Thursday 28 April 2011

How Important Is Music to Your Child's Development?

By Timothy Owen


For many people, learning to play a musical instrument is an intrinsic part of childhood and schooling. Today, music lessons are often compulsory in many secondary schools with extra lessons often available outside of school hours. It is commonly known that children are more susceptible when it comes to learning to play musical instruments. The sad fact is that many children don't take advantage of these opportunities, something that is often regretted later in life.

For many children, learning an instrument is a valuable opportunity to partake in extra social activity. Spending lesson time with like-minded musicians can often be an appealing factor. Many young people choose to exhibit their musical talents by forming a band. This again is an opportunity to engage in a social activity.

Performing in front of an audience is a daunting prospect for many people, but performing from an early age can boost confidence and this can be taken forward into a whole host of situations in later life.

Apart from the obvious benefits that have been mentioned, recent studies carried out at the University of Kansas have revealed that there are some benefits that you may not expect. The research carried out concluded that those who learn a musical instrument to a decent level from an early age prepare their brains to cope for the deteriorating effects that come with old age. Children are more susceptible to learning new skills and the effect this has on the brain contributes to the overall development of the brain into adulthood.

What this boils down to is that in order to help prevent against neurological diseases in later life, one must have an active brain throughout their lives. One effective way of doing this is by learning to play musical instruments and as the studies reveal, the key time to do this is during childhood as it has a substantial effect on brain development.




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