What Is the Best Age to Start Music Lessons?

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What Is the Best Age to Start Music Lessons?

You’ve probably heard stories about how now-famous musicians started playing piano at age three or could skillfully play the guitar by the time they were 11 or 12. This may prompt parents to put their children into theater or band camps at a very young age with an “early bird gets the worm” mentality. But that’s not always the best course of action. So then that poses the question — what is the best age to start music lessons?

What You Shouldn’t Do

When it comes to exposing your child to music, you should want him or her to want to listen to or sing or play the song. If you force your children into learning music before they’re ready or before they want to, they could end up having a level of disdain for music and never be open to learning an instrument or singing.

The Best Ages to Start Music Lessons

When They’re Very Young

If you want to expose your child to music very early on, play some music around the house while they’re still in the womb. Once they’re born, continue playing music around them and do little interactive things like dance with them or sing to them.

When They’re Three

Now is typically when you can begin more formal music lessons. Teaching your child to identify rhythms, melodies, and even certain instruments can help develop his or her music skills. You can also sign them up for Mommy & Me or Music Fun Time classes.

When They’re Five

By this age, your child is usually able to handle real music lessons. However, the goal here is to continue to develop his or her understanding of music, not to discover a prodigy. You can start off with piano or violin lessons, as these are most common for young musicians, or even try the recorder or ukulele.

When They’re Ten

At around nine and ten, your child will have developed more skills as a musician and will have the necessary musical understanding and physical skill to begin learning larger, more advanced instruments like the saxophone or other brass instruments.

In short, the best age to start music lessons is different for all children, but you can help improve their skills as they grow up.

From innovative and proven early childhood music curriculums to formal music lessons for all ages, Grace Music School offers the best music education in Suffolk County. For more information about music lessons in Woodbury and Commack, call us at 631-239-6169 (Fort Salonga) or 631-470-9705 (Melville).

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