Is there any conclusive research on the notion that music makes kids smarter?
594188
it depends on type of music and length of exposure to. and largely on whether the child takes an interest in it.
1142502
I believe that when parents play music or sing with or to their kids when they're young is a big influence to whether the child will be intrested in music. Of course the younger you start an instrument the easyer it is to learn. At least that is what I have found with me and people that I know.
1051080
Yes.  I did some double blind tests in High school which objectively could be written off any number of ways, except that as the recipient of one experiment, the experience was so profound, I came away a believer.\n\nOur experiment was that one person was to go to sleep at a particular hour, with a radio playing pop music softly in the room.  The other person, about an hour later, across town was to try to send a telepathic message to wake up when a certain popular song was played.  The recipient did not know what song was selected.  When/if the recipient woke up, he was to write down whatever song was playing.\n\nWe had a pretty high hit rate.  As the subject of one round I remember being in a deep sleep, dreaming, when the opening bars of the theme from Star Wars (this was about 1977) ripped through my dreams like an explosion and yanked me instantly and fully awake.  It was about 2:30 am, and as a 14 year old I NEVER woke in the middle of the night.  The mere sound didn't do it, the radio was on so softly you could barely hear it, but that song woke me up like the orchestra was right in the room with me.  The next day we confirmed that the suggestion was indeed to wake when star wars played.\n\nAnd all that crap about we use only 10% of our brain is just that: a lot of crap.  Most of the brain power you're "not using" is being used to perform tasks below your conscious level to even enable you to be conscious!  Far more than 10% of the brain is used just in processing visual stimuli.  Same with language and communication processing.  Stop and think of the hideous amount of firmware necessary to run - perfectly - for me to be able to process my thoughts into language, and then translate them into finger motions over a keybopard at the incredible rate of 60wpm just to write this message.  Just reading this message takes up more than 10% of your brainpower before you even get to the point where you can think about what it says.
301178
music, it promotes more imagination.
60382
Nature and nurture both play big roles - you can't really isolate one or the other.  And you can't really say that one or the other would make a random person smarter.  If you really want to learn more, check out some studies of identical twins who were raised separately.
381006
There are benefits indeed. Playing an instrument makes you smarter, it teaches you discipline, it helps to relieve stress, it can give you a sense of achievement and most of all, it's fun. And it's proven that people playing an instrument since a child become more smarter, articulate and have higher chance of having a successful life.
976291
studies find that listening to classical music boosts your ability to think, raising test scores.
900970
Children may be smart, but there are certain things that they don't need to know until they fully comprehend.  Why fill their heads with adult stuff when they have plenty of time and learn more while having fun.
405323
no. reading while traveling or listening to music or writing, all things that stimulate your brain not decrease it's iq level
979603
i think its smthg like if u play music to a plant it makes it grow faster.... but m not so sure abt it...
184827
According to a study, people do better on tests when classical music is playing.  This will have no effect on whether the students will do better in the class after the music stops, however.  This phenomenon is known as the Mozart Effect.\nI learned about this in a college Music Apprecation class, but I put a link for an article on Wikipedia with more info
121005
I have never heard that before. My husband has a much higher I.Q. than I do and our male son is very smart. More so than I was as a child. On his Kindergarten placement test he scored 99% nationwide. I was a B student growing up and if I really applied myself could pull of an A or two. I definitely attribute his intelligence to his dad.
1016558
school music programs enhance intellectual development and enrich the academic environment for students of all ages;\n\nstudents who participate in school music programs are less likely to be involved with drugs, gangs, or alcohol and have better attendance in school;\n\nthe skills gained through sequential music instruction, including discipline and the ability to analyze, solve problems, communicate, and work cooperatively, are vital for success in the 21st century workplace;
8828
depends on what you're doing. it does help when you're working on things that take logic, such as math. the music opens a passage in your brain, which allows you to think more clearly.
962695
Studies are indicating that the microwave radiation from cell phones  influences brain functioning and development. This occurs when they're in stand-by mode as well. It's all the more important for kids who are still growing of course. Safety levels are always measured for healthy adult men. Children's bodies are so much smaller that these 'limits' don't protect them.\n\nIf it turns out that these studies are wrong, so be it. If they're right, well, we don't know HOW bad the consequences could be.\n\nBeyond that, there's the distraction factor, risk of theft and yet another consumerist gadget which lets kids value each other's worth, and their own, in how cool their 'toys' are.
514824
No, music does not effect how we live.  It may affect how we live. but it doesn't effect anything.  Go back to your dictionary.
676901
There is something called a child PRODIGY . Right at ypoung age I have seen such child prodigys who play excellent violin or Mandolin,or sing vocal music to enthral a big audience of expert musicians and admirers.\nBut in most cases it is 90% PERSPIRATION and 10% INSPIRATION.\nPRACTICE MAKES PERFECT.\nFAILURES ARE THE FIRST STEP TO SUCCESS.\nThus individual effort to excel is needed in all cases followed by parental and surrounding encouragements.