Singer with a Glove, Edward Degas, 1878
Why Singing is Good for Your Homeschool!
You don’t have to be the Von Trapp Family to incorporate singing into your daily schedule. Whether you’re a musically bent family or not, singing has all sorts of benefits that make it worth the effort.
If we’re honest, it’s the adults that tend to steer away from singing. Kids, on the other hand, typically love to sing. They’re unencumbered by the need to be perfectly on key or have all the words right. It’s an enjoyable way to express themselves. If that’s not enough reason to encourage singing in your home, here are several more that may surprise you!
Singing Improves Mood
While singing, your body releases endorphins which are chemicals known to make you feel happy. It’s often referred to as the feel-good chemical. What better way to boost the morale in the middle of a school day than to get the endorphins flowing through singing?
While your body is increasing its endorphins, it’s decreasing the stress hormone called cortisol. Singing could give a stressful school day a complete makeover!
Singing Improves Mental Alertness
Singing a hymn or one of Larry’s Silly Songs or anything in between oxygenates the blood, improving blood circulation. With better circulation, more oxygen reaches the brain, making us more alert and better able to concentrate. Every school day could use a little help in that area!
The improved blood circulation has another benefit perfect for your homeschool: it helps with memory. There’s a reason you can find a song that helps with memorizing just about anything, from the alphabet to the times tables to the state capitals. It’s proven to work!
Singing Improves Sleep
There is some evidence that singing strengthens throat and palate muscles. Strengthening these muscles could reduce snoring and issues with sleep apnea. Both snoring and sleep apnea can seriously disrupt a night of sleep, leaving you or your child much too tired to focus on a quality school day. Singing regularly could make all the difference!
Singing Improves the Immune System
One particular study done at the University of Frankfurt concluded that not only did singing improve mood and lessen stress, but it also raised the amount of antibodies in the blood. The more antibodies, the tougher the immune system.
The cardiovascular system is also at play as singing can be an aerobic exercise. You’re giving your lungs a nice workout when singing properly, and potentially increasing your aerobic stamina. And as a bonus, employing the correct technique when singing can improve posture over time! Singing is simply good for everyone’s health.
Singing Improves Confidence
With all the above benefits at play, it’s easy to see why singing would help improve your child’s self-esteem. Learning new songs and mastering them builds up confidence as well.
If your child has the opportunity to perform in front of others, whether it is in solo form, with a praise team, or in a choir, he’ll be working through the fear and nerves and coming away a stronger, more confident child. This could contribute to having the confidence to speak or do presentations in front of large groups, as well, which could come in handy as adults. And don’t forget the benefit of making like-minded friends along the way through singing with groups. Another excellent confidence boost!
Maybe through the addition of singing in your homeschool, you’ll find that you could be the next Von Trapp family! But even if singing isn’t a forte in your family, it can (and should!) still be a key part of your day. The benefits of singing make it ideal for your homeschool.