Music is a natural part of our everyday life. It not just entertains us but also soothes our mind and soul. For young children, music is something magical that can help in their over all growth and development. Sing a cranky baby a lullaby, and you would find him becoming calm immediately. Play a nursery rhyme and you would find toddlers tapping their feet merrily.
Studies say that a child’s connection with music starts right from the womb. Even human voice acts like music for infants filled with organised rhythm and pattern. And so early introduction to music or a musical instrument helps to provide kids a rich experience of sounds that can build up their cognitive potential.
My kids (A&A) have immense inclination towards music and they get highly intrigued when given a musical instrument. Their first instrument was a drum with sticks which they would play with a lot of enthusiasm. It would project multi-coloured light and they would get super fascinated by it. At the age of 1.5, I introduced them to a xylophone and a musical mat that would keep them engaged for hours together. Playing with these instruments helped to boost their curiosity and enabled them to learn and experiment.
They are now older and are quite fascinated with keyboards, so I am planning to get them a Casio Mini Keyboard. At this age, it seems just the perfect instrument for them to play and explore. The keyboard has 44 mini-size keys, around 100 built-in tones and 10 song tunes. Its well-built keys make it attractive for toddlers. It is affordable, appropriately sized and well-shaped for little hands to use independently.
How musical instruments can help your kids
Playing musical instruments can develop various skills in children that lead to shaping up a well-rounded personality.
1. Improves Motor Skills
When I see A&A playing a musical instrument, I usually find them immensely focused. While their mind is trying to assess the mechanism, their hands learn to clutch, grasp and make organized movements. Playing a musical instrument helps to build fine and gross motor skills in kids. It improves hand-eye coordination, brings dexterity, adds to muscle development, strength and balance.
2. Helps in Cognitive Development
Music helps to improve certain functions of the brain. Right from language acquisition to strengthening memory skills, it helps toddlers learn different concepts. Their mind and body work together and they slowly grasp the idea of speed, numbers, etc. through music.
3. Adds to Emotional Well-being
Music is known to uplift the mood and combat stress. I find A&A getting instantly energised as soon as the music plays. It helps to calm their mind and put away all the negative thoughts. Playing a musical instrument enables emotional development in kids. They learn self-expression that also results in better self esteem and higher motivation level.
4. Teaches Discipline
Music promotes craftsmanship, and knowledge of musical instruments help to develop various life skills in kids. Toddlers take time to understand the mechanism of any instrument and in the process they gain patience, concentration, discipline and organisation. I usually find A&A too determined to learn the correct mechanism. They don’t give up till they learn fully. Once learnt, they feel immense sense of achievement and acquire confidence that makes it an enriching experience for them.
5. Facilitates Social Bonding
Music can add to a great bonding time you spend as a family. One of the best time we spend together as a family is when we bond over music. A&A love making up new songs while playing their favourite instrument. And we can’t stop admiring the fun they have. Music positively impacts the social behaviour of kids and improves their level of social bonding.
I completely agree on development of a child related to music and musical instruments. I remember my mom sitting every evening with harmonium and make me practice. I will start doing that with my daughter akready bought a casio.
Totally!! Couldn’t have agreed more.i have done a series of posts on music for babies and kids. Casio makes wonderful players n we already have one from them.
My kids love music, but I honestly didn’t know it helps in child development in so many ways! Casio is definitely on my list of birthday gifts.
I cant agree more on this. My kids love trying out different instruments out of curiosity. Its a great form of learning especially for younger minds.
My daughter is learning keyborad too and Casio is certainly one of the best options for beginners.
I do agree on the motor skills and it does instill the patience in our little one or for that matter in adults as well. My kids loves to explore their music journey.
We bought a keyboard for our daughter at the age of 3 and today we realize that it has played a very important role in how she grows to be. It’s very important that parents should introduce one instrument to their kids at an early age.
So very well explained. My little one is showing interest in keyboard lately and we were actually thinking of buying Casio for him. Thanks for this.
Musical instruments really helps kids in many ways. Increases the concentration and makes them patient. My daughter’s learnt it too.
I have always loved piano as a kid. Would definitely introduce it to my son soon. Thank you for sharing these insights
I am buying a Piano for Ira now. She has been asking for one for a very long time now. Your post makes so much of sense!
My toddler loves the piano and he played it at a relatives house, I am thinking of getting one.
music is one thing which kid love and adult cant ignore it even . musical instrument connect the kids to the world of tune,rhyming,song and hearts
One thing I was very keen about was introducing music to T. That wasnt very hard because his daddy plays the guitar, grandpa also plays several instruments. I am happy to see music has so many benefits.
Musical instruments are indeed very helpful for overall development of kids… Thanks for sharing so much benefits of teaching music to kids. . My son loves his xylophone and keyboard..
There is nothing so beautiful like music, I feel. Learning a new instrument helps the kid in so many ways, as you have pointed out. My son has been learning piano for a year now and he loves it. It improved his understanding skills, Patience, brought in a bit of discipline, and mostly a sense of confidence.
It’s really nice to see if kids know how to play instruments, they can express what they feel when playing instruments. I would love my kids to be a musician someday!
I loved playing different musical instruments and so does my kid now. It indeed helps in making concentration level better.
i have been wanting to get some kind of musical instrument for my son for so long now, after reading this blog, i am totally convinced that he surely needs one,
Yes I too agree with this , me and my kids use to play musical instrument daily and feel good too while playing it
This is one instrument that I will definitely want to get for my kids. The advantages listed are really good, especially the idea of social bonding.
Music is something that develops empathy, makes one softer and calmer… Music can truely heal! This casio keyboard is definitely the best thing for kids!
My daughter loves singing and I just enrolled my son for guitar classes. Glad to know it’s going to help with their development.
Wow this sounds amazing and m damn sure it’s going to be great for kids development and improving motor skills.
I guess kids should learn music for their development. It’s good to buy them musical instruments.
Musical instruments are soul of life and exposure to kids for music is something we as parents should focus on. It is very important for the linguistic, creative and cognitive skills.
My Son is 4.5 years old and we are thinking him to start getting some professional training for music. He shows his interest towards it and we will see if he enjoys going forward.
Music is very good tool. To assist The mind. Learning a musical instrument helps development of coordination, memory and cognitive development
My son is going to . be three soon and already loves music. I am thinking of getting him a keyboard. Casio is amazing.
Music is truly essential to a kids bringing up. My daughter too is inclined to the keyboard and i think that’s what she is gonna take up shortly.
Music bring joy to toddlers so it is important.
We got our daughter a mini piano. So far she just slams on it a few times and is done lol! Maybe when she’s older she’ll take more interest in it.
Great article! My son loves to play guitar and we love to watch him playing
Music helps many ways in development of a child, also used as therapy. It is really a good idea to provide the child a musical instrument. Thanks for sharing
we have introduced the casio to our twins as well… indeed its a good way fo keeping them busy and learning more.