If you're in search of a great activity for your child that provides fun as well as enrichment, piano lessons offer both, as well as numerous benefits. Along with learning a new skill, participating in piano classes can also have an impact on your child's mental and emotional development. Here are a few benefits you can expect after signing your child up for lessons. 

3 Ways Piano School Can Benefit Your Child Mentally

1. Improved Listening Skills

Emotional intelligence is a crucial characteristic for both children and adults to develop, as it allows a person to identify and interpret emotions accurately, both in themselves and others. Learning to listen also has a significant impact on emotional intelligence, as it allows you to perceive even the most minute changes in inflection when a person is speaking. Learning to play piano hones one's listening ability, as the player must continuously pay close attention to subtle shifts in tone and melody. This enhanced perception will benefit other areas of your child's life, including their interpersonal relationships. 

2. Enhanced Memorization

One of the most important aspects of piano lessons is the ability to memorize pieces of music. This memorization of notes allows fingers to move freely over the keys for a stirring, seamless performance. As a student advances through classes, they'll learn more and more pieces, which will boost their memorization ability even further. Being able to memorize lessons, formulas, and other information can lead to academic achievement, especially as children enter their teenage years and experience more advanced schooling.

3. Increased Intelligence

Some research even shows that playing music can increase your IQ. One study asked volunteers to take up a new hobby over a certain period of time to measure how it impacted the participants' brain development. Results showed that people who played music saw a 9.71% increase in their IQs after playing for just six months. While other hobbyists also experienced a boost in IQ, those who played music fared much better than the rest. 

The quality of the piano lessons your child receives can also have a major impact on brain development. That's why parents in Anchorage trust in Iryna Dunaeva and the European Piano School in Alaska. A professionally trained pianist with more than 46 years of experience providing lessons, Iryna effectively communicates complex lessons to all students. Call (907) 360-2915 to schedule private lessons, or visit her website for more information about available classes.