Seven Reasons That Music is Important to Your Child’s Development
When you send your child off to school you hope for the best educational experience that they can get. You want them to learn as much as they can in a way that is fun and engaging. There are several ways to motivate students toward learning, but music remains a key tool for encouraging enthusiasm in the classroom. Few people realize the benefits that music can have on our brain development and learning. That’s why Upper Room KC’s programs have always had a strong focus on music education. Recently, the National Association for Music Education (NAFME) provided a list of benefits of music. Here are just a handful of those reasons your child’s development can have a positive influence by incorporating music into their curriculum.
According to the NAFME, Students who study music have a more positive attitude about learning as a result of the direct feedback a child gets from learning music. Music can be a fun activity that everyone identifies with when they learn an instrument or song. This association of learning with enjoyable activities like music can influence a child’s excitement for school and make them more likely to excel in other subjects.
A musical ability can shape the character and personality of students. As students learn to play with others, they follow a common goal of something as simple as a rhythmic beat. Studies published on BachelorsDegree.org show that this social interaction results in students in band or orchestra being less likely to abuse substances over their lifetime. Musical education can also contribute to children’s intellectual and emotional development as it promotes their personal expression.
Music is often referred to as a language, and for good reason. The theory of music follows a structure similar to all languages. Music provides a way for students to express that language skill in a way that is fun and easy to understand. Studies from The National Association for Music show that students who include music curriculum with their education will develop the vital areas of the brain that relate to language and reasoning. This left side of the brain specifically gets better developed with exposure to music that promotes growth in young minds and leads to better language skills.
Musicians of all ages are tasked with using their memory constantly to recall and perform a given piece of music. Students of music use the skill of memorization even when performing with sheet music. This ability can quickly translate into all aspects of education and beyond. In fact, music is often used as a device to help remember complex lessons. Music jingles in commercials show proof that a simple melody can help us remember phone numbers and company slogans. If you’re prepping for a test, setting your study notes to a tune can be a great way to remember important details.
Rhythm and repetition are common themes in music. These rhythms are nothing more than a series of patterns that they comprehend more easily with the assistance of music. Children can often develop their pattern-recognition skills more quickly with the help of musical education. Pattern recognition also greatly increases a student’s ability in mathematics and geometry.
All of the reasons listed above show that music education is great for your child’s brain and development, but what are the results? Students who have experience with music performance or appreciation are more likely to score higher on the SAT. The last two reasons we provided talk about improvements in language and math as a result of music education. BachelorsDegree.org released a report that indicates 63 points higher SAT scores on verbal test scores and 44 points higher on math scores for students in music appreciation courses
Finally, kids who learn to play an instrument can quickly understand the value of a disciplined routine. In order to learn an instrument, students have to set aside time to practice and give the focus it takes to achieve the coordination and timing of mastering an instrument. The rewards come quickly as each new song is learned and a new opportunity of playing music with others is not far away.
Upper Room Music Education Programs
At Upper Room KC, we strongly believe in these benefits as they apply to our students. Whether your student already has an interest and education in music or not, we provide a fun musical learning environment in our after-school, summer academic program and early child development. Contact us today and see how we can partner with your child’s school!