My father had it all worked out. He would put us through every lesson imaginable and maybe one of us would come out a genius. (Thank God our piano teacher had the patience of a saint.) Many years later, I realized my (well-meaning) father was right.

Now that I have kids of my own, I’m thinking of starting them with some piano lessons too. Some experts say learning how to play the piano can boost a child’s brainpower. Here are some benefits your child will get from every piano lesson:

How to Be More Creative

Ever notice why a lot of educational programs have a lot of singing? Music helps children retain information a lot better. When children learn to play piano, it helps improve their visual learning skills so that they can process ideas better.

Boosts Confidence

Taking piano lessons can boost a kid’s self-esteem! Though recitals are scary, kids appreciate it when parents cheer them from the audience. Their confidence goes through the roof when they see that you’re proud of their accomplishments, no matter how small.

Powers Mental Alertness/Concentration

Children can learn how to focus if they’re enjoying themselves. Just learning a familiar song can make them want to practice over and over until they get it right. (Just don’t make them overdo it or they might start resenting lessons as much as eating broccoli.)

How to Have More Coordination

Part of a good piano lesson is learning how to play ‘with feeling’. Though pianists seem relaxed while playing the piano, it requires a lot of physical effort to pull off a great performance. It takes some skill to move two hands in different directions while using a foot pedal to play a piece right.

How to Have Wholesome Family Fun

Having a piano in the house makes for fun family time! Siblings can compare notes while parents can join in the fun of practice too. Your kids will be proud to show off their talents at Christmas and other special occasions.

Looking back, I did have some fun childhood memories with my piano lessons. Though I didn’t become a piano prodigy – I learned some important things along the way. If you want your kid to learn to have some self-discipline and creativity, a piano lesson is all that it takes. As my father used to say ‘You’ll never know unless you try.