Recent professional studies have determined music lessons for children are an empowering experience and enhance cognitive abilities and help grow and develop young minds. The interest in music lessons for children as a developmental aid comes on the heels of deep cuts in music education in public schools. As music and the arts continue to be deleted from schools, it becomes increasingly important to seek music lessons for children outside the public schools. As music instructors, it’s important to help parents grasp that learning to play music has a far more reaching effect than just learning to play songs or scales on an instrument.
Music lessons versus other lessons
A German study in 2013 cites a significant difference between learning to play music and participating in other skill building activities for children. “Music improves cognitive and non-cognitive skills more than twice as much as sports, theater or dance,” cites the study by German Socio-Economic panel in 2013. Children who take music lessons “have better cognitive skills and school grades and are more conscientious, open and ambitious.” The act of developing an open and ambitious attitude is a life lesson as much as it is a music lesson. Children who take music lessons learn early that discipline, productive practice and having fun as they are learning to play music are lessons that carry through a lifetime.
Music lessons enhance verbal and reading skills
Children who learn to read music apply that knowledge to verbal and reading skills. There is a connection between the visual nature of note reading and the ability to decipher letters and words on a page. For children, music lessons can improve pitch and pitch recognition is a foundation of verbal skills. Parents may report better grades in reading, verbal expression, and an improvement in attention span for children who take music lessons.
Music Lessons and mathematics
Music is math and the development of mathematical skills is vastly improved when children take music lessons. Greek philosopher and mathematician Pythagoras said, “There is geometry in the humming of the strings, there is music in the spacing of the spheres.” Music lessons teach children the values of numbers as they learn to read notes. Spatial recognition is also improved and a sense of mathematical order as they pursue music lessons.
Summing up
The value of music lessons and the mind is undeniable and all music instructors should be able to talk with parents about not only musical instruction for children but the extreme enhancement to other facets of learning. Music is such a pleasure and such a fun way to accelerate learning in any educational pursuit!
