START IT RIGHT!: DETERMINING THE BEST AGE TO ENGAGE A CHILD WITH THE PIANO
By: Kelley Wong
What is a good age to start a child on piano lessons? As a piano teacher, parents often ask me that question. That can sometimes be a tricky question to answer, because every child is different, with different abilities. Piano teachers also accept students at different ages based on their own music philosophy, and the teaching curricula and methods they subscribe to. That could potentially make for an even more difficult decision whether to enroll your child in lessons.
Piano lessons are very involved, and require specific skills and capabilities. Not only does piano require sufficiently developed fine motor skills and finger strength, the majority of piano lessons are one-to-one lessons and that requires special consideration. Lessons also require patience, ability and desire to follow direction and some degree of independence to be able to participate without parental participation.
It’s inevitable that most younger children will have difficulty staying ‘tuned-in’ for a prolonged period of time, and that’s precisely what piano lessons require of students. But can you blame them, when the average attention span of a teenager/adult is only 20 minutes? That’s shorter than the length of most piano lessons! So, the key here is determining what age is the most appropriate to maximize interest, attention, and physical abilities for technical mastery.
Having taught piano for almost 20 years, having worked in the public school system, and having a young child of my own, I certainly see the immense benefit of music participation (or education) for all ages. But, participation need not always be formal lessons. My general advice to parents who ask me when to start their child on lessons is based on my own insights and observations, and a rough guideline based on age (but not exclusively, since age and readiness for piano lessons do not always go hand-in-hand).
3 & 4 Year Olds
Parents who have 3 or 4 year olds often ask me whether their child is ready to start lessons, or if I’d take them on as students. I’m never surprised to hear this. We often hear of a friend’s child – or anecdotally, some child somewhere – start piano lessons at age 3 or 4, so it’s natural to wonder if one’s own 3 year old is ready. Moreover, as mentioned prior, some teachers actually accept students that young, so that must mean children in this age range are capable of beginning lessons…Right? That’s not always necessarily the case.
3 or 4 year olds are old enough to assert some independence, have some developed motor skills, and many successfully function without their parents in daycare, preschool, or other group lessons/activities. They may show interest in playing with a piano when they encounter one. This may seem to lay good groundwork for piano lessons, but not all 3 or 4 year olds have the same readiness-level for lessons.
A key aspect to consider is that piano lessons are one-to-one lessons. Although children in this age range may participate and thrive in other lessons, parents should consider whether they do so because they are participating with a parent (as in the case of parent-tot classes) or because of the opportunities to socialize and ‘play’ with their peers (as in the case of group activities). In many cases, it’s the social and group interaction that keep children continually engaged and focused. Seeing other children engaged is an impetus to also engage. Piano lessons require not only engaging in an environment with just one adult (the teacher), but requires a degree of maturity, focus, and independence to maintain that connection throughout the duration of a lesson. That’s not always an easy task for young children.
What about group piano lessons? It’s true that group piano lessons are a viable option for children to start learning piano, but it can be argued that this method of delivering piano instruction doesn’t always offer the same quality learning outcomes as private lessons. Although group lessons offer a child a fun environment to tickle the ivories, it focuses on group learning, which doesn’t always translate into acquiring and reinforcing the techniques required for the fine motor skills like finger dexterity to play music. After all, it is inevitably challenging for one teacher to be by every student’s side to observe and assess how they play or read notes in a group setting.
Just keep your expectations realistic. The goal of group piano lessons may be more so social engagement with piano as a backdrop and development of some general music appreciation and introduction to some aptitudes such as rhythym, pitch, and listening. Group lessons is sort of like playschool is to school.”
Group piano lessons can also be expensive, for what they are. Consider this in the context the amount you pay, for the amount you get in terms of learning outcomes. For 3 or 4 year olds, I always tell parents that a generalized music class – one that teaches song, rhythm, different instrument exploration, hearing pitch, dance, etc – (i.e. through a Community Centre) is an excellent, cost effective, way to introduce a child to the basics of music while fostering interest in a fun group environment. Securing these basics will be a great asset for when they are ready for formal piano lessons.
5 & 6 Year Olds
I usually advocate that 5 and 6 year olds are the perfect age to get started with piano lessons. I say this for a few reasons: (1) They have started school, usually full day kindergarten if not Grade 1; (2) They have developed the understanding of social contracts through engaging with a teacher (and students) in a formal/structured classroom or learning setting; (3) They are usually further along in their emotional and intellectual maturity; and (4) They are usually better equipped to engage and learn, for a longer duration, in a one-to-one setting.
