Have you ever gotten a song stuck in your head, or found yourself tapping out a rhythm to a tune? The fact that most all of us do so indicates a correlation between the areas of our brains that process music and those areas that retain information. nike huarache The connections between music and cognitive function are still being explored, but caretakers, teachers, parents, and others have noticed for some time that teaching children music enhances other areas of learning. nike internationalist Children and music are natural companions. nike air max 2018 Music making is fun, and what better way to boost skills than with something enjoyable? Here are some of the skill areas that are enhanced when children are taught music. * IQ – A Canadian study showed higher IQ scores among children aged 4-6 who took Suzuki music lessons for one year. * Emotional maturity and development – There is a kind of music called “social emotional” music that helps children to ingrain important social concepts such as self-control, confidence, and attachment. * Math skills – Music and math are linked; keeping time and rhythm and learning the values of notes requires mathematics. * Connectedness with others – Music involves coordinating with others. If children sing together, they must synchronize their volume and breathing in order to make beautiful music. Playing instruments in a band fosters interconnectedness as well. * Motor skills – As young children learn to move their bodies to music, they gain a better understanding of where they are in space. nike air max 2017 This kind of movement – swaying, clapping, rhythmic stepping, etc. – also provides gross motor skill practice. A Georgetown University Medical Center study showed intense brain activity in the premotor cortex during pauses in a tune; this area of the brain prepares the body for a particular motion. This is the part of the brain that is active when a pianist, for example, prepares his or her fingers to move from one key to the next. Music is, apparently, directly connected to coordinated movement. Mochilas Fjallraven Kanken No.2 * Improved schoolwork – Memory is enhanced when children make music, and being able to retain information is one of the keys to performing well in school. * Verbal skills (reading and speech) – A study from Long Island University showed superior reading skills among musically trained children. nike hypervenom The experts in this study also noted that music and language are processed similarly in the brain. nike magista There are even cases of children with severe stuttering problems being able to sing words clearly, without stuttering. Children benefit at any age from music making, but a particularly receptive “window” for learning music occurs between four and seven years of age. This age group seems to obtain the most benefit from musical study. But younger and older children can certainly benefit greatly, and have fun in the process.