Creative Sound Play and the Science Behind Why Sound, Laughter, and Play Are Essential for Learning

BROOKLYN, N.Y. - EntSun -- Inspired by Dr. Gina Mireault's New York Times article, "The Evolutionary Brilliance of the Baby Giggle"

Creative Sound Play (www.creativesoundplay.com) — In her New York Times article "The Evolutionary Brilliance of the Baby Giggle,"developmental psychologist Dr. Gina Mireault explains that infant laughter is far more than a cute reflex—it is an evolutionarily powerful social signal that builds connection, safety, and learning long before language emerges. This insight lies at the very heart of Creative Sound Play, an innovative early childhood learning approach that centers sound, listening, and shared vocal play as foundational tools for development.

Creative Sound Play recognizes what science and caregivers have long observed: humans communicate, bond, and learn through sound before words, symbols, or formal music. From giggles and coos to call-and-response vocal play, sound is a child's first language—and one of the most accessible, inclusive educational tools available to educators today.

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Dr. Mireault's research highlights laughter as a mechanism for social bonding and emotional regulation, particularly in moments of surprise, play, and shared attention. Creative Sound Play extends this understanding into classrooms by intentionally using vocal sounds, clapping, stomping, silence, rhythm, and playful listening to strengthen relationships, support self-regulation, and transform everyday moments—especially transition times—into meaningful learning experiences.

"Creative Sound Play isn't about teaching music," says Hayes Greenfield, creator of Creative Sound Play and author of Creative Sound Play for Young Learners. "It's about honoring sound as a primal human behavior—one that children already know instinctively. When educators embrace sound-making the way babies do, learning becomes joyful, inclusive, and deeply human."

Grounded in neuroscience, developmental psychology, and cross-cultural traditions of communal sound-making, Creative Sound Play aligns seamlessly with Mireault's findings. Both emphasize that play, laughter, and shared sonic experiences are not distractions from learning—they are its biological foundation.

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As early childhood educators seek developmentally appropriate, research-based practices that support social-emotional growth, communication, and creativity, Creative Sound Play offers a powerful, immediately usable framework—one that echoes the evolutionary brilliance Dr. Mireault so clearly articulates.

About Creative Sound Play
Creative Sound Play is an early childhood learning method for PreK–3 that uses intentional sound-making, listening, and silence to support communication, regulation, creativity, and community. It is not a scripted program, but a flexible cultural practice that integrates easily into classrooms, transitions, and daily routines.