Importance of Music in Childhood Development

When a baby is born, a mother instinctively uses music to soothe her baby by singing lullabies and express love and joy. Music has a calming effect on the mind. Incorporating music into your child’s life can have several benefits.

1. Brain development:  Using neuroimaging techniques, scientists have found that early music training (before age seven) produces actual physical changes in brain structure and function. Music leads to an increase in white matter in the corpus callosum which results in increased brain connectivity.  

2. Emotional development: Early musical training increases the grey matter in the cerebral cortex, particularly in the sensory-motor area of the brain. This brings about improved emotional regulation and the ability to inhibit responses to events. It enhances a child’s ability to handle frustration and avoid over-reacting to difficult situations. 

3. Language development: Even brief musical training results in an increase in blood flow in the left side of the brain. This brings about improved language processing ability and contributes to language development. 

4. Cognitive development: Music has a positive effect on the development of other cognitive functions including attention, visual-spatial perception, and executive function. 

5. Academic success: Musical experiences in childhood improves the ability to acquire reading skills. Learning to play an instrument improves mathematical learning. Thus, music impacts academic performance. 

6. Social development: Learning music contributes to the “5 C’s” of social development: competence, confidence, caring, character and connection.  Playing an instrument can lead to a sense of achievement as well as an increase in self-esteem. 

7. Builds relationships: Participating in a musical activity together makes the participants more in tune with one another. This synchronization goes beyond the musical experiences to everyday life. 

Music activates every known part of the brain. This applies to all of us when we listen to music. Einstein learned to play the violin as a young child, and a study of his brain shows unusually strong connections. While all of us may not turn out to be Einstein, incorporating some music into our daily lives can definitely have a positive impact on all areas of our lives and our children’s lives.

Stay Tuned! Stay Relevant!