Are you considering music lessons for your child, but wondering if it’s worth the investment? If music is already a part of your life, you may already know why it’s a worthy pursuit, but for those who are new to it, let’s go over a few ways music education is important for a child’s development.

1.
Music education is an exercise in developing communication skills.
Have you ever heard the old adage, “Music is a Universal Language”? Like all forms of art, Music can convey thoughts, feelings, and ideas in ways that words alone sometimes cannot. For some of us, we may not know how to describe what we are feeling in words, but we may know a song that does. Music is a pro-social activity that promotes collaboration and sharing of ideas, whether in a band or ensemble, or by performing for an audience. It is also a way for people of different backgrounds to appreciate each other’s cultural heritage.

2.
Music Education is good for your brain.
To practice a musical instrument is to practice self-discipline, goal-setting, and delayed gratification. You’re not going to master that piece unless you keep practicing until it sticks! To become proficient at playing a musical instrument, it takes commitment and consistent repetition. If this habit is developed and nurtured early, it will carry over into other areas of life. You may see your student’s grades improve after starting private lessons or after joining a school band program. A collaborative article co-authored by two Harvard doctors of Neurology for the Music and Health Exchange Series at Berklee College of Music mentions research that suggests; “The structural thickness and connectivity of certain brain regions involved in processing music increases with music training over the course of several years, and musical training has also been shown to better regulate the executive control sections of the prefrontal cortex in a non-music related task”.*

3.
If the mind is a muscle, Music education is akin to “mental exercise”.
Music is also a great exercise in emotional regulation, which allows us to reach deeper levels of connection with others. Some of us have that one song that hits just the right way. Sometimes it’s an energetic bop that gets us excited. Other times it’s a sad and lonely dirge that we can wallow in for a while. It’s a way of embracing, elevating, and healing ourselves. In addition, music provides a healthy creative outlet where kids can express their thoughts and emotions, either by composing their own songs or performing their favorite ones.

Whether your child is picking up an instrument for the first time or continuing a years-long journey, studying music offers lifelong benefits that support the whole person. As a parent, your encouragement and support can help nurture not just a musician, but a more confident, connected, and expressive young adult.
* https://tinyurl.com/music-for-the-brain