1 . Piano lessons aren’t just about giving kids an opportunity for musical training. Learning to play the piano has a great ________ on the brain, providing children with a lot of benefits that last a lifetime.

________ education can actually give kids an increased chance of success in life. Kids who ________ music education and training gain major emotional development advantages. Playing the piano is an outlet (发泄) for kids and ________ themselves. Any type of music ________ the spirits. Being able to play a song on an instrument, whether performing ________ or for other people, also builds confidence in kids.

The many hours spent ________ playing the piano create and increase neural (神经的) connections in the brain that last a lifetime. These physical changes in the ________ provide great gains that last well into adulthood, including protecting against cognitive decline (认知能力下降) and memory ________ . Piano lessons also have been shown to ________ affect verbal working memory, hearing and communication.

Children get ________ just as often as adults. Feelings of nervousness and worry ________ a physical response in the body, in which the heart rate and blood pressure ________ and breathing gets faster. Playing the piano can ________ that kind of response, providing a sense of relaxation. This ________ can be felt by kids immediately on sitting at the piano and trying to play, ________ the activity can reduce worry regardless of a person’s skill or ability. Music lessons, ________, provide the greatest benefit, as studies have shown that playing an instrument for an hour per week for at least six weeks is most ________ for reducing the body’s nervous response.

________ all the benefits of music training, it’s not ________ that more and more parents want their kids to learn to play an instrument.