05/07/2025
MIT Says Music Not Coding Might Be the Key to Raising Smarter Kids
If you’re debating between enrolling your child in piano lessons or a coding boot camp, new research from MIT might help you decide and the answer may surprise you.
According to the study, learning to code only activates general-purpose areas of the brain associated with logic and problem-solving. That’s not bad, but it doesn’t tap into the brain’s more powerful language centers, which are crucial for communication, memory, and cognitive flexibility.
In contrast, learning a musical instrument from an early age has been shown to build stronger, more lasting structural and functional brain connections particularly in regions responsible for speech, memory, and executive function. And here’s the kicker: these brain-boosting benefits stick around even if the child stops playing music later in life.
So while coding remains a valuable skill, researchers suggest that music offers deeper, longer-lasting cognitive development. If you want to future-proof your child's mind, a violin, guitar, or keyboard might be a better investment than an app or programming course.
Bottom line? Music isn’t just an art it’s brain food.
