IS MY CHILD READY FOR PIANO LESSONS?
Each child is unique in their development and there are many kinds of intelligence and giftedness…so how the heck do you know if your precious young prodigy is ready for piano lessons?
Perhaps they exhibit an internal readiness or musical intuition and ambition…but are they really ready for the mental and physical mechanics of playing an instrument? You know…you’ve got a budding superstar who’s bound to become a the next Mozart, Chopin, Elton John, or YouTube Sensation…but first they’ve got to be able to press down the right keys with their cute little fingers.
As a general rule…we typically find that kids somewhere between 3 1/2 to 6yrs old can be ready to take piano lessons. There are always the exception to any rule…and we’re happy to talk with you about your child to see if a readiness evaluation may be a good first-step.
So here are some basic readiness assessments that can be helpful in determining if your child is ready to start taking piano lessons…
ACADEMIC READINESS:
- Can your child recite and recognize the letters A thru G…even if out of alphabetical sequence?
- Are they able to recognize and remember finger names and numbers? (ie: thumb, pinky, pointer)
- Can your kiddo count to 10?
- How are they with recognizing patterns?
PHYSICAL READINESS:
- Can your mini-me hold a writing implement?
- Where is your child in their development of fine motor skills/dexterity?
- How about isolating individual finger movements? Can they do this without resorting to one-finger key depression?
EMOTIONAL READINESS:
- Is your adorable cherub able to be engaged and stay relatively focus for a 30 minute piano lesson?
- Are they able to take direction and be respectful of the teacher and instrument throughout the lesson?
- Has this youngster been asking to take lessons or showing particular interest in music and/or musical instruments?
PARENT READINESS:
- Are you willing to commit to regular practice times at home?
- If your child is not a reader…or is a young reader…are you willing to sit with them during each practice time to go through their practice planner, answer questions and help encourage them and follow practice guidelines?
- Do you have a piano or keyboard? Or are you willing to invest in one to have at home for regular practice?
When you feel your kiddo is ready to give it a go…there are a couple options for lessons as you get started. We recommend weekly lessons to build on concepts through consistent reinforcement and offer two approaches to best serve a wide range of student learners. Check out each option below:
Weekly 30min Private One-On-One Piano Lessons
Weekly 1hr Group Piano Classes
We would love to answer any other questions you have. Don’t hesitate to ask…we’re all about taking this wonderful musical journey together!
