Improving children’s executive functions by learning to play a musical instrument

Abstract

Executive functions are the mental processes that support individuals to organize, focus attention, remember guidelines, and manipulate multiple tasks successfully. The brain needs these abilities in order to filter diversions, prioritize tasks, remember the information needed for completing them, complete a task set and achieve goals, control and resist impulses and sustain attention during a particular activity. They provide essential support for children in order to develop properly and learn. Although children don’t natively possess these skills, they are born with the potential to cultivate and improve them through interactions and practice.