Music should be an essential part of every child’s daily life. Music activates all parts of the human brain and this means that listening to and participating in music can be beneficial to children in all areas of their life and their development.

Yes, music can make your child smarter!

Researchers have found that active and meaningful participation in music actually changes the brain and can even increase IQ levels. Music can make learning fun and can help children remember information more easily. Children who participate in music have been found to have higher levels of school attendance, pay closer attention in class and even get higher marks.

Music helps children make friends.

Playing music in groups helps them connect with likeminded people. It builds their social skills and offers a sense of belonging. Personal resources, such as self-esteem, self-confidence, persistence and self-discipline, can also be enhanced by participating in music.

Music can also have a positive impact on children’s emotional behaviour.

It can help them identify their emotions and express them in a healthy way. Songs that are familiar to children help them feel connected to their world and understood. Sometimes children struggle to organise all the information they take in with their senses and music can help the brain piece all this info together. This helps them respond to their world in an appropriate way.

The way our brain (and therefore our bodies) responds to music shows us that music is an intrinsic part of human nature. It can have huge impact on the way we develop and the way we live our life. Adding music to a child’s daily routine can only help them grow and healthily interact with their world.

Click here for a fun, interactive map of how the brain processes music and why music therapy optimises our brain.