In addition to being a book lover, I am also a (nearly) lifelong pianist and have been teaching piano privately for 12+ years. I have had the privilege of teaching literally all over the world (Ohio, Oregon, Illinois, and Israel!) to nearly 100 students and have learned a great deal in the process. I often have parents asking, “Should I put my child in piano lessons?” There is so much to consider, and I have answers!
What are some signs my child is ready for piano lessons?
Every child is quite different in their development, but here are some factors to consider:
- Can my child read fluidly? I have found that children who are somewhat fluid readers have better early success in piano lessons than those who aren’t. Once a child can recognize that a letter stands for a particular sound and can be linked with other letters to make words, it will make the process of learning to read music so much easier. In many ways, they’re using the same skill set.
- How are my child’s fine motor skills? When I start lessons with a young child (ages 5-8), their hand strength and coordination can vary widely. There are some whose wrists naturally dip and whose fingers fly up awkwardly. There are others who naturally have fairly good finger control from the very beginning. It all completely depends! Either child can start piano lessons, but there can be lots of early frustration from those who naturally struggle with finger control. It could be better to wait a few months and see if their fingers gain strength.
- How is my child’s attention span? I teach 30-minute lessons, and while I try to keep them fun and interesting, it still requires that the child sit somewhat calmly and listen for that entire time period. If you don’t feel like your child is ready to sit and learn for that period of time, it’s probably best to wait.
How old should my child be to begin piano lessons?
Personally, I don’t generally take children under the age of 6 as students. I have taught students as young as 4, but I will say that your average 4-year-old is not yet ready for piano lessons. Five-year-olds could be ready, but if you’re investing a significant amount of money in lessons, equipment, and time, I would wait until age 6 at the earliest.
One other thing to consider if money is a significant factor: If I were to start a 6-year-old and a 10-year-old in the same books at the same time, the 10-year-old would obviously progress much faster. In other words, you’re getting more “bang for your buck” when your child starts older and can progress more quickly. That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t start your young child; it’s simply something to think about.
What kind of piano or keyboard should I buy?
First off, while it may sound obvious, it is necessary that you have some kind of keyboard or piano at home if you’re going to enroll your child in lessons. They need to practice at home in order to progress, so there has to be some kind of investment on the front end.
Having grown up with an amazing grand piano in my childhood home, I am very partial to real pianos rather than keyboards — although obviously investing in a nice one may come much later!
I have found that decent upright pianos are sometimes a dime a dozen on Craigslist, Facebook Marketplace, and other used item sites. If you feel confident that you can move the piano safely to your home, you will only have the occasional expense of tuning it. One potential drawback of an upright piano, however, is that you cannot plug in headphones or adjust the volume!
If you’re looking to buy a keyboard, there are plenty of starter keyboards that could work for early lessons. Yamaha and Kawai are my two favorite brands, so I would start by perusing their selection.
One of the biggest factors in considering a type of keyboard is weighted versus non-weighted keys. Non-weighted keys are thin and feel “cheaper,” while weighted keys give you much more the feeling of a real piano. As you can imagine, you’ll pay significantly more for weighted keys, but if you plan to stick with the piano for the long term, I would say it would be worth it. Otherwise, you can purchase a cheaper keyboard with non-weighted keys. You also want to make sure that you have a pedal that connects to the keyboard, and finding a keyboard with a headphone jack is another bonus!
Do I have to know how to read music to help my child?
This is another question that truly depends on the student. Oftentimes, younger children (ages 5-8) need significant help practicing at home. So while it’s not necessarily required that the parent can read music, it is very helpful, especially if you’re starting your child young. However, if you have no musical knowledge or ability, don’t let that discourage you from starting your child in lessons!
Why should I put my child in piano lessons?
Oh, I am so glad you asked! Study after study has been done to show the cognitive and intellectual benefits of learning to play the piano, not to mention the development of hand-eye coordination, perseverance, discipline, and concentration. I love this quote:
Why Music?
1. Music is a Science
2. Music is Mathematical
3. Music is a Foreign Language
4. Music is History
5. Music is Physical Education
6. Music develops Insight and demands Research
7. Music is all of these things, but most of all Music is Art.That is why we teach music – not because we expect you to major in music, not because we expect you to play or sing all your life, but so you will be human, so you will recognize beauty, so you will have something to cling to, so you will have more love, more compassion, more gentleness, more good, in short, more LIFE.
R. Daniel Mooney
Is piano the best beginning instrument?
I also feel strongly that starting a child in piano lessons is ultimately more helpful than starting them on any instrument. Why?
- They learn both treble and bass clef. The vast majority of instruments only have to play on one clef. The violin, for example, plays in the treble clef (higher sounds), and the tuba plays on the bass clef (lower sounds). One of the huge benefits of piano is that a child learns both clefs, which will allow them to later choose any additional instrument if later, for example, they are part of a school band or orchestra.
- They can read multiple notes simultaneously. Several years ago, I taught two brothers who were strong musicians who had played saxophone and tuba in their high school band. While they had a good musical foundation, they found it difficult to put both hands together on the piano and play multiple notes in multiple clefs all at one time. If a child learns that skill early in piano lessons (usually in the first 1-2 months!), it will be so much easier to play other instruments later on.
What are the curriculum options?
In my opinion, there are three primary early piano curriculums that are the most well-known and long-proven:
Alfred’s Basic Piano Library
Bastien Piano Basics
Faber and Faber’s Piano Adventures
Which curriculum should I choose?
All three of these programs could be great for your child, although my favorite is Faber and Faber’s Piano Adventures. Here are some of my favorite characteristics of their program:
- The books are perfect for beginners of all ages. The Fabers have a set of books that will be tailor-made for all beginners. A 4-year-old beginning lessons can buy the book set for the young beginner. There is also a beginning book set that works well for students ages 6-10. They even offer a starting book for the older beginner (ages 11 and up). Each set perfectly draws upon the academic abilities of the particular age group.
- The books are aesthetically engaging. I have used too many piano books with hokey, black-and-white drawings, no color, and repetitive songs. Not so with Piano Adventures! The fun, colorful illustrations complement each song. I also think the graphic design is more engaging than most other piano curriculums.
- Their pedagogical method is second to none. The Fabers are extremely well-respected educators and also polished musicians. They are able to combine all of those skills into the methods behind these books. Each unit builds so well upon the last one that the student is able to make solid progress without even realizing they are rapidly improving.
That being said, you should still trust whatever curriculum your local teacher chooses for your child. I’ve heard wonderful things about Alfred, Bastien, and other programs as well! If you have an option, however, I would choose Faber and Faber.
Do you have more questions about putting your child in piano lessons? If so, please ask in the comments! I’d love to help.