Music can stimulate a child's early brain development. In the August 3, 2004 conference of the International Foundation of Music Research in San Antonio, Texas, Susan Sze, PhD., stated that external stimuli such as music can aid in the development of the brain's neural pathways, and can assist in the development of social and language development for autistic children and other children with cognitive issues.
Music appears to prepare the brain for certain types of thinking. After listening to upbeat classical music, children are able to do some spatial tasks more quickly, including putting together puzzles or building a model. It is possible that listening to music helps a child to move from a more concrete, logical thinking process to a more right-brained spatial process.
Taking piano lessons or listening to music can boost a child's math skills, according to Gordon Shaw, author of "Music Enhances Learning: Keeping Mozart in Mind." Second-grade children in his studies who were given lessons on piano and computerized keyboards were reported to have improved math and fractions test ability by 27 percent. Music can help a child's focus in other areas, too, including reading comprehension and written expression.
Parents and educators can use music to alter mood, assist in the ability to cope with stress and increase cognitive functioning in children. It can even help to develop neural pathways in the undeveloped infant brain. Integrating music into the educational experience can have positive effects on kids and their development.