Here is something that you may not know about me and my family, we are a family of musicians. While I don’t play any “fancy” instruments, I learned to play the recorder at a young age and can actually read notes. In Colorado, music is encouraged in schools, but even before we moved to Colorado, I encouraged my children to learn how to play an instrument. My eldest daughter once belonged to an all-girl rock band (The Awkward Turtles, later renamed Toy Sugar) and would play at gigs in and around New York City. Her first guitar, the Fender Squire, worked out great while she learned to play, but then the bassist left the group and she wanted to become the next bassist. As the bassist in her group, I purchased her first bass guitar, a bright red Fender Jaguar Bass guitar, which she just loved and still cherishes to this day.
In junior high school, my eldest son, Kyle, enrolled in band and learned to play the trombone, while the younger, Mikael, learned to play the keyboard. At the age of 5, I enrolled Madison in piano classes and purchased our very first piano. My son Kyle has now shown an interest in learning to play the guitar, and having had such a great relationship with Fender, due to my daughter’s experience, we bought him the Fender Stratocaster as his very first guitar and enrolled him in Fender Play.
Here’s something you may not know about Kyle. Kyle was diagnosed with ADHD when he was only 5 years old. While his concentration may be all over the place, when it comes to music, he stays focused and is so intent on learning that you wouldn’t think he was the same child. Fender Play makes learning to play the guitar very easy with their “Hear It, Learn It, Play It” approach and breaks the guitar song lessons into easy-to-learn, bite-size nuggets that keep him both inspired and motivated. Best of all, it was easy to sign up, and I can cancel at any time if he decides this is not what he wants to do, but so far he’s loving it!
So what benefits are there for your child learning to play the guitar? Here are just 5!
1. Helps with concentration
When playing the guitar you have to pay close attention to the tempo, pitch and rhythm, etc., if you’re not paying close attention then your music won’t sound any better than a toddler beating on pots and pans. Practicing slows you down and forces you to concentrate on not just your hand-eye coordination skills, but also your listening skills.
2. Helps with memory.
While learning to play the guitar can bring lots of enjoyment, did you know that the area of the brain responsible for memory is usually stimulated when playing the guitar? This only shows that playing the guitar will also help improve your child’s memory.
3. Boosts their confidence
Have you ever seen a self conscious rock star? Mastering the skills of guitar playing takes time and practice, but once you’ve accomplished that skill it will leave your child feeling great. That sense of accomplishment will give them that boost of confidence knowing that they’ve achieved and mastered the art.
4. Teaches self discipline
Learning to play the guitar not only takes skill, but also takes lots of practice, time and effort. You must have self-discipline. The more you practice the more your guitar playing will improve, and with that realization usually comes insight into other aspects of their lives.
5. It lasts forever
Now you wouldn’t know if you have the future Jimi Hendrix until they pick up that guitar and start playing, but just like riding a bike, they will never forget. They will be able to entertain family and friends for years to come, and may even teach their own children.
Now that I’ve shared my 5 reasons why you or your child should learn to play the guitar, head over to Fender Play to learn more and sign up. With Fender Play you can learn to play anywhere via computer or their app. As a matter of fact, Kyle prefers to sit outside when it’s nice out and play, because it’s a lot more relaxing outdoors. Fender Play lessons are only 10-12 minutes long and are perfect for keeping him focused and also motivated, and best of all it shows his progress by keeping track of his work.
Sign up for a free 30 day trial or give the gift of music with a Fender Play prepaid gift card for 6 or 12 months of free lessons. Remember, you can cancel your subscription at any time, making this the perfect gift for the holidays.
Try Fender Play today!
