Apart from being a very satisfying hobby, the benefits of learning a musical instrument include:
Positive Mental-Health
Listening and playing music causes our brains to trigger particular emotions, memories and thoughts, which is known to lead to more positive effects toward mental health and wellbeing.
Concentration
Learning a musical instrument will help a child develop concentration as they must focus on a particular activity over extended periods of time. Developing concentration in this way will also help them focus their attention on other subjects at school.
Coordination
Practicing musical instruments improves hand-eye coordination. Children develop important motor skills when playing music just as they do when playing different sports.
Relaxation
More and more, music therapy is being used to complement more traditional forms of medicine. Researchers acknowledge that certain types of music can aid relaxation by lowering heart rates and blood pressure.
Patience and Perseverance
In order to learn a musical instrument children must develop patience and perseverance – skills which will help them later in life when they must tackle other more difficult challenges.
Self-Confidence
The act of learning and playing an instrument, the encouragement of a teacher and the enthusiasm of a proud parent will build in a child a sense of pride and confidence. Moreover, children who practice self-expression and creativity often become better communicators later in life.
Here’s an interesting video by Anita Collins and Ted-Ed about Music and the Brain…