As a parent, you’re always looking for was to invest in your children’s futures. And in today’s world, there are so many options for growth, learning, and experience that it can be difficult to choose.
However–and it probably goes without saying–here at The Music Studio, we believe music lessons should be near the top of that list! More than learning a new skill, music lessons bring incredible things into the lives of all our students, no matter how old or skilled they are. In fact, we’ve got ten reasons we think they’re one of the best ways you can invest in your children!
Music Lessons Make Them Smarter
Study after study has shown that even a casual education in music can increase the IQ of both children and adults. There’s a little argument over why this happens exactly; maybe it’s how much multitasking the brain does while practicing and playing, maybe it’s because learning to read music is just like learning to read a different language, maybe it’s because music is full of patterns, and playing trains our brains to see patterns better in other places. Maybe it’s all of these things, maybe it’s none. All that matters is music lesson boost the brain!
They’ll Learn a New Language
They say music is the universal language, and it’s not far from the truth. Learning music is literally like learning a new language. In fact, people who start learning music are even more likely to become fluent in another spoken language! On this same premise, music lessons have been shown to help people with disorders like autism and even dyslexia, helping their brains focus on sound, and processing information in different areas.
Lower Stress Through Music Lessons
Life can be hectic and stressful–even for kids–and easing that stress is becoming more and more important in life. In fact, long-term stress can have an amazingly negative impact on the brain by releasing “an enzyme that effectively breaks down part of the structure… of the neurons in the prefrontal cortex,” according to Amy Arnsten of Yale University. That’s brain damage, mild as it may be. Luckily, not only can this be stopped, it can be reversed, and music lessons can be just what the doctor ordered. Relaxing time, scheduled in every week. What could be better for your kids’ brains?
Music Offers A Built-In Community
Meeting new people and making new friends can be difficult at any age. Most new friendly relationships are based on common interests, and signing up for a music class automatically opens the door to meeting other people who have at least one similar interest. Having a class in common with someone can bring whole new opportunities for exploring new aspects of the friendship.
Lessons Boost Self-Esteem
Once new connections are madethrough music, it can act like a “social glue” that pulls together different ideas, different perspectives, different voices, and different cultures. Music introduces kids to like-minded, and not-so-like-minded artists and music fans, sharing incredible experiences together. When they find yourself in unfamiliar territory, they’ll always be able to play music to get to know those around them. Learning to play music can help them handle anxious or nervous situations well, which in turn boosts self-esteem and confidence.
Learning Music Keeps Them Sharp
The brain is a muscle, and just like any other, if it’s not used, it’s lost. Playing an instrument activates areas all over the brain all at once, effectively acting like a high-intensity cardio workout for the mind. Music lessons help keep memory sharp as new skills are gained. And it’s not just the brain that stays sharp: music lessons can help the body too. Learning to play an instrument exercises joints, keeping them flexible and reducing the risk of injury both while playing music and out in the world.
It’s a Great Creative Outlet
Many people seem to thrive on creativity–other seem to grasp for it, never finding the time. With the demands of our everyday lives, it can be difficult even for kids to find the time to not only process the way they feel about the things going on around them, but to express those feelings in a meaningful way. Music lessons can be an amazing outlet!
What’s more, building an emotional and creative relationship with music as children will lead to creative outlets as adults later in life. Feeling blue? Practice something a little melancholic. Jazzed up? Play something with a beat you can dance to! Eventually, they may even choose to write their own music to express those emotions!
Bonding With Family
If they take lessons with their family, be it a sibling or a parent, they get to go through the process of bonding over a shared love of music. This can open a whole new aspect to any relationship, going to concerts together, cheer each other on when one has to learn a particularly difficult piece, or masters an expert technique, or even motivate each other to practice. In a world where it’s getting harder and harder to find time to spend together, music lessons make it easy.
They’ll Be Happier!
Everything else aside, if they love music, music becomes something they want to do! Just think about the music they could be playing, or even writing! Creating music is a fun and exciting experience that everyone should have the opportunity to seize. And with the advances in today’s technology, the learning possibilities are endless!
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Looking to start your children’s music journey (or even your own!) on the right foot? Check out all our lessons, programs, bands, and summer camps, and sign up today!