article by Flo Karp

It’s no secret that learning to play a music instrument is a beneficial addition to any child’s education but you may be wondering what exactly is enhanced besides the joy of learning to play music. From social skills to academics, music can bring rewards on so many levels, it’s like brain food for youngsters.

There have been studies after studies confirming that music education enhances a child’s IQ scores, cognitive skills (memory and logic) as well as overall success in school.

Music leads to literacy. Recently, a collection of researchers from Long Island University discovered that music education over the course of a three-year period enhanced a child’s verbal sequencing and vocabulary, both of which form the basis of reading and language skills. Talk about a sneaky way to get a kid to improve their reading ability.

Music education is clearly a benefit when it comes to learning math. Music, because it’s based on repeating rhythms and sounds, helps kids to absorb math in a unique way, through sound and counting. They learn fractions and ratios thanks to the mathmatically-based construction of music.

Social skills are enhanced from rehearsing, singing, playing and laughing with other students. While making music can be light-hearted fun, the camaraderie and teamwork emerging from such a joint effort is invaluable to setting a social precedent of give, take and sharing.

Self-expression rounds out the many benefits of learning to play a musical instrument. There’s nothing comparable to “feeling” sound and sending the music through your body and out to the world. Kids learn about variation, tone, how to put their own personalities into it and how to create art, if you will.

With all these benefits, you can’t go wrong by encouraging your child to play a musical instrument. They may need to test out a couple different musical instruments to find the one that “speaks” to them, but if they stick with it, the rewards are endless.

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