Piano lessons for children. The best age to start.
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by: RachelBranston
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I have a lot of experience with a piano lessons course that is specially designed for young children. Although it includes keyboard skills it also uses a lot of singing and all round musical activity. One big problem is the problem of tiny hands that just cannot cope with independent finger movement. Six year olds are just better physically equipped for the keyboard.
It sounds obvious, but the difference between five and six is huge, not just in the size of the hand, but in the concentration levels, their ability to absorb information and their basic knowledge (for instance, what are the first seven letters of the alphabet?).
A lot also depends on the course that is being offered. When I teach little ones, they are in a group situation and their parents are encouraged to sit by them. This means that I can demonstrate from the front and parents can guide their children's hands into place. I can then move round just to check that they're all correctly placed, which saves time.
Lessons for little ones need to be fast and flexible. They should incorporate singing, perhaps even dancing to allow the children freedom of expression and a variety of different concepts. Even most adults have relatively short attention spans if the work is pretty intense and playing the piano is very, very intense.
It is not just physical skill that is limited in the very young but piano lessons require more analysis and intake of information than most can cope with. Remember you are asking a child to think in two languages at the same time, use their hands independently and all with expression and feeling. Quite a task for anyone.
It is perhaps all the more amazing then that a six year old with limited skills in English can still make a success of learning the piano. There are lots of young children who manage it very well 'though. Seeing a small child looking at ease, sitting well and enjoying playing is a wonderful sight.
To summarise, therefore, I would say that, on average, seven would be the ideal time to start to play the piano. The child is old enough and physically big enough to cope with the academic work and the size of the keys on the instrument but a keen, musical six year old from a supportive family would probably be far more successful than a sullen eleven year old who is being pushed into learning by eager parents.
Every child is different and every teacher is different. Don't despair if things don't turn out right on the first attempt. Once you achieve the right formula, you and your child will experience the joy and overall benefits that good musical tuition will give.
About the Author
Rachel Branston has designed an effective dvd course to teach piano to all ages. Pick up her free introductory piano lessons for beginners and find everything you need to know about learning to play piano at http://www.playyourpiano.com .
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