What exactly will your child gain from taking music lessons? Will they learn anything besides scales and how to play in tune? Here are 6 reasons why music lessons will help your child be a better person!
Cultivates Social Skills
Group classes require peer interaction and cooperation, which develops teamwork. Children need to understand their part in a larger group whole. When each student is responsible for their own work and instrument in a group setting and the whole group is working towards a common goal, it teaches them invaluable lessons for later on in life. Music lessons are a safe space for kids to learn how to work with others in a fun and risk-free environment.
Teaches Self-Discipline
Learning to play a musical instrument isn’t easy, it’s all about delayed gratification. There are going to be days when plunging the toilet sounds better than another practice fight with your child. But consistent practicing will yield results that amaze you and your child. Simply put, music lessons teaches grit and perseverance. Rewards that are reaped by perseverance in the face of disinterest or discouragement will teach your child to keep going, even when the going seems too tough to get through.
Improves Academic Skills
Music learning creates pathways in the brain that help maths and sciences. By learning and understanding beat, rhythm and scales, children are learning how to divide, create and solve fractions, and recognize patterns. Memorizing pieces helps children hone their short and later on, long-term memory.
Develops Physical Skills
At age 3, a child is holding most things like cutlery or crayons in a fist. Playing the violin and piano demand different movements from both sides of the body, enhancing coordination and timing. Consistently, children who learn to play a musical instrument have better control over their large and fine motor skills as time progresses.
Develops Problem Solving Skills
One of the things I ask my students is “how would you practice this at home?” Those whom I have asked this question of regularly know that sometimes the answer can be any number of solutions and answer accordingly. Sometimes one solution may not work for Peter, but will work for Tammy. We won’t know that until we try it. If we can stockpile a collection of problem solving activities that works across the board in any number of ways, we are giving our children tools to solve anything they come up against. Sometimes it may take many tries with different potential solutions, and sometimes it will be the first try. Kids need to be given the tools to succeed, and we can do that by teaching them how to approach tough spots.
It Improves Self-Esteem
Lessons offer an opportunity for children to learn to accept and give constructive criticism. Learning to turn negative thoughts into positive change is an important skills for life, which helps build self-confidence. Group classes show children that nobody is perfect, and that everyone has room for improvement and deserves to achieve high levels of success.
Regardless of where your child is destined to go in life, music lessons are a great investment into your child’s future. By playing a musical instrument, children learn that patience, stepping outside their comfort zone, working hard and trying difficult things are not bad, but incredibly valuable. We all want our little people to have the skills to make the world a better place, and music lessons can give them the tools to do just that.
