Does Making Music Make Kids Smarter?

While most people play a musical instrument because they simply love making music, it’s worth pointing out that starting out at a young age has several positive side-effects on the brain. In other words, that starter kit that you got your kid for Christmas last year might yield some unexpected results in the long run!

Can You Raise Your IQ?

The fact that simply enjoying a hobby can make you smarter is a silly idea to a lot of people, especially since it’s generally believed that our IQ is essentially decided on the day we’re born. Sure, learning to play an instrument at an early age is not going to turn most wee ones into the next Einstein, but research nevertheless shows that our IQ is more flexible than previously thought, and it all comes down to frequently giving the brain a bit of a challenge, which also goes for the adult brain. Coincidentally, making music is not only a widely enjoyed hobby, but a fun challenge for the brain.

Smarter Through Music

If IQ is malleable, then what effect does making music have on it? Well, as shown by a German study on regular primary schools versus music-minded primary schools, kids who’ve spent several years making music, both with others and on their own, scored significantly better on before-and-after IQ tests compared to kids who weren’t involved in music. And this wasn’t just the case for smart kids either — on average, the IQ of the students that spent four years playing an instrument went up across the board.

More Sympathy Through Music

The German researchers also found that social rejection rates were often twice as low for primary schools that focus on music education when compared to ‘standard’ schools. As you might know, bullying, exclusion and other forms of social intolerance are a big issue in many schools, so how great is it that simply making music can help alleviate this?

More Evidence

There are many more studies that have been done on this subject. Did you know young children develop a better memory through music lessons? If they start music lessons before the age of seven, they will also have stronger brain connections related to motor skills later in life. In addition, children who make music have an easier time grasping mathematics and physics, which also stems from enhanced neuron links. Lastly, research has shown that children who’ve taken music classes can express themselves better, have more self-confidence, and have a much stronger sense of community.

Get To It!

Of course, the knowledge we’ve acquired through these kinds of studies is always being expanded on. In ten years’ time, we may have completely new insights. Either way, all of the positive results we looked at just now are difficult to ignore, even more so when they’re added up. It’s safe to say that making music is not only a ton of fun, it arguably also makes children more intelligent and social, so it certainly doesn’t hurt to let your own little Beethoven start playing a musical instrument at a young age. Also, note that it’s never too late to start playing a musical instrument. Even at a later age, the benefits of making music are aplenty, but that’s a story for another time.