PREVIEW

TV legend Gemma Atkinson believes her one-year-old, Thiago, may be a budding pop prodigy - thanks to his love of musical toys.


The former Hollyoaks star turned TV and radio personality is pleased with how music and musical toys have benefited her youngest child with her partner, Strictly Come Dancing professional Gorka Márquez.


“I’ve seen so many benefits from him playing with musical toys and us playing music. It’s great for his fine motor skills, his cognitive development,” she explains. “And the fact that he’s made the connection between sound and movement already is fantastic. I mean, I’d love to say he gets it from me, but it is probably from his dad.”


Explaining her infant son’s love of music, and upbeat pop in particular, Gemma continues: “I’d say the music Thiago responds the most to is anything with an up-tempo beat, anything he can clap along to or bounce to. And he is partial to trying to add his own backing vocals on the school run. If the radio’s on, he’ll try and sing along with his ‘ah ah, ooh ooh’ as best he can, it’s really sweet.”


The star has partnered with toy firm Fisher-Price to help them launch their own ‘Link Squad’ line of musical toys.


“I think music is so valuable for his development because it energises him. It helps with his coordination, it’s something that’s fun and it’s something we can do together as a family. We can link up, like the Link Squad do,” Gemma adds.

Mother and baby appear in Fisher-Price’s first-ever CGI video, alongside the new Link Squad toys. It features five colourful characters, Bop & Groove Tiger, A to Z Yak, Jam & Count Panda, Crawn ‘n Colours Chameleon, and Opposites Fox.


The groovy quintet all link up and light up together, singing upbeat songs and phrases to teach babies and toddlers about the alphabet, colours, numbers, parts of the body, greetings and fine & gross motor skills.


It seems Thiago is not rare in his love of music, however, as Fisher-Price commissioned research of 500 parents with children aged 0-5, discovering that 74% believe music has helped with their child’s development.


Dr. Michael Bonshor, Music Psychology professor, from the University of Sheffield has even found that the steady, two four in a bar time in a song lends itself to walking, dancing or swaying which can help with developing motor skills and co-ordination.


The expert recommends that the ‘magic formula’ for the ideal kids song should land between 60-120BPM, have a ‘marching or swaying’ rhythm and feature repetitive, rhyming lyrics – along with a major key which has a bright and upbeat feel. Just like Thiago’s favourite tunes!


The Link Squad line, which Fisher-Price say is proven to promote learning, can be purchased for prices ranging from RRP £14.99-£34.99.