23/03/2026
One of the many reasons to make sure your student is involved in the Arts throughout their K-12 years…
Research from MIT and other cognitive science institutions has examined how music training influences brain development in children. Studies show that learning music engages multiple brain systems at the same time, including networks involved in memory, attention, auditory processing, motor coordination, and language.
Musical training requires the brain to coordinate rhythm, pitch, movement, and listening simultaneously. This process activates both hemispheres of the brain and strengthens communication between them through neural pathways such as the corpus callosum. Neuroimaging research has shown structural and functional changes in areas related to working memory, executive function, and auditory processing among children who receive consistent music training.
Coding education, by comparison, primarily emphasizes logical reasoning, sequencing, and computational thinking. While these skills are important for problem-solving, they tend to engage a narrower set of cognitive systems compared with the multi-sensory demands involved in musical performance and practice.
Because music integrates cognitive, sensory, emotional, and motor processes, researchers often study it as a complex form of brain training during childhood development. Some findings suggest that early musical training is associated with improvements in language processing, attention control, and academic performance.
These observations are part of a broader field of research exploring how structured learning activities influence neural plasticity, the brain’s ability to reorganize and strengthen connections during development.
Source
Hyde, K. L., et al. (2009). Musical training shapes structural brain development. Journal of Neuroscience. PMID: 19726641
Moreno, S., et al. (2011). Short-term music training enhances verbal intelligence and executive function. Psychological Science. PMID: 21775683
Kraus, N., & Chandrasekaran, B. (2010). Music training for the development of auditory skills. Nature Reviews Neuroscience. PMID: 20871481
MIT McGovern Institute for Brain Research – Music and brain development studies
Disclaimer
Disclaimer: Educational information only. Not medical or professional advice.
