Creative thinking is an essential life skill. It allows your child to solve complex problems, save money, and express themselves.
Music allows your child to learn creative thinking while feeling like a child. They give your child more control and let them make decisions. Music lessons allow for exploration and help children think outside of the box.
Here are some of the ways to encourage creative thinking through music.
1. Make Children Experience Musical Sounds
Learning to read music can enhance your child’s abilities. Your child will memorize songs quicker and may compose a piece in the future. However, reading music only scratches the surface.
Sometimes, it’s best to put away the sheet music and make some noise. Playing by ear helps your child remember patterns and not rely on sheet music.
Playing by ear forces your child to improvise on the spot. This life skill comes up frequently as people encourage new obstacles. Giving your child this skill set early prepares them for the world.
Playing by ear will turn your child into a better listener. Listening remains a vital soft skill, and it wouldn’t hurt for your child to master this skill.
2. Children Learn That It’s Okay to Mess Up
No one is perfect. People make mistakes across all stages of life. Some people handle their mistakes gracefully, while others struggle to cope with them.
Some people become perfectionists in an attempt to avoid mistakes. This path backfires, resulting in people not taking action.
Children will make many mistakes when practicing their music. They will hit the wrong key and sing at too high or low of a pitch. Mistakes make us better, and children can learn this lesson early in their lives.
Tell your kids to play whatever they feel like playing. They may not sound like a professional musician. However, that’s not the point of these exercises.
Your child will make mistakes, address them, and strive to do better next time. This mentality will help them in any area of their life.
3. Song Writing from Books Offers a Great Creative Thinking Exercise
You can get your child’s creative juices flowing with a songwriting exercise. Pick your child’s favorite book and encourage them to write a song using the words on 2-3 pages.
This exercise limits the number of words your child can use. However, it will encourage them to solve complex problems. How can they take the words on 2-3 pages and turn them into a song.
Even if the song isn’t a masterpiece, the exercise helps your child think with fewer resources. This exercise will teach them to work with what they have.
4. Continue Exposing Your Child to Great Music
Your child will listen to many different tunes during our lessons. However, we cannot possibly cover every song or track. People have played and listened to music for hundreds of thousands of years.
Continue exposing your child to music outside of the lessons. Take them to concerts and listen to albums.
After listening to what you know, stretch out of your comfort zone. Listen to music from different eras and cultures.
Your child may take tunes from different eras and cultures and combine them into new songs.
5. Reinterpret Existing Music
You can change any song to produce a different sound. Your child can play the same song on a different octave to produce new tunes.
They can experiment with flats and sharps on their favorite songs. Reinterpret existing music inspires children to think outside the box.
6. Incorporate Multiple Instruments
Each musical instrument has its unique quirks. Playing more instruments introduces your child to more sounds.
Children can consider how instruments work together to produce masterpieces. Your child can compose sheet music to create synergy among instruments.
Playing multiple instruments stimulates your child’s mind and helps them detect similarities. While different in some elements, the flute and clarinet share some similarities. Your child can quickly pick up new instruments and refine their abilities.
7. Sprinkle Musical Routines Throughout the Day
You can incorporate musical routines throughout the day. Your child can consider a brief singing exercise every morning.
You may also include an evening playing session with an instrument.
Some of these musical routines may only take a few minutes. However, they help your child develop daily habits that strengthen creativity.
8. Join Your Child
Music isn’t just for kids. You can grab an instrument and start learning with your child.
You don’t have to be a professional to play an instrument. You simply hit keys, listen to the sounds, and learn along the way.
Your child will hear and watch you make mistakes. Seeing you make mistakes reinforces the concept that it’s okay to be imperfect. If they see you make a conscious effort to improve, that behavior will rub off on them.
Playing music with your child will help with bonding. Bonding with your child through music will also help them bond with music classmates. They will get to know people their age.
Sign Up for Music Lessons!
Music lessons help your child embrace creative thinking. This skill will help them in many areas of their life. Music can also reduce stress for those times life gets challenging.
Our music lessons can give your child a head start on their creative thinking. We have private lessons and group lessons available for your child.
Want to sign up for a music lesson? Contact us today to see how we can get your child started on their musical journey.
