A new study has found that being able to make music makes young children much nicer compared to those who don’t.

The study was carried out by the University of West London and found that in addition to making children nicer, music making also makes them more willing to help others and significantly better at problem solving.

The research team recruited 50 four year old girls and boys and split them up into two different groups, the “music” group who played music along with an instructor and a “no music” group who listened to a story.

The study found that after the music making session, children were 30 times more likely to be helpful than the non-music group and six times more likely to cooperate. Moreover, girls from the music group were found to be more likely to cooperate than the boys.

Both girls and boys were found to have increased problem solving abilities although this was found to be more prominent in boys with them showing four times better problem solving capabilities.

One of the researchers who took part in the study said that the study highlights "the need for schools and parents to understand the important role music-making has in children's lives in terms of social bonding and helping behaviours.

"Music-making in class, particularly singing, may encourage pupils with learning differences and emotional difficulties to feel less alienated in the school environment.”