Even the youngest children seem to have an affinity towards playing a musical instrument. Put any child in front of a piano, guitar, or drum, or hand them a tambourine or shaker and they’ll immediately engage in generating sound and rhythm. It seems to be instinctive and children find music-making almost compelling — and great fun to boot. What’s more, children seem naturally keen to become better at playing instruments and, in time, to be able to play a recognisable tune. With that being the case, it’s often very easy to encourage them to take lessons, whether formally or informally, often leading to a lifelong vocational skill. What many parents may not know, however, is just how beneficial learning to play musical instruments is to little ones. Indeed, learning to play benefits them in often profound ways and that’s what we take a look at in today’s post.
The Educational Benefits of Learning a Musical Instrument
It Boosts Reading Skills
When children play a musical instrument, learning to read music is a natural progression. Although it is communicated using different symbols, reading music is akin to reading words in a book. There is a flow from one side of the page to the other, every detail needs to be taken into consideration, and the left side of the brain is doing the work. Indeed, the left side of the brain controls reasoning and processes language. Whether reading music or words, each mark means something and communicates something to the reader. As such, children who learn to read music and do so regularly may find that it also helps them to read words in books.
It Enhances Mathematical Skills
Music is deeply linked to mathematics and indeed one of the first things children will learn when playing or learning music is to count the beats in a bar. Music, they will discover, is a real-life, tangible, application of maths. There are notes that last a full beat, two beats, fractions of a beat and so on. So, when children learn a musical instrument and play musical pieces, they also get a mathematical workout for their brains.
Playing Music Supports the EYFS Curriculum
As well as helping with mathematics and reading, playing a musical instrument helps children in other areas of the EYFS curriculum. Creativity, communication, personal and social development, and understanding the world are all supported through the endeavour. It’s a powerful skill to master.
The Physiological Benefits of Learning a Musical Instrument
It Aids Cognitive Development
Learning to play a musical instrument and read music requires thought, deep concentration, and analysis. All such activity is great exercise for a child’s developing brain. It gets synapses firing, helps in the development of new connections, and truly enhances cognitive development. It’s rather like a multi-gym for the brain!
It Helps Boost Motor & Coordination Skills
Learning to play musical instruments also requires fine control over movement and good coordination. Practising helps children hone such skills, with the brain learning how to coordinate hand-eye movements and the coordination of the hand, finger and arm movements needed for successful playing.
Music Improves Listening Skills
Good listening skills are incredibly important in life, particularly during childhood. When they listen attentively, children will learn far more deeply. Playing a musical instrument, learning to read music, and analysing music and rhythm naturally encourage children to listen closely. By doing so, they’ll catch on to the small details as well as the overall picture. And, by practising deeply focused listening, they will naturally become more adept at it in their day-to-day lives, at school, and later as adults in business. Indeed, active listening is one of the most powerful tools for any consultant to master.
The Social Benefits of Learning a Musical Instrument
It Can Boost Children’s Social Circles
When children learn to play a musical instrument, collaboration is a natural next step. Whether joining a band, writing songs as part of a team, or playing in the school orchestra, such collaboration is a fabulous way for children to make new friends and acquaintances. Through making music, their friendship circles will naturally grow and that’s a wonderful benefit.
A Boost to Interpersonal Skills
Such musical collaboration also boosts interpersonal skills. Examples include leadership, teamwork, cooperation, support, problem-solving, speaking, debating, persuasion, good manners, and more. These are transferable skills that will stand them in good stead as they grow older and move from nursery, through school and perhaps higher education, right into adulthood.
A Window to the World
There are a myriad of different styles and types of music. Many have roots in specific cultures or perhaps stem from particular countries and this is often easy to recognise. Because of this, music can spark children’s imaginations and allow them to be transported to faraway places. So, through widening their knowledge of music, children can get a glimpse into different cultures, religions, countries and societies. It really can expand their view of the world and the people within it.
The Personal Benefits of Learning a Musical Instrument
It Boosts Well-Being
Music is almost magical in its ability to set moods. It can bring calm and reduce stress, for example. It can make us – and children – more meditative and reflective, more energetic and ‘pumped’, and anything in between. It can and often does lift our spirits too. It’s a wonderful way for children to experience and even change emotions and, when chosen appropriately, is good for their well-being.
It Facilitates Self-Expression
Playing music on an instrument, composing melodies, and writing songs are fabulous ways for children to express themselves. Music is a great vehicle for their creativity and allows them to express feelings and emotions in ways that may simply be impossible through any other medium. It’s also worth noting that there is no ‘right’ or ‘wrong’ type of music; it’s so subjective that children can make it sound however they deem fit; it’s entirely their choice and that’s likely to be something that’s welcomed in early childhood.
