Try this with the next person you talk to: ask them if they play a musical instrument. For many people, the answer will be: "Oh, I don't play anything. But when I was a child I used to play the ...."!
The fact is, many children start to learn musical instruments when they are young, only to give them up as they get older. This is because 'music' was presented to them as a chore rather than a pastime due to boring practice regimes or too much pressure being exerted on the child.
What is often forgotten is: music for children should be FUN!
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This website aims to help you choose the best instrument for your child to learn; one that will keep them interested and motivated.
Benefits of being musical
- Being a musician makes your child more intelligent!
- ◦ The University of London's Institute of Education found that children who have had music lessons have on average 7 more IQ points;
- ◦ Studies have also shown that playing a musical instrument generally helps to improve a child's memory by as much as 20 per cent;
- ◦ Because rhythm is essential about counting a dividing, learning musical theory is highly beneficial for mathematical core skills. In general, the 20% of high school students who learn a musical instrument receive 80% of the academic awards.
- Being a musician allows improves your child's emotional and physical well-being
- ◦ taking music lessons has been shown to decrease childrens' levels of anxiety, depression, and loneliness and stress;
- ◦ because playing an instrument requires dexterity, your child will greatly increase their sense of co-ordination and motor skills
- ◦ being musical encourages discipline and a strong work ethic which will demonstrate to your child that hard work brings rewards;
- ◦ achieving success at music can dramatically boost a child's self-confidence and social interactions
OK, so we're agreed that it's important for children to develop their musical abilities because it can be fun and highly beneficial.
What's that you say? What if your child doesn't show interest in being musical?
Don't worry, these top tips will have your child crazy about music in no time!
- encourage your child to think about what genres interest them, take them to live shows;
- think about opportunities: there are more chances to play in orchestras for those who play rarer instruments (e.g. Bass guitar v normal guitar, bassoon v flute);
- Encourage your child to persevere, the rewards are worth it;
- Some instruments are better for beginners and younger children and may be available in smaller sizes (recorder, piano, half size guitars);
- Conversely, because of growth and teeth changes, your child may find some woodwind instruments are more suitable as they get older;
- Don't forget about the practical considerations - will the instrument be too noisy? Too big? Is there enough room to practice?
- But most importantly, try before you buy!
Take a look around the rest of the site to get a better idea of what type of interest would be best for your child.