5 Ways That Piano Lessons Will Benefit Your Child

If you’re thinking that enrolling your child in piano lessons in San Antonio would not be worth it, or are having second thoughts as to whether you should continue your child’s piano lessons, then here are 5 reasons why you should consider keeping your child enrolled:

Develop Fine Motor Skills
Playing the piano definitely builds up a child’s coordination and fine motor skills. Hand-eye as well as hand-to-hand and hand-to-foot coordination is practiced through piano lessons. Doing something different with each hand (and your feet!) at the same time uses both sides of the brain and builds and stimulates new neural pathways.  Developing fine motor skills early in life can help with any physical activities you do the rest of your life, as well as stimulating brain activity and development.

Increase Concentration
These days kids have shorter and shorter attention spans because of over-stimulation by technology and the media (TV, laptops, smartphones, tablets, streaming media, etc).  Distractions abound, and children have trouble focusing and sticking with one thing long enough to make any progress with it.   Music is a productive escape that helps kids learn how to focus and make tangible forward progress in pursuing a goal.  The longer you stick with it, the better you become and the fun increases exponentially as you are able to play cooler and cooler pieces.  Once you pay your dues and learn to read music like reading a book, practice sessions cease to feel like work and just become jam sessions at home!    

Raises Self Esteem
Life at school can be very challenging for kids!  The peer pressure of trying to fit in and yet feel special, different or "cool" can be overwhelming.   Anything that kids can do that helps them stand out from the herd or makes them feel special or talented is an  emotional and social boon can give them wings and help them to soar.  Music is a great skill to have because it is one they can share with their friends.  Showing off a new piece, playing with a rock band , making a YouTube video or DVD they can share with friends and family on social media, helps kids to feel proud of their accomplishments and gives them a strong sense of belonging to something greater than themselves.  
  
Improves Academic Performance
Another thing children’s piano lessons imbue on kids is a strict sense of discipline. Kids who play the piano understand that their playing won’t improve unless they study and practice everyday. As such they also understand that hard work must be put into something in order to reap benefits. Kids who take piano lessons also learn to think creatively and critically. All these are applied in school, giving kids taking piano lessons an edge.  Scientific studies have proven that music helps with math skills, spacial relations, and many other whole brain skills that help kids academically.

Allows Kids to be Well Rounded
A child may study the piano for a short period of time. Some might stick with it and continue to make a career out of it. Regardless, those who took piano lessons are known to be more well rounded, especially in this day and age, as they tend to develop an appreciation for all types of music and art. The knowledge and skills they learn from the piano can also be easily transferred to another musical instrument.