“I don’t sing because I’m happy; I’m happy because I sing.” – William James
Hello again moms and dads! Do any of you play a musical instrument? If so, you’ll realize how awesome this is for our overall well-being! It has heaps of benefits and also leaves us with a life-long skill. Ellie loves playing her ukulele and hopes this inspires other kids to pick up an instrument too! Let’s start surrounding little ones with all types of music, from Pop to Classical and Rock to Hip Hop, while encouraging them to make music of their own!
Here at Squad HQ, we’ve made a list of the ways learning a musical instrument helps kids’ mental and social development, let alone being lots of fun! We’ve also made suggestions for which instrument and when, plus top tips for finding a music teacher!
9 Benefits of Learning a Musical Instrument for Kids 🎹
1. Memory Kids learn to make, retain and retrieve memories as they play music. What a great way to boost their memory and give their brains plenty of exercise!
2. Co-ordination Kids’ hand-eye co-ordination skills are improved as they turn what they’re seeing on the music sheet into the physical action of playing notes.
3. Academic skills As well as encouraging creativity and artistic talent, playing an instrument involves plenty of Math, from counting beats to playing with rhythm. Musical training also boosts kids’ language and reading abilities, so expect to see the Sparkles race ahead at school!
4. Self-Expression Music is one of the best ways for kids to express their personality, ideas and emotions. It also provides a way to vent any emotions they find hard to talk about.
5. Patience When learning an instrument, practice equals progress, so what better way to teach the Sparkles ‘focus’ and ‘patience’?! Setting mini goals is also great for seeing results and rewarding patience.
6. Confidence Learning to accept feedback, make changes and then see improvements in their playing will grow their confidence and self-esteem!
7. Responsibility Teach the Sparkles to care for their musical instrument – being responsible is another handy life lesson.
8. Routine Following a practice schedule between lessons highlights the importance of sticking to a routine!
9. Social Skills As well as an enjoyable solo activity, learning an instrument can lead to fun social activities e.g. playing in the school band or a rock group with friends!
Which Instrument to Introduce to Kids and When…From Tots to Teens! 🥁
Group Music Classes – these are perfect for allowing tots to explore sound and motion!
Percussion – offer simple instruments that little ones can play (or bang!) without fine motor skills, e.g. drums, tambourine and triangle.
Piano – if kids can safely sit on the seat and reach the keys, they’ll love creating ‘noise’ on the piano!
Recorder – often taught in schools, the recorder is light, easy to hold and simple to play... a brilliant introduction to wind instruments!
Ukulele – also easy for little hands to hold, this is a smaller, simpler version of the guitar! To see if the Sparkles fancy it, they can watch Ellie playing her ukulele in this episode!
Guitar, clarinet, flute, trumpet, violin, viola, cello – as the Squad get older they can try these more complicated instruments. Perhaps visit friends or family who play instruments, so kids can see, hear and even try out a few different ones.
Finding a Music Teacher for Kids 🎶
Recommendation – ask around parents in the playground for recommendations.
Advertisements – keep an eye out for teachers that advertise on social media and in local magazines.
School – can the Sparkles’ school recommend any local music teachers?
Online search – a quick search online might just do the trick!
Well hopefully we’ve helped with starting the Sparkles off on their musical journeys. But most importantly, remember to spread positive, encouraging vibes, even when their practice sounds more like a racket than music!!
We know you’ve got this… see you again soon!