Can Preschoolers Learn To Play The Piano?
Starting a child’s music education early.
Many piano teachers and parents have different ideas of when is the right age to start a child in piano lessons. With many years of teaching piano and having taught a very large range of ages, I believe that starting a child young is possible and starts them off to having music being very natural for them. Children who started taking piano lessons at 3 or 4 years old have a benefit of developing a natural ear for music, pitches and tones. I have personally had many young children excel and become amazing pianists who started their piano education at 3 and 4 years old.
How do I know if my child is ready to learn to play the piano?
Every child develops at a different pace some children are ready at 3 years old and others maybe 4 years old. You will be able to tell if your child is ready to learn how to play the piano if they are able to do the following:
If they are able to sit for a 30 min activity.
If they are able to follow directions.
Recognizing numbers 1-5.
If your 3 year old is already able to do all of the above they will be able to sit through a piano lesson and absorb what they are being taught.
What should be my expectations?
Teaching preschoolers how to play the piano does require more of both teacher and parent. Children will need their parents to sit with them during their practice times during the week. Although your child will be growing in music and benefiting in a great many ways, they will be learning at a pace to suit their age and needs. They will not be learning at as fast of a pace as a 6 or 7 year old would, but they will be at a significantly more excelled level by the time they reach 6 or 7 years old. Even at this young age your child should be learning music theory and developing their technique.
What are the benefits of starting my preschooler in piano lessons?
Besides the fact that learning to play music in itself is a great skill to possess, learning to play the piano has many good mental, emotional and physical side effects as well. Here are some of the benefits of learning to play the piano:
Your child will be developing their fine motor skills.
It will also be developing coordination.
Your child will be increasing their attention/focus span.
Playing the piano causes one to use multiple parts of the brain at one time.
It will help your child learn to play other instruments at a faster rate.
It boosts your child’s positive self-esteem.
Learning to play the piano at a young age develops a good ear.
Finding a piano teacher that teaches preschoolers and toddlers.
Although not all piano teachers will teach preschoolers to play the piano, it is important when enrolling your child in piano lessons that you find one that has experience with working with young children.
Teaching a preschooler to play the piano requires less expectation of the effort of what the child can do and more patience of the piano teacher. You will also be using teaching methods that are meant for younger children learning at a slower pace, so that they are able to comprehend and retain what they are learning. My belief is also that no matter what the age, all people learn best in a patient and fun atmosphere, without the feeling of pressure and judgment.
Continued piano education.
Starting your children young with piano lessons is an amazing gift. You will find that having a great piano education throughout their childhood they will not only become talented pianists, but that music is easy for them. Many children who start young with the piano, also become interested in learning multiple instruments, and pick up those instruments more easily than a person with no prior music experience or very little.
