The Mental Health Benefits of Piano Lessons for Kids
Do you want your child to be more resilient? More confident? Able to handle difficult emotions?
Piano lessons are the answer! My background as a music therapist taught me about how to use music lessons to strengthen emotional skills and well-being.
We are practicing so much more than piano!
Practice Being Calm
I teach emotional regulation when we take a moment before starting our music to breathe, think, and count. Younger students sometimes need an opportunity to “shake the sillies out” and move around a little before they sit and focus. We might clap, stomp, or dance to move the energy around. Sometimes I use a game or an easier challenge before diving into something complicated, to prepare the brain for deep focus.
Piano lessons are the perfect opportunity to practice getting into a “flow state” where we can focus on the music and ignore everything else. I love seeing my students get better at this skill! There are so many benefits to deep concentration outside of increased musical skills:
Increased productivity
Sense of accomplishment
Reduced stress and anxiety
Connection to meaningful experience
Boosts creative energy
Practice Being Kind
It doesn’t matter how musical or intelligent a child is, when studying music they will at some point find it challenging. Frustration comes for us all.
I aim to teach all my students about positive self-talk. If I ever hear a student say something derogatory to themselves, (like “I’m so stupid” or “I’m so bad at this” or “I can’t get it right”) I pause the music for a conversation.
I ask “If you were the piano teacher would you say X to your student when they flub a note?” and usually they understand right away that NO! You wouldn’t call a student stupid or bad. You would find a way to be encouraging and positive! And that’s how I expect them to talk to themselves. Always with kindness and compassion.
I discuss better ways to speak to yourself, and how to argue back against a voice inside you giving harsh criticism. I like to remind my students:
Piano is hard enough, don’t be so hard on yourself
It’s good to make mistakes, this is how you improve
You can do hard things
You don’t have to be perfect
My hope is that in every online piano lesson we practice shrugging off mistakes, trying again when we fail, moving past frustration. I want to nurture kids who can fall down seven times but get up eight, who can soothe themselves when frustrated, and who can be unfailingly kind to themselves and others.
Practice Feeling Joy
I’ve taught dozens of students to play “Ode to Joy” and I still get a little rush of happiness when I hear it. (Even when they mess up that third line!) And it’s not just joy, but the whole range of human emotions that can be explored through music.
When I’m having a rough day, I can play something that matches my bad mood as a way to express and release negative feelings. Emotional regulation through music is a gift my music teachers gave to me, and I aim to pass it along. Playing music can be a cathartic experience for every student.
I try to pick music that can really engage a student's emotions and imagination. I include improvisation activities that allow students of any skill level to be expressive and creative. Playing with tempo, harmony, and especially dynamics allow students to communicate a range of emotions to me without saying a word.
The other benefits of learning piano include increased math and language skills, increased coordination, and better spatial awareness. Kids who study music are simply smarter and happier for the experience!
