DO CHILDREN LEARN

INSTRUMENTS QUICKER THAN

ADULTS?

WHAT’S THIS ABOUT?

It is widely known that children seem to absorb information at a dizzying rate and, given the world we live in today, it’s no wonder.

But does the same go for the learning of instruments?

THE SCIENCE-Y BIT Talking scientifically, the prefrontal cortex of the brain in

the frontal lobe, which is responsible for decision making, in children is less developed than in adults. This means that their imagination is not as limited, which allows more flexibility in what they can learn.

In addition to this, as children are actively learning and are constantly using the correct part of the brain, they find it easier than adults to access the processes necessary for such a skill as learning an instrument.

Co-Founder of Posit Science, Michael Merzenich explained that many adults when trying to learn an instrument do ‘not go back to the most elemental stages of learning’, unlike children whose brains are ‘closer to the beginning’.

BUT DOES THAT MEAN CHILDREN NATURALLY LEARN INSTRUMENTS QUICKER?No, not really - at least, not always! Children are more exposed to the learning environments and have access to the resources necessary to learn an instrument, certainly.

Children can also collect far more in their short-term memory stores faster than adults, but adults can retain these memories more effectively.

It also comes down to practice and the length of time devoted to learning the instrument. After all, at the end of the day, practice does make perfect!

FIND OUT MORE

Find out more about Kimichi School on our website: http://www.kimichischool.co.uk/