Mothers’ perceptions regarding music and movement for fostering cognitive development in children aged 3–5 years in Bangladesh

Abstract

This qualitative study explores Bangladeshi mothers' perceptions, practices, and challenges in using music and movement activities to support cognitive development in their 3 to 5 year old children. Through 6 in-depth interviews with 6 mothers and 1 focus group discussion with 8 mothers (total 14 urban middle-income mothers from Dhaka), 5 key themes emerged: mothers' perceived cognitive benefits of music and movement for memory, attention, language, and concept learning; integration into everyday home routines such as feeding, bathing, and bedtime; pros and cons of digital media use with YouTube providing accessible content but creating screen dependency; family, cultural, and household challenges including in-law resistance, academic pressure, and time & energy constraints; and support needs for culturally relevant Bangla content, family awareness, and community spaces. Findings reveal mothers recognize cognitive value but prioritize academics, face barriers, heavily depend on digital platforms amid content gaps, and need shared family support plus appropriate resources to sustain home-based practice. Recommendations highlight needs for culturally relevant content, family awareness, and policy support to integrate music/movement into home learning.