Kids love music.In fact, that love of music is so innate and so compelling that even a very young child will ask for a favorite lullaby, dance when they hear music, sing or hum almost constantly, or be very curious about the piano or other instruments. If you’ve done even the simplest of things as a parent to begin to foster your little one’s love of music, your child may even start asking about “music lessons” at a very early age.
But when to begin those lessons? For most children, the best time to start learning their first instrument is usually sometime between the ages of six and ten years of age. If your child isn’t quite old enough, be reassured that a young child with a genuine interest in playing an instrument or learning to sing will come back to that interest even more strongly in a few years when he/she is physically, emotionally, and cognitively ready, especially if that early interest is fostered in the right way.
However, if you think it might be time to commit to learning to play an instrument, here is a quick check list of questions to ask yourself before making the commitment to enroll in private lessons. By the way, you don’t have to be able to answer “Yes” to all of these questions, but you will want to be able to answer affirmatively to most before making deciding about private instruction.
- Do I see my child thriving in a one-on-one instructional environment, or does he/she learn best and find the most joy in a social, play-like setting?
- Can my child sit still and stay focused for 15 to 30 minutes on a series of directed tasks?
- Is my child reading and writing yet? (Reading and writing are not necessarily required prerequisites for music lessons, but both skills are very helpful when it comes working and practicing more independently.)
- Does my child demonstrate some facility of fine motor skills, like holding a pencil, cutting with scissors, or coloring mostly within the lines?
- Can my child identify patterns and recognize up and down?
- Is my child ready to accept the rules, guidelines, and expectations of the teacher?
- Will my child remain interested and not be frustrated when the teacher asks him/her to play a certain way or hold his hand in a certain position?
- Does my child have the fine motor control, maturity, and attention span necessary for daily home practice?
- Will my child be agreeable to committing to a daily practice routine?
- Am I as a parent willing to commit to supervising and insisting on my child’s daily practice?
- Do I have an instrument in my home on which my child can practice?
Even if you feel your child is not quite ready for private instruction, you can still give your young child “music lessons” by enrolling him/her in a music and movement program like Kindermusik® which uniquely prepares your child for instrumental or vocal lessons in a way that is both developmentally appropriate and engaging. In fact, a child with the kind of strong foundation in movement, vocal development, ensemble, listening skills, and musical concepts that Kindermusik® provides is much more likely to be successful and remain motivated in private lesson study later on than a child who does not this early musical advantage.
For most children, asking for “music lessons” is their way of expressing their love for and interest in music. A young child who is not yet ready for the commitment and requirements of formal music lessons can absolutely learn and blossom with music, especially in a music and movement class like Kindermusik® which is perfectly matched for every age and stage of childhood from newborn to 7 years.
Theresa Case is the director at Piano Central Studios where they have an award-winning Kindermusik® program and offer music lessons at two upstate studio locations on N. Pleasantburg Drive and Woodruff Road.
