Kids are Natural Drummers!

Drumming is an extension of our humanity. When we think about it like that, it is not surprising that drumming provides so many health benefits, both physical and psychological. Drums have seemingly existed since the beginning of humanity itself. Drums are a commonality amongst all peoples around the world. Every people has had a drum of some sort.

When we begin to consider how kids benefit from drumming, it’s helpful to think about this connection between drums and humanity. The language of drum circles is indicative of how we tend to view the drum: pulse, heartbeat, connection. These instruments offer more than music; they offer us a way to express our basic selves. Kids need and deserve this expressive experience, as well.

We seem to come with a drumming instinct. Give a kid a stick and a pot and she will bang away. As she gets older, you may notice a rhythm to her drumming. This is primal. The more we encourage her to drum, the more connections are made between the left and right hemispheres of her brain. The more connections formed, the more balance she will be able to find in life. If she is allowed to continue engaging her drumming instinct as she grows older, she will find a myriad of benefits.

Options like drum circles and drum ensembles are being offered to kids more and more often these days. This is because when people study how kids benefit from drumming, they end up with a lot of reasons to support the activity. Drumming helps relieve stress and anxiety in children. Drumming helps children build connections with others. Drumming can be a wonderful way to help children develop discipline and introspection. When we consider the balancing act that is occurring in the brain, this makes perfect sense. The more connections there are between the halves of the brain, the more easily we can integrate the strengths of and compensate for the weaknesses in the logical and emotional aspects of ourselves.

If you have ever drummed on anything, even a tree, table, the ground, then you can probably relate to how calming and invigorating drumming can be. While it reduces feelings of anxiety, it also boosts creativity. While it soothes any emotional burrs that might be digging into us, it also enhances feelings of connection…to ourselves, others, or something beyond our imaginations. How kids benefit from drumming is how all people benefit from drumming, because kids are people, too.