Typically, children aged between 7 and 18 have plenty of after-school activities, from soccer to cheerleading, from rugby to dance lessons. If you are thinking about adding a music lesson to the list, I suggest that you consider piano lessons, as they offer many crucial benefits.
Through learning and playing piano, your child’s brainpower can be enhanced, thus he will also do better in his academics. Your child would most probably not be the next Beethoven or Chopin, but he may have a much easier time practicing good manners, patience, becoming part of a team, and learning math. Here are the different benefits of taking piano lessons:
Piano Lessons Improve Academic Skills
Not many people are aware of this, but math and music are highly interlinked. By comprehending the rhythm, beat, and scales, your child is learning how to recognize patterns, to divide, and create fractions. As children grow older, they will start narrating songs, using their short-term memory, and ultimately calling on their long-term memory.
Utilizing a mnemonic device to execute this is a technique that your child can later apply to other memory skills. Music lessons, such as piano classes, can furthermore introduce your child to basic physics. This will certainly help him enhance his brainpower.
Piano Lessons Develop Physical Skills
Musical instruments, for instance the piano, help your child develop motor and coordination skills, as it requires him to use his fingers and feet to play the instrument. In addition, it demands the use of both your child’s hands simultaneously.
I can assure you that playing this particular musical instrument will not only help your child develop ambidexterity, but it can also encourage your child to become more familiar with naturally uncomfortable positions. Believe it or not, perfecting timing and enhancing coordination can help prepare your child for other hobbies, which include sports and dance.
Piano Lessons Cultivate Social Skills
If you choose to send your child to a group piano lesson, it will require peer communication and interaction. This encourages teamwork, as your child must be able to collaborate with others to create an accelerando or a crescendo.
If your child is playing his piano too quickly or loudly, he will need to adjust with the rest of his classmates. It is essential for children to understand and know their individual part in a bigger ensemble. Eventually, your child as well as the others will get used to working together as a team and be able to communicate directly to achieve the goals or tasks given to them.
What to Consider When Choosing a Piano
If you decide to send your child to attend piano lessons, it is imperative to consider owning a piano, so that your child can practice and become better at it. Which type of piano to purchase or rent depends on several factors. Below are questions that I feel you should ask yourself in order to make the right choice regarding a piano:
- Is your child excited about the grand or upright piano? Does he like the way it feels and sounds? I recommend that you bring your child along when you shop for a piano.
- Is the upright challenging for your child or how about the grand piano?
- Are you able to afford the piano and the maintenance that comes with owning it?
- As his parent, do you enjoy the sound enough to allow and listen to him practice for hours at home?
Whether it is a grand or upright piano, it is best that you discuss the pros and cons with the piano dealer.