Why do we celebrate World Music Day? The connection between people and music is unspoken- music is a component of every culture, and is now a regular part of many families’ daily lives. It can be found across all facets of our lives, including movies, TV shows, prayer, and theater. Experiences involving music in childhood have been proven to assist brain development, especially in the areas of reading and learning language. Early exposure to music benefits children’s emotional awareness, sense of self, and their physical bodies as well. Music is a natural and important experience for all, and this article will show you the different ways in which music can help your child become smarter.

1. Music can boost IQ

Music can improve one’s overall intelligence- learning to play an instrument has been shown to have a positive long-term impact. A study found that youngsters who took piano lessons for a year and practiced consistently experienced an IQ boost of up to 3 points.

2. Music teaches children patience.

In order to learn a musical instrument, kids must show patience and persistence, traits that will serve them well later in life when they are faced with more challenging situations and problems.

3. Music increases sensory development

The same way that taste, texture and color all help to aid in a child’s sensory development, so does music! Ensuring your child is exposed to different kinds of music helps create more neural pathways between brain cells.

4. Listening to music improves literacy

Music can improve literacy. The way we process musical sound is the same way we process speech. Because of this, children who take music lessons can improve their listening skills and, in turn, improve the way they process language too!

5. Music supports emotional development

Children who enjoy and study music can be more emotionally developed, with empathy towards other cultures. They also tend to have higher self-esteem and are better at coping with anxiety and negative emotions in general. The act of learning and playing an instrument, the encouragement of a teacher and the enthusiasm of a proud parent, will build in a child a sense of pride and confidence. Children who practice self-expression and creativity often become better communicators later in life as well.

6. Learning music improves coordination

Playing an instrument requires the brain to work at an advanced level. Reading music is converted in the brain to the physical motion of playing the instrument. Children who play instruments have improved hand eye coordination over those who do not.

7. Music improves listening skills

Playing an instrument requires children to listen carefully to an array of different things. They not only need to listen to instructions from their teacher or music therapist, they also need to listen for rhythm, pitch and speed! This concentration will improve their skills in music and in life.

8. Music promotes child development

Music stimulates many aspects of child development and school readiness, including cognitive, social-emotional, motor, linguistic, and total literacy.

9. Music stimulates the whole brain

When we listen to music, move along with it, sing along, or play an instrument, we engage all areas of the brain. Right, left, front, and back. This is due to the fact that composing music is both a creative and cognitive talent. The arts are the only ability that uses the entire brain at the same time. Listening to music can also have this impact.

Setting aside time during the day expressly for musical activities is critical for skill development in a play-based environment. Because all children have musical potential, the combination of play and music meets the expressive, emotional, intellectual, social, and creative developmental requirements of all children. Music speaks to the growth of the whole child, which is why we must make time for it- because music is an important part of the human experience.