Parents often wonder about what extracurricular activities will best meet the needs of their children. And the task is becoming increasingly daunting every year, given the growing number of activities to choose from.
One of the most popular of them is sport. Sport teaches team spirit, discipline, and let the children have a healthy dose of physical exercise… which in turn provides a little respite to the parents! But we often forget the benefits of learning music on the development of the child. And they are so many!
Learning how to play a musical instrument brings many benefits for toddlers and youngsters, including cognitive, motor and mental skills, just to name a few. Beyond the knowledge that the child acquires about the music itself, it comes with perks that extend beyond the musical universe.
Here are the reasons why your child should learn a musical instrument.
It will give him more chances to become a good musician
When your child comes into the world, his or her hearing is already acute. From birth, the newborn is very sensitive to sounds and music. Low frequencies make it easier for him or her to fall asleep several months after birth.
Babies have a hearing memory that will affect his behaviour. The music that the mother listened to during pregnancy will rise in the newborn the old memories of his or her uterine life. Your baby will be able to feel the emotions it experienced in the womb. He or she will remember feelings of warmth, comfort and protection when he or she was tucked in the womb and heard the reassuring beat of the mother’s heart. As a result, your baby will be calm, relaxed and soothed.
It will help your child to focus
Once you have accustomed your child to the sound of music, you should make him or her play a musical instrument. It will firstly help to improve your child’s capacity to focus. In our era of hyper-connectivity, with constant solicitations throughout the day, such as mobile ringtones, notifications, etc., the music will allow the child to focus his attention on a single thing.
Music will become a unique space in which the attention of the child can blossom. Handling any instrument requires full attention. Gestures, hearing, sight and the brain are all solicited together.
It will teach your child discipline
In addition to concentration, learning to play an instrument requires a lot of discipline. As the saying goes, “Rome was not built in one day”, learning an instrument requires discipline and perseverance. This is particularly good for children who, in most cases, run in all directions. Learning music helps them to self-discipline. Concentration and discipline being two essential elements for the child in schooling, it’s important to acquire these skills for future successes.
It will improve your child’s memory
In addition, learning an instrument will increase the storage capacity of your kids’ brain. This is particularly true of the practice of certain instruments, such as the piano and the flute. When they enter nursery school or early childhood centre, young children see their IQ significantly increase. If they also follow an initiation to music, their intellectual capacities will be developed. Do not assume that your child will be gifted at school if he takes music lessons, but his intellect will surely be stimulated and he or she will learn to read and calculate easily.
It will improve your child’s dexterity
Learning to play an instrument will require your child to use his fingers, and therefore develop his dexterity. It requires coordination and training. We have entered the age of technology, where tablets are the basic equipment of all families and schools. Unfortunately, touch screens have begun to affect children’s sense of touch and dexterity. Unlike the pre-Ipad generation, many young children do not have the skill to properly hold a pen, pencil or other objects because their fingers are not agile enough. Learning music is a great way to solve this problem.
It will help your child develop confidence
Playing an instrument early helps to improve self-confidence. In addition, the self-discipline and determination required by the regular practice of instrument will teach your child to learn, and he or she will be more willing to work at school. Students who play instruments are better able to concentrate and are more willing to listen, including in a noisy classroom.
It will give teach him social skills
Musical learning is still a good way to learn how to behave with others. Being part of an orchestra, for example, is a vector of integration. It promotes the artistic development of children, but also helps to combat exclusion by upgrading their skills. To play rhythmically, the child must first learn to listen to others and cooperate with them.
It will create a bond between you and your kid
Starting an instrument at an early age commits not only the child, but also the parents. Young musicians need to be supported while they discover their instrument and parents must ensure that their child reaches the goals set by his teacher. So, whatever your child’s initial motivation or interest in music, being assiduous will be much more beneficial in the long run than giving up along the way.
It is important to find a teacher for pre-school music lesson who is suitable for both parents and children, and above all, to make music always fun. Listen to your child; if he does not take pleasure in making music, he will eventually give up. Help him to find a music teacher who will allow him to explore his passion and do not hesitate to follow his evolution and to intervene in case of difficulty.