MEMORY RECALL
Making music created a high level of brain activity that has been linked to academics in ways that involve logic, reasoning, complex problem solving, and conceptual tasks. If you wanted to test this theory, have your child take private piano lessons. Before taking the music lessons, you can play a memory game together and see how well they can remember the pictures or words during the game.
Wait an appropriate time for your child to become accustomed to playing and practicing the piano. Once you see that the child is learning a piece of music, you can bring the memory game back and play a round or two. See if you notice easier recall from your child - and you should, since research shows children who study and practice music have highly developed memory systems.
MATH AND LANGUAGE
Another way you can see how the practice of music within a child’s life is incorporated with their cognitive development is through some simple language and math skills. For example, babies typically hear lullabies and have, in turn, been able to develop their language by listening to the sing-song tones of music.
If you have an infant or a very small child, you can use this sing-songy voice in a rhythmic pattern with the same notes daily with a phrase or a couple of musical phrases. See if you notice that your baby eventually can repeat the pattern or phrase back to you after hearing it multiple times. You will be surprised at how quickly they can pick up on those language skills!
Another way you can test math skills with the brain is through some simple logic problems. Of course, this will only work if your child is older, but practicing music with things like timing, beats, key, and time signatures learned when playing provides a solid mathematical foundation for your child. Ask your child some mathematic logic puzzles prior to them practicing their music, and then again after they spend time practicing, and see if there is a noticeable difference.