Perfect Age for Piano Lessons
PIANO LESSONS FOR CHILDREN?
Many music educators recommend ages 6-8 as an ideal time to start learning musical instruments. There are developmental reasons to wait at this age as children are more capable of handling structured, formal educational settings. Moving fingers in coordination at an independent manner also increases fine motor skills during this period of life.
However, it is perfectly fine to start learning piano at an earlier age. With Klassik Arts’s customized teaching, students as young as 4 years old have been proven to excel in our music program.
WHY SO EARLY YOU ASK?
Why have piano lessons for young children in the first place? Well, this is the age when learning really accelerates and children’s curiosity peaks. From ages 4-5, children transform themselves by absorbing their environments and interacting with them. They join classrooms in their daycare or preschool and take part in both structured and casual social settings. They have a voracious appetite for knowledge fueled by curiosity. They would go around the house wanting to know every little thing their older family members are doing. With music, this is especially true when an older sibling or other family member is already playing piano.
Seize the moment and take advantage of the budding curiosity!
TEACHING STRATEGY FOR YOUNG PIANO STUDENTS
Strict lesson regimes might be too intense for very young children. We recommend an informal approach to learning which can be highly beneficial in both preparing your child’s lessons and setting him/her for a meaningful relationship with music.
This is where our instructors at Klassik Arts comes in. Our instructors are both professional, knowledgeable, and caring; a perfect combination of traits for teaching young children. Here are four ways to work with us at Klassik Arts in advancing your child’s musical journey:
Let the child be the guide. If he or she does not master a seemingly simple concept and stalls or repeats the concept, give them some time. It is how they learn!
Avoid putting pressure on your child to practice and/or perform. Some sort of structure is indeed helpful such as “music time” during the day, but do refrain from the classic “sit down for twenty minutes of piano.” Too much enforced structure in learning leads to resentment and makes children resist learning in general. Do treat “piano time” exactly like any arts and craft time- a fun activity which happens to incorporate learning.
Take an active role as a partner in your child’s piano learning! If you can, try to be there as much as you can during their practice sessions. Be an attentive audience and compliment their efforts and successful performances. By taking on an active role and being an attentive audience, you are setting an example of having an inquisitive and joyful attitude towards learning. You are also showing that their piano learning is very important to you.
Keep at-home “piano time” short. Attention spans at an early age vary, and it is natural for a child’s attention to wander. Instead of fighting this tendency, work with it. “Piano Time” at home might look something like this:
Watch our learning material at our Klassik Arts YouTube Channel
Try playing an assignment once or twice
Play a little game such as finger number game or what kind of note game.
Come back to the piano and try playing the assignment one last time