Many studies have proven the countless benefits of enrolling in music lessons. Not only does it help with focus, self-esteem, and character building but it also improves fine motor skills, memory, and concentration. There is a question though that many parents wonder about: When is the right time to enroll my child in piano lessons?
Even though taking music classes can have loads of benefits for people of all ages, it has been said that young children benefit from them the most, therefore you must teach them to how to play a Conga Solo. This is because when you are younger your brain acts like an information sponge. You are more prone to pick up new skills that you’ll be able to carry with you throughout your life.
The best pianists of all time have started playing musical instruments when they were as young as three years old. Perhaps it’s not a good idea to hold your child to such great standards of child prodigies like Mozart, but giving them the opportunity to practice and participate in musical lessons will assist in their growth.
Let’s look at the facts when it comes to the appropriate time to enroll your little munchkin in piano lessons.
SHOULD I FORCE MY CHILD TO TAKE PIANO LESSONS?
This is a difficult question. Many parents make decisions on behalf of their children, because they know what is best for their growth and education. You should definitely enroll your child when they show great interest in playing the piano or in music. You’ll be able to notice immediately if your child enjoyed the musical lessons or not. They’ll be excited about it and want to practice more.
If your daughter or son shows no interested in playing musical instruments, then you shouldn’t force them to take continue. Forcing them to practice hours every single day to turn them into a child prodigy, can influence their attitude towards music and instruments for the rest of their lives.
It’s important to nurture a positive and healthy relationship towards music and musical instruments.
Instead, subtly introduce them to different kinds of instruments and see which one they find most interesting. Enroll them in lessons for that instrument. Or give them the opportunity to learn a piece of piano music on their own time, once they’ve mastered it, they can enroll in any extracurricular activities of their choice.
Regardless of whether they show interest or not, enrolling in piano lessons, even for a short while, has many positive benefits. Watch this to find out the benefits of taking piano lessons.
WHAT IS THE RIGHT AGE TO ENROL MY CHILD IN PIANO LESSONS?
It’s never too late to start learning a new skill. But studies have shown that there are certain ages at which we are more prone to learn new things. Our brains are more receptive during birth and age nine. This is also the age bracket in which children develop musical sensibility and understanding to its optimum level.
Certain instruments require much more developed motor skills. For example, the guitar requires fine motor skills of being able to twist and stretch the fingers to press different chords. That’s why the piano is such a great instrument to start out with. It doesn’t require too difficult or focused finger work.
Here are suggestions on which ages you can enroll your child in piano lessons and what kind of musical exposure they need to develop:
AGE 0-2
Of course, you can’t enroll a baby in piano lessons for children. Not the full grand piano anyway. But you can introduce different toy musical instruments to nourish a love for music and rhythm.
At this age, you can make music and sounds fun. Listening to children’s nursery rhymes and songs on the internet, as well as dancing along to fun and playful beats. It’s popular to introduce different percussion instruments to your baby. Percussion instruments like the tambourine, small pianos, triangle, drums, and colorful xylophones can spark a great interest and excitement.
AGE 3-4
This is the age where you can introduce your child to the real deal. Let them touch and test guitar sets, pianos, and drum sets. Or enroll them in a few test piano classes. They should have the freedom to experiment with different instruments to find a love for sounds and music.
Even though the sounds won’t always be as clear and correct and might come across as noise. This is the first stage in which your child starts to develop hand eye coordination.
You’ll be amazed by this 3-year old girl’s ability to play the piano at level 5: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r8esq8BwBsc.
AGE 4-6
This is the recommended age for parents to start enrolling their children in piano lessons for beginners. Studies have shown that between the ages of 4-6, children are most receptive for piano.
They can be introduced to different musical genres, different rhythms and tempo. Children will be able to distinguish different styles and even practice and play basic level 1-2 songs.
AGE 7-9
If the foundation of playing the piano hasn’t been laid down yet in previous years, this is also a great time to enroll them in beginner classes. They will be able to express their interest in the instrument and really focus on mastering some basic songs.
During this age that they will be able to practice reading sheet music, as well as memorize different notes and tunes. Studies have also proved that mathematical and literacy skills improve when they are enrolled in piano lessons.
It’s important to note that the teacher also has a great effect on the enjoyment of the classes. Do proper research on finding piano lessons for kids near me to make sure that your child is in good hands. Often than not, children don’t want to take part in a lesson or activity because they don’t like the teacher. It will be best to meet with the teacher beforehand and even observe the first few lessons.
No matter how old you are, it’s never too late or too early to learn and try a new skill.