Is Your Child Ready for Piano Lessons?
What Age is Right?
Is your child ready to start piano lessons? The answer is not always clear-cut. Children develop and learn at different rates, so the right age for one child may be wrong for another.
Most importantly, before starting a child on piano lessons, you should make sure that the lessons are actually for the student. Some parents can risk creating an unhealthy learning environment for their child by starting them early to try to give them a head start over other children. This can lead the child toward a bad attitude about lessons and create frustration between parent and child.
If the motive for starting a child on lessons is in the child’s best interests, there are a few questions that may help you decide whether piano lessons are right for your son or daughter.
Does the Child Show Interest?
Children are very natural learners. If a child shows curiosity toward the piano, he or she may be ready to learn more about the instrument.
Does the Child Have Enough Background Knowledge?
Children should be old enough to have certain knowledge first. Most experts agree that the child must be able to count from one to ten and understand the letters used in the musical alphabet: A through G. Some teachers also believe that the student should have started learning how to read before starting lessons.
Does the Child Have a Long Enough Attention Span?
Teachers can break up lessons with games if the child cannot focus the entire half hour. If the child cannot focus for at least 15 minutes though, he or she is probably not ready to take lessons.
Are the Parents Ready?
You or another adult in the child’s life must also make a commitment when a child starts lessons. You don’t have to be musician to help the child learn the importance of practice. Even asking what he or she learned about that day in the lesson can help.
Also, lessons are a long-term commitment. You should understand that an occasional lesson is not the best setup for success. Lessons need to be consistent to develop good habits.
Is There a Good Teacher in the Area?
A teacher is one of the most important parts of the lesson. A good teacher will feel comfortable with answering questions and showing you the lesson location if it’s not your home. He or she should have references available on request.
Some teachers may not want to teach the youngest students if they don’t feel they have enough training for that age group. For a teacher trained to teach the youngest students, look for a Suzuki method teacher. These teachers will have received formal training to teach children who are as young as about four years old.
Remember, you know your child, so if you have doubts about your child’s readiness, it’s probably best to wait a year or so. If a child is not ready for piano lessons, there are many ways you can get their child involved in music. Musikgarten, Music Together and Kindermusik are all group music classes that teach music through movement to children birth through school age. Remember, there’s no age limit to appreciating music!
is your child ready for piano lessons?
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