A Grade Ahead offers superior math and English programs to enrich your child’s academic potential. But what about music? Picture this scene: your child is sitting at the kitchen table, math book open, earbuds in, humming along to the music playing as they work. You wonder, is that music helping with concentration? Or is it another distraction?
It would be a fair question. Many students say they “can’t study without music,” while others need complete silence. But what does science say? Psychologists have been studying how background music affects attention, memory, and learning for decades, and the results are both fascinating and shockingly nuanced.
What the Research Shows
Music affects the brain in very powerful ways. It can boost mood, lower stress, and even change how efficiently we process information. But when it comes to studying, not all music or all tasks are created equally.
A 2020 study by Kiss & Linnell found that listening to background music increased task focus and reduced mind-wandering during boring or repetitive activities. In other words, music helped participants stay mentally engaged when tasks didn’t necessarily require deep concentration.
However, a 2021 study done by Nadon et al. showed that people tended to avoid music during complex tasks, such as reading comprehension or problem-solving. This was likely due to the fact that lyrics and rhythm end up competing with the brain’s language and working-memory systems.
Essentially, for simple, repetitive work, music could be extremely useful in helping your child stay focused. For challenging, language-heavy work, silence may be a better option.
Are you looking for other ways to help boost your child’s educational success through enrichment? Don’t miss out on all that A Grade Ahead has to offer! Call or visit an academy near you to get a free curriculum sample, take a free assessment, or sign up for a free trial class today!
Why Music Helps Some Kids More Than Others
Just like no two students learn exactly the same way, not everyone responds to background music in the same way either.
Recent research has found that personality can play a big role in how music affects them. Extroverted students, who generally thrive in stimulating environments, performed better on memory tasks when upbeat music played in the background. Introverted students, however, were more likely to find that exact same music to be distracting.
Other factors may include:
- Noise sensitivity: Students who are easily overstimulated may perform worse with background noise, even if it is soft music.
- Musical preference: Music your child enjoys listening to can enhance motivation and focus, but songs they love may grab too much attention.
- Task type: Memorization or mechanical work pairs well with music, whereas reading and writing often do not.
The key in this case is self-awareness and helping your child notice when music sharpens focus and when it clouds it.
Try a Mini Experiment!
At A Grade Ahead, we appreciate that every child’s brain is different, so instead of guessing what music works for them, test it out with an experiment!
- Pick two study sessions with similar tasks (such as math drills).
- Have your child work once in silence, and once with background music.
- Afterward, ask which felt easier, faster, or more focused.
- You can even quiz them briefly on what they learned to check recall.
The goal is not to prove that one method is better than the other, but merely to help your child become someone who understands how they learn best.
Did you enjoy this experiment? A Grade Ahead also offers science courses for students in 3rd, 4th, and 5th grade. This material covers earth, physical, and life science, as well as provides interesting and educational experiments to complete!
Final Thoughts
Music won’t magically boost IQ or make homework fun every night (despite what the old “Mozart Effect” headlines promised). However, it can be a powerful tool, especially for maintaining focus, improving mood, and creating positive study habits.
Encourage your child to think of music as part of their learning toolkit: it is something to use intentionally, not automatically. Whether it’s lo-fi beats during algebra or quiet concentration during essay writing, the right soundscape can make a big difference. Interested in more musical knowledge? Read our previous post on music appreciation and its benefits!
In the end, every student’s learning rhythm is unique, and sometimes the right song really can strike the perfect balance between focus and flow.
What do you think? Do you or your child like to listen to music while completing other tasks? What is your favorite type of music to listen to while doing so? We would love to hear from you in the comments!
Author: Meghan Hubbard, Teacher at A Grade Ahead
