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Letters from the Board: March 2026

By Kelly Webster on 3/24/2026

Why singing in a choir is more beneficial for our children than ever

Childhood has changed

The advent of mobile devices brought the whole internet to our children’s fingertips, along with endless on-demand streaming entertainment. As every parent knows, this technology has infiltrated every part of life and impacts children at critical developmental stages. Research across pediatrics, neuroscience, and developmental psychology shows that excessive smartphone use and screen exposure negatively affects children’s cognitive, emotional, social, and physical development. Harms of excessive screen use in children can include delayed cognitive development and reduced executive functioning; attention difficulties and poor self-regulation; increased anxiety, irritability, and emotional dysregulation; reduction in face-to-face interaction and weaker social skills; lower empathy and increased loneliness.

And yet. Amidst this bleak landscape, we know and research shows that children who participate in group activities like choir mitigate these harmful effects, reconnecting with their heart and with one another as they learn and grow. Consider:

Singing in a Choir: an antidote

Choral singing exercises multiple parts of the brain at once. Children must listen carefully, control their breathing, remember lyrics and melodies, watch a conductor, and adjust their voices to blend with others. Studies consistently show that musical training strengthens executive function skills, the brain’s “air traffic control system” that governs attention, impulse control, working memory, and cognitive flexibility. Notably, research finds especially strong gains in inhibitory control, or the ability to pause, listen, and respond thoughtfully, skills every teacher knows are essential. Given this, it is not surprising that children who sing in a choir often do better academically.

Additionally, singing in a choir fosters cooperation and teamwork. Choir is a team sport. Producing a beautiful sound requires synchrony, shared goals, and mutual responsibility: no single voice can succeed on its own. Children in a choir learn empathy, listening skills, leadership, and how to work toward excellence together.

Boosting wellbeing and mental health

Group singing has measurable benefits for children’s emotional health. Studies show that singing lowers levels of cortisol, the body’s stress hormone, while increasing hormones linked to

positive mood and social bonding. Children often describe choir as a place where they feel safe, confident, and connected. Singing together helps regulate emotions, reduce anxiety, and build self-esteem—benefits that are especially important as children navigate increasing academic and social pressures.

Creating belonging and joy

Perhaps most importantly, choir creates a sense of belonging. Children experience the joy of contributing their own voice to something larger than themselves. Researchers studying children’s choral programs consistently hear the same themes: community, confidence, pride, and growth. In a world where children face rising stress and excessive screen time, choir offers something uniquely human: a shared breath, a shared purpose, and a shared song.

Chorister’s Guild believes that every child can sing, and that every child will benefit from singing together. We remain committed to bringing you the resources to make this possible.