For a few years in a child’s life, parents run through the activity list as if it were a marathon. A busy child is a safe and happy child. They can’t get into as much trouble if they are active. And if they’re with friends, they’ll enjoy the activities they are in.
So as a parent, we try a little bit of everything. T-ball. Gymnastics. Swimming. Soccer.
What about piano? 
The piano is the ultimate instrument in terms of skill and demand. It requires two hands playing together simultaneously while navigating 88 keys. At any given time, two hands can play up to 10 notes at a time. All of those options require the brain to think in a unique way.
Pianists have to overcome something innate in all of us: the ability to use both left and right hands equally. In most people, we have a dominant hand that we favor throughout the day. Pianists have a demonstrably more symmetrical brain than others when put to the test, possibly because they continually build their brain muscles by putting the two together on a frequent basis.
Studies show that the more experience a piano player gains, the more efficient their brain becomes. That means a person who plays regularly can be more effective as improvisation skills needed to navigate the day, including problem solving, language, spontaneity, and decision making tactics. Pianists tend to integrate all of the brain’s intake and make more efficient decisions in the process.
It doesn’t stop there.
Trained pianists work every day with a complex instrument that taxes the whole brain. Scans show that the longer they play, the more efficient the blood flow becomes as it moves into the brain. Less blood flow means less energy is needed to accomplish the same tasks – to concentrate, to perform certain tasks. When less blood flow is needed in one area, it increases the ability to send blood to other areas. It allows other areas to remain active and engaged at the same time. It can completely change communication skills because it allows the brain to respond in different ways.
That gives the brain more energy to multi-task and to jump into different situations with less doubt and hesitation.
While there is a need to keep kids bodies healthy and active through exercise, the same can be said for keeping their brains healthy by giving it an activity that can help them develop and become smarter over time.
Maybe it’s time to encourage them to play the piano.