Some may wonder about the difference that a year or 2 makes – age 4 versus age 5 – in maturity and ability to sit through a lesson. I can say, through experience, that 1 or 2 years can sometimes be a big difference. As a teacher, I wouldn’t necessarily expect that a 5 year old easily sit through a 30 minute lesson, but I would expect that a 5 year old be better equipped to do so than a 3 year old. Lessons for children are often broken into manageable tasks, alternating between hands-on piano playing, learning some theory, and integrating some music games. The bulk of the lesson, however, is focused on playing because a child of this age will likely be more able to sit, engaged, at the piano for a longer time.
This is the perfect age to capitalize on the initial interest in music and further hone that interest into a specific instrument. Or, it’s a great age to expose children to the piano and help them to develop an interest. It’s important to carefully consider what age to start a child on piano lessons. Many a times, I’ve seen children started too early (when they are not ready) resulting in a bad experience that consequently quashed any future interest. That’s precisely what we don’t want. Instead, we want to engage children at an age where they are set up for success, where their curiosity is ripe to create music, and when they can feel a combination of ongoing success along with a readiness to accept and persist with new challenges.
It’s sometimes hard to say exactly what age is best to enroll a child in piano lessons. Even with nearly 20 years of teaching experience, I still make sure to ask prospective parents questions about their child, and go through an interview process. This allows me to get to know the child a bit – their personalities, disposition, interests and activities – and to do a simple assessment at the piano in order to get a fuller picture as to readiness for lessons. Every child is different. I’ve worked with 6 year olds who are less ready than that of a mature but younger child, so assessing readiness and personal capabilities is important. My advice to parents who ask me the very question at the start of this article is, keep your child interested through varied musical exposure, activities, and conversation, and grow that interest until they are ready for formal piano lessons. Timing is key. Working with a piano teacher is a great way to help a child develop a love for piano, one that hopefully will turn into a lifelong engagement and appreciation for music.
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By: Kelley Wong
What is a good age to start a child on piano lessons? As a piano teacher, parents often ask me that question. That can sometimes be a tricky question to answer, because every child is different, with different abilities. Piano teachers also accept students at different ages based on their own music philosophy, and the teaching curricula and methods they subscribe to. That could potentially make for an even more difficult decision whether to enroll your child in lessons.
Piano lessons are very involved, and require specific skills and capabilities. Not only does piano require sufficiently developed fine motor skills and finger strength, the majority of piano lessons are one-to-one lessons and that requires special consideration. Lessons also require patience, ability and desire to follow direction and some degree of independence to be able to participate without parental participation.
It’s inevitable that most younger children will have difficulty staying ‘tuned-in’ for a prolonged period of time, and that’s precisely what piano lessons require of students. But can you blame them, when the average attention span of a teenager/adult is only 20 minutes? That’s shorter than the length of most piano lessons! So, the key here is determining what age is the most appropriate to maximize interest, attention, and physical abilities for technical mastery.
Having taught piano for almost 20 years, having worked in the public school system, and having a young child of my own, I certainly see the immense benefit of music participation (or education) for all ages. But, participation need not always be formal lessons. My general advice to parents who ask me when to start their child on lessons is based on my own insights and observations, and a rough guideline based on age (but not exclusively, since age and readiness for piano lessons do not always go hand-in-hand).
3 & 4 Year Olds
Parents who have 3 or 4 year olds often ask me whether their child is ready to start lessons, or if I’d take them on as students. I’m never surprised to hear this. We often hear of a friend’s child – or anecdotally, some child somewhere – start piano lessons at age 3 or 4, so it’s natural to wonder if one’s own 3 year old is ready. Moreover, as mentioned prior, some teachers actually accept students that young, so that must mean children in this age range are capable of beginning lessons…Right? That’s not always necessarily the case.
3 or 4 year olds are old enough to assert some independence, have some developed motor skills, and many successfully function without their parents in daycare, preschool, or other group lessons/activities. They may show interest in playing with a piano when they encounter one. This may seem to lay good groundwork for piano lessons, but not all 3 or 4 year olds have the same readiness-level for lessons.