It Boosts Children’s Confidence
Children get a great sense of achievement when they learn a skill like playing a musical instrument. Positive feedback from peers solidifies this and children’s self-confidence and self-esteem will receive a boost as a result. That can only be a good thing and one that will encourage them to continue improving or even attempt additional new skills.
It Teaches the Benefits of Tenacity
Learning that practising any skill will improve it is an important life lesson for any child. Playing a musical instrument is a great example and one that demonstrates the benefits of perseverance to improve outcomes. Through striving to learn to play an instrument, they’ll discover the positive effects of trial and error, patience, persistence, and an unwavering focus to their efforts. As they’ll see, the results from such endeavours are transformative. What’s more, the same approach can also be used to enhance other areas of their learning.
Playing a Musical Instrument is a Delight!
The results attainable from learning to play a musical instrument are nothing short of life-changing in many ways. Playing music, or listening to an instrument played well, are amongst life’s great delights. What’s more, it’s all great fun for children. They’ll often love performing their new skill. They’ll feel empowered and they’ll enjoy spending time with the friends they’ve made during the process.
Start Them Early!
Even the youngest of children will take pleasure from shaking a homemade shaker, beating a box or drum, or jangling a tambourine. Such things are great starting points to introduce little ones to musical instruments. They can later progress to more advanced instruments like ocarinas, recorders, keyboards, guitars and so on.
Mozart was 3 when he started learning piano, 5 when he wrote his first concerto, and 6 when he began performing at the imperial court.
Encouragement from parents or from a relative who can play is worth its weight in gold too, and may even help fast-track a child’s musical learning. What’s most important, though, is to give every child the chance to try this hugely beneficial and enjoyable opportunity. Music can potentially open children’s worlds to a whole new host of possibilities. It could even lead to a career in music, performance, production, or the creative industries.
Little Acorns Nursery & Preschool, Padiham
At Little Acorns Nursery, we know how beneficial learning to play an instrument is for under fives. Indeed, children at this Padiham nursery have multiple opportunities for making sounds, tapping out rhythms, and making music of some kind — along with a whole host of other sensory and creative activities. Such activities are hugely beneficial and, what’s more, the children thoroughly enjoy them. We therefore hope parents and carers can encourage children to continue their musical journey when at home. Music making is so good for them — and who knows what heights it could take them to!
If you’d like to learn more about a nursery place for your child at Little Acorns Nursery in Padiham, please get in touch. We support all the childcare funding schemes on offer to eligible families, making it more affordable to Lancashire families. We may also be a convenient childcare choice for families nearby in Hapton, Rose Grove, Burnley, Altham, Huncoat, Read, Simonstone, Sabden, Higham and Wood End. Simply choose a button to get started:
One of the many reasons we love nature and nature-based children’s activities here at Little Acorns Nursery is that nature is incredibly beneficial to children. What’s more, the benefits start right from their earliest years and are profoundly powerful to little ones. There have been many studies about this over the years and they all seem to conclude that nature is incredibly good for us all, especially so during the early years. Today’s post looks at 20 of the key benefits that spending time in and around nature holds for children and, with Spring now upon us, it’s the perfect time to begin getting little ones outside more, weather permitting.
Spending time in and around nature means children are more likely to be active, for example, walking, running, skipping, climbing, playing, making, or simply building a den. Such activities will not only help them hone fine and gross motor skills, but will also improve coordination, balance, and fitness. Those skills will help them day-to-day while expending energy in this way will help them maintain a healthy weight and body-mass index.
One of the more obvious benefits of nature is that it gives children a huge sense of freedom that they might not otherwise experience. Being in The Great Outdoors allows children, under appropriate supervision, to run, explore, and play in ways that are far more free than in any other situation. This will also give them a huge sense of natural joy.
The stimulation of the senses is never more important than during children’s early years and spending time in nature is the perfect vehicle through which to do so. With so many colours, sounds, smells, textures and even (under adult supervision) tastes available in the natural world, it is indeed a feast for children’s senses. Through the senses, children will learn more about the world and generate millions of new connections in their developing brains. It’s almost magical!
Being around nature regularly can also help children lean naturally towards environmental issues, learn about the problems and become part of the solution. An appreciation of nature is indeed the first step towards becoming environmentally conscious and proactive. That’s a great thing for the planet, particularly as today’s children will become tomorrow’s custodians of the Earth.
Children generally team up with friends when they’re playing and exploring outdoors. Spending time playing together in natural environments fosters many different kinds of interaction. This can boost confidence, language, communication and social skills. Stronger bonds and a deeper understanding of peers are likely to form from this.