With a packed schedule, it can be difficult to decide whether to add music lessons into your kid’s weekly activities. If you’re on the fence about signing them up for lessons on piano, guitar, ukulele, singing, or perhaps something else, take note of the unique benefits provided by music lessons which other disciplines just can’t provide.
Good for Brain Development
It’s long been said that music makes you smarter. A famous study by E. Glenn Schellenberg in 2004 found that taking weekly music lessons led to small increases in IQ in first-graders, while non-musical activities did not. Schellenberg provided nine months of weekly piano and voice lessons to small groups of six-year-olds with a second set taking drama lessons and a third with no lessons at all. Children taking music lessons over the school year surprisingly scored an average of three IQ points higher than the others.
There is also a strong link between music and language processing abilities. Researchers at Northwestern University found that language skills like auditory working memory and the ability to learn sound patterns were strengthened by music lessons. Children taking music lessons performed better in reading ability tests when compared with children taking painting or other visual arts lessons.
Academic Success
Musical training is also excellent for improving spatial-temporal skills (meaning visualization, creativity, and problem solving). A study at the University of Kansas found that elementary schools with better music education scored around 20% higher in English and math standardized tests compared to schools with low-quality music programs. The study does show a strong connection between music lessons leading to better grades.
Better visualization and problem-solving can transfer over to a well-rounded range of subject areas and careers such as math, art, computing, designing and engineering. In the long-term, children who participate in music training are also more optimistic about their futures, and are about 15 percent more likely to aim to attend higher education.
Creativity and Enjoyment
It’s great to think about how music lessons can improve your child’s learning and cognitive abilities, but by far the greatest benefit of music is being musical itself. Creativity is difficult to measure from a scientific perspective, but anyone who participates in a creative subject will tell you about the positive effect it has on personal expression, happiness, and self-confidence. According to the University of Texas, taking music lessons gives children a fantastic boost in their self-esteem and motivation, which can lead to better study habits and a sense of pride in their musical accomplishments.
Which Instrument to Choose?
Ultimately, there is no one instrument more beneficial than any other. The choice can depend on a few factors, for example:
• Are they excited about the instrument?
• Does it match the style of music they like?
• Have they seen other people performing on the instruments?
If you’re not sure, it’s hard to go wrong with popular choices like piano, guitar, ukulele, drums, or voice. To help you make a choice, visit our studio, listen to and try some instruments. One of our teachers can help you discover an instrument that best fits you. Call Ray and Lisa Cyr at 850.231.3199. Located in Santa Rosa Beach, FL. www.Studio237Music.com.
