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Human beings are naturally musical. Every culture in the world has some form of music, which binds people together, communicates feelings, and brings joy to our shared human experience. The reason music is universal is because it employs many of the same brain circuits as language, which is also why musical training is so beneficial to young children. A child who learns to play a musical instrument is essentially bilingual, having two systems of sound and rhythm for communicating his or her feelings.

The benefits of musical training go beyond acquiring the ability to read and make music, especially for children who begin before the age of 7. Adult musicians who started their musical training by this age are likelier to develop “perfect pitch”—the ability to hear a single musical tone and know precisely what note it is without reference to other notes. Early musicians are also likelier to show brain changes that promote musical ability and influence other skills such as language, math and self-control.

Among the brain structures affected by early musical training are the corpus callosum, which is the major connection between the two hemispheres of the brain; the motor cortex, which controls the intricate fingering necessary to play the violin, piano, or other musical instrument; auditory processing pathways, which are used to discriminate musical tones and other sounds, including speech; and the superior temporal lobe, which decodes language and music alike.

Especially exciting is new research that has tracked the benefits of introducing musical training into preschool and elementary education. In various studies, researchers have demonstrated small but reliable improvements in mathematical, verbal and spatial intelligence among children exposed to regular musical training. These studies show that the greater the exposure, the greater the benefits. All of which tells us that every child’s education should include musical instruction which is not only good for their brains and IQ but, also a fun and emotionally satisfying way to keep children engaged in learning.

Here are some other tips for exercising your child’s natural capacity for music:

‧ Sing songs and lullabies to your child (rather than playing recorded music). The eye contact, gesture and emotion that accompany your live human voice are far more meaningful to infants and toddlers than a disembodied recording.
‧ Learn the movements to some classic play songs, such as Itsy Bitsy Spider, Wheels on the Bus, and If You’re Happy and You Know It (Clap Your Hands) and sing them with your child. Young ones love to mimic and sing along and the hand movements accompanying these songs will help teach your child appreciate the rhythm and meaning of the lyrics.
‧ Learn a musical instrument with your child. This is the hallmark of the Suzuki method which finds children are more motivated to learn when their parent is doing the same alongside them.
‧ Sing and dance together to your favorite music. I’ve never met a young child who doesn’t love to move to catchy music and if his or her parent is doing the same, it will help the child feel the rhythm and reinforce his or her love of music.