Musical instruments have a profound effect on a child's ability to master mathematical concepts. Kids who play an instrument have better concentration. Playing an instrument requires both cognitive and motor skills. Children who play exercise these skills and develop a sense of coordination and rhythm.

Musical instruments have a profound effect on a child's ability to master mathematical concepts. Kids who play an instrument have better concentration. Playing an instrument requires both cognitive and motor skills. Children who play exercise these skills and develop a sense of coordination and rhythm.

Math is one of those subjects that most of us dread. Children who do not master fundamental math concepts experience difficulty grasping more advanced concepts later on in their school career. This causes unnecessary stress and anxiety which further retards the learning process. Music, on the other hand, is a subject most of us love and enjoy. Music is relaxing, soothing and fun. It is hard to believe that the two subjects are so closely related but they are. Math is at the foundation of all music concepts like tone, rhythm and pitch.

Music teaches children to count beats which helps them grasp the concept of whole numbers. Music notation teaches them to identify shapes and the relationships between them. They learn how to measure when they analyze pace and pitch.

Many researchers have conducted studies to explore the correlation between cognitive development and music education. They have all concluded that children who study music display advanced brain development compared to children who have no music education. An example of this is can be found in a study that was done on high school children. Students who took music lessons achieved higher test scores than students who did not.

Music helps children learn and memorize. Our brains function best when information is clustered or chunked together and music is naturally like that. There is a reason that teachers developed songs, like the ABC song, to help children learn faster.

Playing an instrument not only helps children develop their math skills. It also improves their reading language and speech abilities. Music is processed in many different areas of the brain. Pythagoras, a famous philosopher, was the first person to make the connection between music and math. Pythagoras believed that mathematics was the foundation for everything and that music had a mathematical basis.

Does it matter what instrument the child plays? Children who take music lessons, regardless of their choice of instrument, all benefit from the development of vital skills. Music lessons are emotionally rewarding. They also help to develop the child's self-esteem as well as encourage discipline and self-expression.

Some children have no clue what instrument they should take up. There are so many instruments to choose from that it can be confusing. Parents should always be weary of forcing a child to do something they do not want to do. Forcing a child to play a specific instrument will have negative results and usually leads to them abandoning their music lessons. Parents should however, encourage a child that displays an interest in a particular instrument. This is a good sign that they will be devoted and committed to pursuing their music studies.

As far as possible, let the child pick the instrument they want to play. Make sure however, that the instrument they choose is age appropriate. If they have absolutely no idea what to choose, then try to educate them on the different musical instruments there are available. If possible, let them join a music group that encourages the sampling of different instruments. Learning to play an instrument is richly rewarding and exciting.