Due to its complex nature, it is often said that those who play the violin are oftentimes smarter when compared to those who don’t play. This is because your hands are making two different movements at the same time and that is tricky for the brain to register. This challenge (among many other benefits) is the exact reason many parents decide to enroll their children in violin lessons in Toronto at a young age. Today, we’re exploring the benefits of taking violin lessons during childhood, the best age to enroll your kid in lessons, and the best violin lessons in Toronto!
Benefits of violin lessons in Toronto
Physical activity: Did you know that playing violin is not only good for your mental health, but also your physical health? It’s actually been found that playing the violin burns 170 calories on average! In addition to burning calories, the violin enforces good posture, heightened motor skills, and a strong upper body. As your child begins to play the violin more frequently, you will start to notice these physical benefits more and more!
Belonging and social skills: When a child plays an instrument like the violin, they oftentimes are learning and practicing with a group of children around their age. Many violin players will also decide to join orchestras which allows them to strengthen their communication skills, gain friends with shared interests, and be involved in group coordination. Regardless of how they feel at school or at home, your child will be able to feel comfortable and safe around other kids who have the same passion in music! In addition, the violin improves other necessary social skills such as self-control, determination, and self-confidence. All of these social traits (and many more) are crucial to learn during childhood to ensure a strong sense of self well into adulthood.
Continued education: Depending on your child’s age, it may be a long time before they graduate high school and head to college–but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t think about it now! Playing the violin and involving your child in extracurricular activities like playing in an orchestra can help them gain admittance to colleges and may even get them scholarships to help pay for their degree! This is something that probably isn’t top of mind when signing your kid up for violin lessons in Toronto but it can make a huge difference in the long run.
Improved mental health: Like many other instruments, playing the violin has been proven to help reduce mental health issues such as anxiety and depression. Musicians are known to be happier and deal with less stress because of the endorphins that are released into the brain while playing.
Higher memory and discipline: Many children who play the violin from a young age are able to excel in school at a higher rate compared to those who do not play an instrument. This is because playing the violin requires mental discipline, improved memory, and reading/writing skills. All of these skills lead to better performance in school and overall higher test scores no matter what the subject is!
Boosted self-esteem: To get in front of anyone and play an instrument takes a lot of guts and confidence. For this reason alone, playing the violin is an amazing skill to learn as it helps raise a child’s self-confidence when they need it the most during the developmental stage.
Best age to begin violin lessons
You may have heard that learning how to play the violin can be difficult and while that is true for most people, it shouldn’t turn you away from enrolling your child in violin lessons in Toronto. In fact, this challenge is the reason behind so many of the great benefits that come along with learning how to play. The age you’ll want to get your kid started in violin lessons truly varies depending on their specific mental and physical abilities. Most musicians will recommend enrolling your kid in violin lessons around the ages of 5 to 8. That said, there are some things to consider for your unique child that may help you make a better decision for the both of you.
The first thing to ask yourself is if your child is actually interested in music or not. Although learning the violin is heavily reliant on dedication and practice, there also needs to be a level of passion and interest involved. If your kid has no interest in music, violin lessons may not be the right choice for them. Next, you’ll have to realistically assess their ability to focus. If they are not able to focus on one task for more than a few minutes, music lessons will be very difficult for both the teacher and the student. Keep in mind that most music lessons last from 30 minutes to an hour so they’ll need to be able to stay attentive for that long to improve their musical abilities. Motor skills are also incredibly important to learn how to play the piano. If your child isn’t able to hold a pencil properly, then they have not developed the motor skills necessary to hold a bow. Lastly, they will need to have time in their schedules to dedicate at least 30 minutes of practice every day in addition to their weekly lessons.
Top violin lessons in Toronto
If you believe your child is ready to start their violin lessons in Toronto, we’d love to work with them at Greater Toronto Music School. We provide children (and adults!) of all ages with high quality and engaging music lessons to keep them interested and learning new skills. Our violin lessons in Toronto are available online or through private lessons right in the comfort of your home. Plus, lessons are offered 7 days a week to fit anyone’s busy schedule. Give us a call today to learn more and find out if violin lessons are the right fit for your child!
