9 Reasons Why Music Lessons are One of the Greatest Gifts You Can Give Your Child
Many of us have fun memories of taking piano lessons, guitar lessons or some other musical instrument growing up. Beyond the joy of playing the music you love and the sense of accomplishment of learning to play an instrument, we received an even greater gift that we likely didn’t realize at the time.
Research has shown over and over again that taking music lessons improves our brains and better prepares us for college and success in life.
In fact, one study has shown that learning music improves cognitive skills more than twice as much as sports, theater or dance!
Below are 9 ways music helps to build brain power and make us more well-rounded individuals.
Improves reading skills. Several studies have shown that music helps us better comprehend literature and helps our reading skills. Specifically, research by Northwestern University has found that reading comprehension is improved and strengthened by music lessons.
Heightens mathematical reasoning. There is a lot of math in music. There is math in relationships between scales degrees, between rhythmic patterns and form and structure of musical pieces. Children who take music lessons tend to do better in math.
Music lessons can boost your IQ. Making music requires both hemispheres of the brain, and uses both the creative and analytical sides of the brain at the same time. Studies have found that people who make music have a larger corpus callosum, which links the two hemispheres of the brain. There are more neural pathways created in the brain, connecting both hemispheres, and builds brain power. Numerous studies have found that musicians generally have higher IQs than non-musicians.
Prepares you to learn other languages more easily. By listening to music, you become more aware of the sounds that go into making music. These sounds become musical sentences and provide the foundation for music language that students can read written music notation. Learning language is very similar to learning music. The awareness of different sounds, which is called phonemic awareness, helps children learn words. The words form sentences and students can read written language. Students who learn music develop the ability to learn languages quicker because of their musical training.
Makes you a better listener and critical thinker. Musical training makes students better listeners and more critical thinkers. Listening for details in music help students to become active listeners, which is an important skill that is used in school classrooms. Developing listening skills is also very important in interpersonal relationships and working with others.
Helps to manage anxiety and stress. Music has the ability to soothe the listener. Have you ever noticed the music used during yoga classes or the music used during an up-beat exercise class? Music has the ability to affect your physical body to move faster or slower, to calm and excite. You can use this to help you manage anxiety and stress by changing the kind of music you listen to.
Build self-confidence and self-esteem. When you learn music and feel the satisfaction of bringing a piece to life you feel amazing. It’s the feeling of reaching a goal, accomplishing a task, learning grit, and wowing your friends and family. Working hard at something and accomplishing a goal is a lifelong skill that is learned in music lessons.
Creativity. Learning music brings creativity to the forefront. In music lessons students use creative thinking to solve musical problems. Students answer questions such as: “what would happen if I played this section this way, or what would happen if I composed this piece this way.” Taking the concepts learned and applying them to students’ own compositions is another way to foster creativity and bring students’ own voice to the world.
Special connection with your child. You and your child will always remember the special times you had making music together. Perhaps it was playing music together, perhaps it will be the conversations to and from music lessons every week, perhaps they’ll remember you sitting in the audience and cheering them on. You will have a special bond and connection with your child that you can share your entire life.
Giving your child the opportunity to learn music is one of the greatest gifts you can give. As you can see, music lessons are about so much more than just learning your favorite songs. The benefits are far reaching and last a lifetime.
If you would like to experience how music can help you, or a loved one please contact us.