When children study at school, usually a great deal of emphasis is placed on subjects like science, math or language. While these fields of study are no doubt incredibly important, especially while a child is developing the foundational base for their future advanced studies, many conventional curriculums in Orange County and the rest of the United States fail to recognize the importance of the Arts. Music, dance, and visual art classes typically don’t receive the same amount of attention as other school subjects, and many people even think that the Arts are less important than other subjects.
This attitude towards the Arts and the study of music, in particular, is incredibly inaccurate. The study of music can be extremely beneficial to young children, especially as they develop as students and lifelong learners. Even if your child isn’t planning to become the next great composer or pianist, there are still an abundance of reasons why you should consider signing your child up for music lessons, especially while they’re in elementary school. Here are three reasons why all children should study music.
Music Helps Unlock Your Child’s Creative Mind
As children begin to learn about the world around them, their brains actually physically change in order to allow for the development of the various skills and abilities that children pick up at a young age in order to build off into more advanced studies later on. This process is called neuroplasticity, and while all human brains constantly shift between dominant neural pathways as we learn and forget skills, the neural networks formed during the developmental phase of childhood are the most important in determining how a child thinks and is able to achieve later in life.
Learning music from a young age has been shown to contribute to the development of complex neural networks as the brain is introduced to the unique cognitive patterns required in music. Children learn a variety of skills while learning to play music, such as critical and applied thinking, that can help them achieve excellence in other subjects, such as math and language. Music has also been shown to encourage “divergent thinking,” or the ability to create new ideas. This sense of creativity is vitally important to other fields such as the study of English or Humanities later on.
Music Teaches Your Child Important Life Lessons
The study of music can also teach children important life lessons, such as the importance of perseverance and how to deal with frustration and failure. Learning to play an instrument or to sing is extremely challenging. It involves learning an entirely new skill and tons of practice and error. Students will inevitably have to attempt and fail at playing a new piece of music multiple times. However, as students practice, the fruits of their labor are very apparent.
The feeling of finally being able to play through a difficult piece of sheet music without stopping in between provides students with an immense sense of accomplishment. Music teaches young students how to cope with stress and frustration in a no-stakes environment, as well as showing students that hard work pays off in the long run, important lessons to take away for future studies.
Music Encourages Positive Mental Health
Finally, music can be a fantastic source of mental health and wellbeing for students of any age. Studies have shown that music allows people to express their feelings and regulate their emotions, as well as acting as a coping mechanism for stress and anxiety. Individuals who play music tend to report a happier state of mind and greater emotional regulation than people who don’t, allowing for a positive headspace and a better ability to cope with negative emotions.
Music is a universal language, allowing us to share a mutual love of this art. To learn more about our music lessons, dance classes, or any of the other fun and enriching programs we offer, please do not hesitate to call us or text us at (714) 902-6036, or simply sign up for lessons today!
