Seeking to support their children’s development, some parents encourage them to study music.
“Children are generally interested in music and dance,” said Víctor Villegas Segovia, a private saxophone teacher in Veracruz.
But it’s helpful to begin their musical education at an early age. “The younger they are, the easier it will be for them to learn to read scores, choose their first instrument and play,” said Villegas Segovia.
Studying music and learning to play an instrument help children increase their concentration, which improves their school performance.
The ideal age for kids to come into contact with music would be between four and six. Experts in musical pedagogy recommend a child’s first instrument be piano, violin or guitar.
Villegas Segovia has a different take.
“The ideal instrument for a child would be the drums,” he said. “Drums will help identify rhythms and tempo. They will awaken their imagination and creativity.”
Children can set short-term goals, such as playing snippets of a song and put these fragments together gradually. When they manage to play the whole piece, their self-esteem boosts.
“My son is in guitar classes at the EMBA [Fine Arts Municipal School in Veracruz],” said Rosario Torres Rodríguez, a mother living in this city.
“He is eight. Music caught his attention because his cousin, who is 15, plays this instrument. My son has been playing it for a year, and I can see his progress,” she said.
Learning music encourages children to interact with others. Once they discover their commonalities, they can engage in a conversation and develop bonds. As a result, children learn to work in a team, handle frustration, respect their peers, be supportive and tolerate criticism.
Parents can spot other benefits. “His coordination is improving little by little,” said Torres Rodríguez.
“He tries to play by ear … [Achieving] that motivates him a lot. He is doing very well at school. He pays closer attention and learns certain things faster, like mathematics,” Torres Rodríguez said.
(Translated and edited by Gabriela Olmos. Edited by Fern Siegel)
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