There are endless benefits that come with giving your kids the opportunity to learn an instrument. These include improving your child’s hand-eye coordination, developing their sensory and cognitive abilities and, most importantly, having fun with you and the rest of the family!

If you’re interested in getting your kids started on their own amazing musical adventure, it’s only natural that your first question is going to be what instrument is going to be best for helping them get their best foot forward. In this article, this is exactly what we’re going to be exploring.

Guitar

Perhaps one of the most renowned instruments from the musical world, a guitar is the ideal first instrument, especially if your child is 8 or above. Guitars make the perfect companion because it only uses their hands and there are so many different skill levels available on a single instrument.

This means your child can start simple, either learning chords or following sheet music, before moving onto more complex songs and rhythms. Instead of buying a full-sized guitar at first, it’s recommended that you go for a smaller guitar for kids up to 12 years of age.

Drum Kit

Some parents will love this; some will hate it. While a drum kit is a fantastic instrument for your children to learn to play since it helps to improve their hand-eye coordination and sense of balance, you may not want to hear the house full of bangs and crashes.

A drum kit is the ideal first instrument for older children, around the age of 12 and above, simply because a kit requires both your hands and feet to play.

Violin

If you’re looking for an instrument that your younger children (around the ages of 5 or 6) can play and enjoy, a violin is your best bet. This is because out of all the stringed instruments, a violin is the smallest and therefore the most manageable, especially when compared to much larger strings, like cellos or bass.

Ukulele

The smaller relative to a guitar, a ukulele may be the pitch-perfect pal for your kids. Perfectly suited for children aged five and above, ukuleles are still a popular instrument among adults of all ages.

With a much smaller body that’s easier for your child to hold and only four strings compared to the traditional six, the self-confidence and feelings of accomplishment your child can receive from playing this instrument is ideal for their development.

Flute

Of course, a child’s instrument list wouldn’t be complete without a mention of the classic flute. Suitable for children as young as three, this simple yet harmonious woodwind instrument is easy to hold and can produce a gorgeous sound that will resonate with you, your child and the rest of your house.

There is plenty of child-friendly material out there for you to source and experiment with until you find the perfect style of music that your child adores playing.

Summary

As you can see, there are so many great instruments out there for your child to learn to play. Make sure that you involve your child in the buying process and really encourage them to make their own decisions and you’ll start seeing the benefits – and a huge smile on their face – from the moment they pick it up!

About the Author:
Gavin Whitner is a passionate musician and also the lead editor of MusicOomph, where he writes about music when he’s not playing the guitar with his alt-rock band.