People are talking more and more about the advantages of introducing music to schools. This is not only about having music lessons (which are also beneficial to children regardless of their musical abilities and talents) but about incorporating music into kids’ everyday life and learning (and not only theirs). It can have various more and less important benefits regarding their overall development, and here’s why it should be present everywhere, even (or especially) at school:
1. It aids memory and retrieval of information
Music actually activates more parts of our brains than talking, reading or writing combined, as it sparks children to remember songs, lyrics, and melodies (which is easier than remembering dates, facts, and rules), and even create their own later. That’s why songs are often stuck in our heads for years. The more engaged are the children, the faster and more effective their education is. Music can also help to enhance the children’s ability to process speech and language, which can prove beneficial both in the case of babies who are learning how to speak, but also older children who still enrich their vocabulary and learn languages.
2. It helps to concentrate
Incorporating music to learning is not only about songs and being happy. Some genres can actually help children concentrate on their task or material that they need to memorize. It can also be extremely helpful when a child has to learn something at home, on their own. If you have kids, you can see some of the best budget noise-canceling headphones to help them concentrate even when there’s a lot going on around them.
3. It incorporates motion
It can be especially beneficial in the case of younger children, those with disabilities or those who are unwilling to do sports. It doesn’t only help them to develop their motor skills, but it also contributes to transferring learned information to their long-term memory.
4. It reduces stress and makes children happy
Music is very often linked to happiness, jauntiness, carefreeness, and rightly so, as it boosts the production of serotonin, our happy hormone. It can help to reduce the stress that is a natural part of education – a lot of children don’t feel at ease in the school – and it will simply make them happier and more eager to learn and participate. Every teacher knows how hard it is to work with moody, uncertain or scared children. Study shows that being happy can actually help more than talents, gifts and time spent on reading.
5. It motivates
Learning through fun and music is more entertaining and it’s certain that it will help to engage more students in various activities and projects, even those unrelated to music. Children need motivation in order to learn and retain that knowledge or skills. Music can help them achieve that, as they often look for songs’ meanings, and try to memorize them all on their own.
6. It helps children bond with their teachers
Teachers who use music during their classes are better perceived by their students. Trust is important in education, especially when it comes to younger children. They need to feel happy and safe in order to perform. When they like a certain teacher, they are more likely to try their best.
To know more about how music influences us, our organisms and behaviors, see this infographic:
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