can be viewed at https://youtu.be/vli0-6N12Ts.

The drive to move to music is evident across a variety of contexts, from the simple urge to tap our toe to a song on the radio, to massive crowds dancing in time at a rock concert. Though seemingly effortless, beat synchronization is difficult to master and children are often poor beat synchronizers. Nevertheless, auditory-motor integration is fundamental for many daily processes, such as speech. A topic that has been relatively understudied concerns how stimulus properties affect young children’s movement in responses to auditory stimuli. In the present study, we examined how musical groove (adult-rated desire to move) affected 3.0- to 6.9-year-old children’s free dancing in the comfort of their home (n = 78). In the high groove conditions, children danced more often and with more energy compared to the low groove conditions. Moreover, in the high groove condition, children’s movement tempos corresponded better with the tempos of the music. Results point to early childhood sensitivity to the musical features that motivate adults to move to music. High groove music may therefore prove especially effective at facilitating early auditory-motor integration.

Cerebral palsy (CP) refers to a group of disorders in which atypical muscle tone impairs movement, balance, and posture. Resources available to support children and families affected by CP include therapies, assistive technologies, educational supports, and familial and social services. However, the COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted usual access to many of these resources, making it difficult for children with CP and their families to receive necessary support for optimal development. The International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health: Children and Youth Version (ICF-CY) is a framework used by various stakeholders, such as healthcare workers, caregivers, and educators, to measure health and functioning in children. Additionally, the Ecological Systems Theory, which was created by Urie Bronfenbrenner, provides a powerful lens to examine how a child’s development is influenced by their surroundings. This paper provides an overview of the literature about relevant forms of support for those affected by CP and evidence-informed insights about how such supports may be adapted to better fit healthcare needs evolving as a result of the pandemic.