Summer vacation and all the excitement that comes with it is just around the corner. Children are free from school, homework, and tests, and they now have hours and hours of time to dedicate to anything or nothing in particular. For parents, there can be conflicting emotions around whether or not to sign kids up for structured summer activities. After all, kids probably feel that summer should be a break from any school-related activity. But most parents know that continuing (or starting!) some activities- like virtual music lessons have some short- and long-term benefits.
Advantages of Summer Music Lessons
Whether or not your child is picking up an instrument for the first time or planning on continuing the practice now that school is out, virtual music lessons and in-person music lessons provide continuing stimulation, enjoyment, passion, and education for kids throughout the summer months. Academics might be taking a break, but fostering a kid’s love of music doesn’t have to stop!
Here are four big reasons you should enroll your kids in summer music lessons.
1. It’s a great time to sharpen skills.
Learning and excelling in music is a lot like excelling at sports- success is achieved by those willing to put in the time and effort. There’s just no substitution for practice, practice, practice. If your child is interested at all in pursuing any type of music-related career, online music lessons during the summer would give them a competitive advantage when it comes to auditions, scholarships, or conservatories. Summer lessons help keep kids engaged and learning. And these benefits go beyond just music classes- playing music is shown to improve literacy and quantitative reasoning. So in addition to honing in on music skills, practicing an instrument can prevent other key skills from regressing over the summer, too.
2. They can help avoid learning loss.
Similar to sharpening skills, one huge reason to continue music lessons for those who have played an instrument during the school year is to continue building on the progress they’ve made over the school year. Kids and adults alike have the tendency to forget what we learn within a short time frame. So, it’s extra important for kids who want to master an instrument to avoid going long periods of time without an in-person or virtual music lesson. Continuing to engage with other students and music teachers will help avoid the learning loss associated with months-long summer breaks. Music lessons are great, fun ways to challenge kids and prevent regression that occurs during the summer. It’s much easier to continue practicing than it is to ‘get back into it’ after a long break.
3. They provide less pressure with more focus.
Even though summertime for kids and parents can be a carefree time of relaxation and play, there can be huge upsides for kids in a relaxed learning environment. Summer lessons have the advantage of being flexible and low-key, which fits easily into most people’s expectations for what their summer months should be. Additionally, summer lessons are great for those kids who feel extra pressure to perform in a larger class. Maybe they love their instrument but need a little extra practice, or are a little shy. Summer lessons are a great opportunity to explore their talent in a smaller environment.
These smaller learning environments can also provide more opportunities for focused learning. And even though students are not in school in the summer, their brains are actually ripe to focus better because they are carrying a lighter daily load. With less to think about and focus on, they can hone in on learning or improving their talents through virtual music lessons.
4. It’s a perfect time to try something new.
Maybe your child has been interested in learning an instrument but hasn’t taken the plunge yet. Or, maybe your child has learned the piano and now wants to jump into learning the violin. Summer is the perfect time to try something new and discover whether or not your child is interested and committed enough for music to become a long-term hobby and commitment. The flexibility of virtual music lessons makes trying something new a no-brainer during the summer.
There are countless ways to keep your hesitant child interested in learning music and to keep them entertained during the summer months. But, virtual music lessons are a great way to keep kids intellectually and emotionally stimulated, engaged, and learning while they take an academic break! Contact us today to find a music instructor near you.
