When you were just starting Preschool or Kindergarten, one of the first things you learn over and over is the ABCs. How do you remember them? I bet like most of us, you learned your ABC’s through the ABC song. Even now that we are older we are all guilty of humming or singing the ABC song in our head once in awhile to remember what letter comes next. The ABCs song allows kids the average age of 5 to learn 26 letter names and sounds.

   Learning a musical instrument or taking voice lessons can benefit anyone, especially a young child still developing. While playing an instrument your memory has been seen to increase. In a study involving three to four and a half year olds, the kids were given piano or voice lessons for a year. Researchers after the year found the kids’ spatial temporal skills improved 34% and have proven to be long term. (http://www.effectivemusicteaching.com) Another study done with kids who have grown up with music education incorporated in their life has shown in the study by National Association for Musical Education, in the year 2012, students who took the SAT test and who participated in music scored an average of 31 points above average in reading, 23 points above average in math, and 31 points above average in writing.(http://www.nafme.org/take-action/what-to-know/all-research/)

   Learning music increases math, reading, and comprehension skills. When reading and playing music, you have to count and subdivided rhythms, while comprehending what the music reads. This builds your spatial temporal skills. Not only are there cognitive advantages, but learning and performing music can develop a sense of achievement and self discipline. These are all important in a child's development.

    It should be required that in elementry school kids must be introduced to learning a musical instrument or vocal lessons. By making this a requirement and making it a priority in school fundings, it can help children's development and sense of abilities, and it could even introduce a passion or talent a child might have and want to pursue.