music to our ears

Has your child been asking to play the guitar or drums?  Good news for those budding little musicians!  Kids who played musical instruments achieved higher results on both intelligence and memory tests.

Childhood music lessons have long term effects on the brain.  “Musical activity throughout life may serve as a challenging cognitive exercise, making your brain fitter and more capable of accommodating the challenges of aging,” says the lead researcher, Brenda Hanna-Pladdy, PhD of the American Psychological Association.  In another study by Northwestern University in Illinois, music lessons were credited for boosting language & speech skills, memory & attention spans, and the ability to pick up a new language.

Playing music helps to keep the mind healthy!  Starting childhood music lessons is a great way to connect a child with instruments & music.  When starting lessons for your child, consider the following:

·         Is he/she old enough?

·         Showing avid interest & enthusiasm in an instrument?

·         Can they sit still and pay attention?

·         Does the instructor get along well with your child and work well with that age group?

If lessons are not an option, try exposing your children to different genres of music, music programs and concerts to gain the positive effects of music.

What instrument does your child play or want to play?  We have been fielding a lot of requests for a guitar from our 4-year-old!