World Music Day: Three Reasons to Praise Music Education
Music lessons can play an incredible role in your child's life. Not only do they encourage burgeoning talent and foster a sense of perseverance and accomplishment, but they also have the potential to offer far-reaching social, emotional, and academic benefits that can prepare children for success.
This June 21 is World Music Day; the festival, which originated in Paris, France, is being celebrated internationally for its 38th year. Musicians of all persuasions are encouraged to share their talents with the world, reminding us all to stop, listen, and appreciate. In honor of World Music Day, here are three scientifically-studied reasons to praise music education:
1. It can boost classroom outcomes: When kids study their instrument of choice, the knowledge boosts don't stop after lessons. Music education has been associated with improved grades in English, science, history, and math, as well as increased vocabulary, improved articulation, and superior verbal memory.
2. It can improve emotional maturity: Regulating emotions is typically a skill that comes with age, but increased cortical thickness maturation may be triggered by music education, helping children to manage their moods and deal with feelings of anxiety. Children with behavioral problems may also demonstrate a reduction in aggression after time spent in music education.
3. It can help with social interactions: Self-esteem and empathy are both important aspects of successful social interactions, and children who've received instrumental training early in life have been shown to have a higher view of self and demonstrate a greater degree of empathy.
The benefits of music education don't stop there, nor does the science that backs them up. Take a look at this informative infographic put together by We The Parents, which details just how beneficial music lessons can be for our kids.
Learn more about the science behind music education at We The Parents.
