Piano Lessons Help Children’s Finger Dexterity

Research shows that piano lessons are recommended for the development of fine motor skills.  So, how can that enhance our lives?  Most of us use very specific finger movements all day to control our phones, laptops, tablets, etc.  If we observed our speed in operating our devices with those around us, we would notice a difference in speed depending on each persons fine motor ability.  What if you could type 50% faster?  That could have a pretty big affect on the time you spend on your computer at work or at home – it could shave hours off your day.  For children, fine motor skills are even more important as they struggle to use their fingers just to tie their shoes.

Eugenia Costa-Giomi (PhD Ohio State University) reports research comparing the motor skills of children who took piano instruction for a two year period, versus those who didn’t, in her article “Does Music Instruction Improve Fine Motor Abilities?” published in the Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences.  She recorded “a significant improvement in fine motor skills was found only for the children who received the lessons, and a significant difference in the speed of response was found between the two groups at the end of the two years of instruction. The innumerable opportunities to assess, refine, and time their motor responses to specific stimuli during musical practice and the availability of constant evaluative feedback (i.e., sound) may allow musicians to improve the accuracy and speed of perceiving and responding to relevant stimuli.”The Sensory Processing Disorder Resource Center recommends participating in activities that build fine motor skills in children to help them “perform a variety of important functional tasks,” including:

• tying shoes

• zipping and unzipping

• buckling and unbuckling

• writing legibly and without significant muscle fatigue

• playing games that require precise hand and finger control

• drawing, painting, and coloring

• manipulating buttons and snaps

• putting small objects together

• doing puzzles

• making crafts

• using scissors

• manipulating small objects such as coins

• opening and closing objects

• picking up and holding onto small objects

• developing and maintaining an effective and proper pencil grip

• pinching objects between fingers

• using locks and keys

• being able to isolate finger movements (i.e., using one finger at a time, such as in playing the piano or typing)

• turning things over or turning pages of a book

• holding and using utensils properly and effectively

• screwing and unscrewing

• doing ANYTHING that requires small precise hand and finger movements

Just with this list we can see how improving a child’s finger dexterity can have a huge impact on their life.  Using piano lessons to improve fine motor skills is a great way to help a child get ahead in their development, while having fun making music.

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