The Benefits of Music in Child Development

Music is a subject that does not limit children to simply having fun, although “fun” is an essential component when trying to engage children in learning activities. Music further enhances a series of transferable skills and can help children with their learning experience in other subjects. By being part of a fun activity such as music, children are able to acquire affective, cognitive, and evaluative skills, which will further reinforce a variety of areas of their development. When engaged in an activity where recognition and expression of feelings are required, they learn that having feelings is perfectly normal and that expressing them is valuable. They also learn to be sensitive to other people’s feelings, to appreciate them, and to have a positive attitude towards their feelings. Also, their cognitive domain is augmented. Retaining information and analyzing it is a very important part of many musical activities. This is also a skill that is acquired when encouraging children to memorize patterns and be able to repeat them. Being able to compare and contrast and distinguish important information from unimportant information will play a huge component of their development. Lastly, the evaluative domain is also amplified. Proficient and advanced motor skills, coordination, and physical movement are emphasized when engaging in musical activities. These activities help children separate body movements and will consequently result in effective motor-skill development. All of these skills will be crucial in not only their childhood, but also in adulthood, and they will help them engage in more enjoyable lifestyles and more effective learning pathways