A key aspect to consider is that piano lessons are one-to-one lessons. Although children in this age range may participate and thrive in other lessons, parents should consider whether they do so because they are participating with a parent (as in the case of parent-tot classes) or because of the opportunities to socialize and ‘play’ with their peers (as in the case of group activities). In many cases, it’s the social and group interaction that keep children continually engaged and focused. Seeing other children engaged is an impetus to also engage. Piano lessons require not only engaging in an environment with just one adult (the teacher), but requires a degree of maturity, focus, and independence to maintain that connection throughout the duration of a lesson. That’s not always an easy task for young children.
What about group piano lessons? It’s true that group piano lessons are a viable option for children to start learning piano, but it can be argued that this method of delivering piano instruction doesn’t always offer the same quality learning outcomes as private lessons. Although group lessons offer a child a fun environment to tickle the ivories, it focuses on group learning, which doesn’t always translate into acquiring and reinforcing the techniques required for the fine motor skills like finger dexterity to play music. After all, it is inevitably challenging for one teacher to be by every student’s side to observe and assess how they play or read notes in a group setting.
Just keep your expectations realistic. The goal of group piano lessons may be more so social engagement with piano as a backdrop and development of some general music appreciation and introduction to some aptitudes such as rhythym, pitch, and listening. Group lessons is sort of like playschool is to school.”
Group piano lessons can also be expensive, for what they are. Consider this in the context the amount you pay, for the amount you get in terms of learning outcomes. For 3 or 4 year olds, I always tell parents that a generalized music class – one that teaches song, rhythm, different instrument exploration, hearing pitch, dance, etc – (i.e. through a Community Centre) is an excellent, cost effective, way to introduce a child to the basics of music while fostering interest in a fun group environment. Securing these basics will be a great asset for when they are ready for formal piano lessons.
5 & 6 Year Olds
I usually advocate that 5 and 6 year olds are the perfect age to get started with piano lessons. I say this for a few reasons: (1) They have started school, usually full day kindergarten if not Grade 1; (2) They have developed the understanding of social contracts through engaging with a teacher (and students) in a formal/structured classroom or learning setting; (3) They are usually further along in their emotional and intellectual maturity; and (4) They are usually better equipped to engage and learn, for a longer duration, in a one-to-one setting.
Some may wonder about the difference that a year or 2 makes – age 4 versus age 5 – in maturity and ability to sit through a lesson. I can say, through experience, that 1 or 2 years can sometimes be a big difference. As a teacher, I wouldn’t necessarily expect that a 5 year old easily sit through a 30 minute lesson, but I would expect that a 5 year old be better equipped to do so than a 3 year old. Lessons for children are often broken into manageable tasks, alternating between hands-on piano playing, learning some theory, and integrating some music games. The bulk of the lesson, however, is focused on playing because a child of this age will likely be more able to sit, engaged, at the piano for a longer time.
This is the perfect age to capitalize on the initial interest in music and further hone that interest into a specific instrument. Or, it’s a great age to expose children to the piano and help them to develop an interest. It’s important to carefully consider what age to start a child on piano lessons. Many a times, I’ve seen children started too early (when they are not ready) resulting in a bad experience that consequently quashed any future interest. That’s precisely what we don’t want. Instead, we want to engage children at an age where they are set up for success, where their curiosity is ripe to create music, and when they can feel a combination of ongoing success along with a readiness to accept and persist with new challenges.
It’s sometimes hard to say exactly what age is best to enroll a child in piano lessons. Even with nearly 20 years of teaching experience, I still make sure to ask prospective parents questions about their child, and go through an interview process. This allows me to get to know the child a bit – their personalities, disposition, interests and activities – and to do a simple assessment at the piano in order to get a fuller picture as to readiness for lessons. Every child is different. I’ve worked with 6 year olds who are less ready than that of a mature but younger child, so assessing readiness and personal capabilities is important. My advice to parents who ask me the very question at the start of this article is, keep your child interested through varied musical exposure, activities, and conversation, and grow that interest until they are ready for formal piano lessons. Timing is key. Working with a piano teacher is a great way to help a child develop a love for piano, one that hopefully will turn into a lifelong engagement and appreciation for music.
Vancouver piano teacher, Vancouver piano lessons, Vancouver piano lessons for kids, Coquitlam piano teacher, Coquitlam piano lessons