Hobbies that Make You Smarter

2. Play a Musical Instrument

In terms of sheer use of the brain, nothing is more effective than playing music for getting smarter. Playing a musical instrument works sections of the brain that process movement and motor skills, language, memory, senses, experience, emotion, logic, math, vision, hearing, attention and focus, spatial skills and coordination, and problem-solving. Adding words to music creates more pathways to that information, which is why we can remember things when we've sung them.