When Should You Start Piano Lessons?
One of the most common questions we get as music educators is, “When should our child start piano lessons?” Honestly, it really depends on your kiddo. The old school answer is between 6-8 years old. Our answer is, “Whenever your little one is showing interest in music!” And we go from there.Truly, there’s no cut and dry answer to when to start piano lessons, but there are a few ways you can tell when it’s time to call us.
5 signs it’s time to find a teacher!
Does your little one know the alphabet, specifically the first seven letters? The musical alphabet is A-B-C-D-E-F-G. It’s really helpful if they can recognize these letters. They’ll also get lots of practice and help writing them, too!
Can your child count to five?With really young beginners (age 4-5), we focus on counting to four. But, we count to five a lot because we have five fingers, and we’ll work a lot on remembering which fingers to use and when.
Can your tiny tuner focus and pay attention for 30 minutes?Yes? Awesome! No? Also awesome! We don’t expect them to. Whileall of our beginner lessons are 30 minutes long, we mix up our time with off the bench games, technology based games, worksheets, and practical playing time.
Does your kiddo love music? Children who have expressed an interest in playing piano are more likely to be motivated to practice. Or at the very least, be motivated to have fun learning piano!
Can your child follow basic instructions?Your kiddo needs to be able to follow simple instructions during our lesson time and be able to understand what we’re assigning for homework. Don’t worry, we’ll explain it to you, too!
Parents need to be ready too!
Here’s the deal: having a kiddo ready for piano lessons and having a family ready to support that endeavor are two VERY. DIFFERENT. THINGS. Really. Making the decision to start piano lessons is a big deal. Of course, we have fun. Of course, they’re gonna learn to play piano or sing. But we need your help at home! We see them 30 minutes a week, think about that. It’s the blink of an eye compared to how much time they spend doing other “stuff”. So, we rely heavily on YOU for their success after they say goodbye to PennyLane and leave our studio. Here are some questions you need to answer to assess your readiness:
Are you willing/able to help your mini musician practice? The “littles” (ages 4-6) will need help reading instructions, placing fingers, counting, and encouragement. We’re not asking for 30 minutes a day at the piano, we’re asking for 5-10. Make it part of the daily routine, and life gets a lots easier.
Do you own an appropriate instrument? We don’t require an acoustic piano for lessons, but we do expect that you have something at home with black and white keys. If you don’t have at least a keyboard at home, you’ll be required to purchase one before we start lessons. It’s overwhelming; we’ll help you.
Are you prepared for the cost and time commitment? Yes, piano lessons at our studio are more fun than a barrel of monkeys, and your family will love being a part of our family. However, you’re making a commitment to your child’s education and growth as a tiny human, so we want you know that this is a long term investment in time, money, and resources that is well worth it. Learning to play piano is a life skill, that teaches perseverance, discipline, work ethic, and confidence!
What’s Next?
You’ve answered the questions. You’re excited as a family. Your mini Mozart is stoked to start piano lessons. What’s left is for you to schedule a discovery call . We’ll schedule a trial lesson, give you a studio tour, and your family can meet our family. What are you waiting for?