Is Your Child Ready For Music Lessons?

by Susan Pascale

There are good reasons to teach musical instruments to preschoolers, but there are also pitfalls. Here's how to ensure that your child's introduction to music is fun so they keep coming back for more.

What's the best age to begin music lessons? Parents ask me all the time. They've read the research pointing to the benefits of musical training from a young age. They know that playing an instrument not only enriches the brain and improves grades and test scores, but also builds self-discipline, poise and self-esteem. They're eager for their children to begin, whether piano, violin, or guitar lessons.

I believe in starting lessons young – preschool age, for many – to help ensure lifelong benefits. Starting young also means a better shot at becoming a highly accomplished musician, if that's where a child's interests take him - but not TOO young.

Here's what I have learned about launching young children successfully into the world of music:

1. Enrich The Babies. I have met very few children under three who are ready for instrument lessons. There are better ways to involve toddlers. Bring them to hear live music. If you ever played an instrument, dust it off and start playing again, in front of them. And, simple toy instruments, like keyboards, are ideal - kids love pressing buttons.

2. There Is A Magic Age. Some people say 5, or even 7. I think it's about 3. For many children, 3 is when they can begin to focus for more than a few minutes - especially if the instrument is a piano.

3. Check Their Attention Span. If your child can sit for 20 minutes and concentrate on a task - a puzzle, a shape sorter, etc. - that child is probably ready. (If he doesn't sit still for more than 20 seconds, don't despair - he'll get there later!)

4. Start With Piano. Violins are made in baby sizes, but the truth is that stringed instruments are very difficult for most children under 4. Piano is so much better. The children can sit comfortably. There's a color palette in front of them - the first thing they do is locate the black and white keys. They can focus on listening for high and low tones, and noticing the differences – good for basic ear training. And, there's gratification from the beginning: Press the key and it sounds good!

There's even scholarly research backing the benefits of piano lessons. In 1996, a University of California team found that preschoolers who took piano lessons showed far greater improvements in spatial reasoning (which relates to mathematical and scientific intelligence) than preschoolers who took singing lessons, computer lessons, or no lessons. (Neurological Research, 1996).

5. Make It Social. Most preschoolers are very social. Our KinderPiano(R) classes are like a great big playgroup, with the piano as the focus. Children can't wait to see their friends. If there are no classes like this in your area, consider finding another preschooler or two to join your child in her beginner's lesson.

6. Do Your Homework. Look for a teacher with experience teaching preschoolers, and get at least three recommendations. Meet the teacher in advance and tour the facility (whether it's a music school or the instructor's house.) The advantage of a music school: they may have several teachers. Make sure they'll let you switch teachers if your first one doesn't work out.

7. Recitals Are Good. They don't scare children the way they scare you. Most preschoolers love to perform for their family and friends. They shop for a special outfit; they even buy new shoes! Our recitals are always followed by a reception, which we call a "party," The kids run around, eat cookies and carrots, accept congratulations, and feel great about themselves! It's all good!

8. Keep Rewards Flying. Children are very goal-oriented, so we hand out a LOT of prizes to the little ones. When a child gets antsy, we say, "If you can play these three measures, we'll give you a sticker." It works like a miracle! It's a small price to pay for a lifetime of benefits.

9. Got Five Minutes A Day? While lessons require a child to focus for 20 to 45 minutes, feel free to set the bar lower for home practice. If your 4-year-old can only put in five minutes, that's great. She'll go longer as she gets older. Consistency is FAR more important than length of time.

10. Create a Routine. Pick a regular place and time of day. For some, that's morning. Others prefer bedtime. They start to put their kids to bed (early, of course), and then say, "Whoops, we forgot to practice! Do you want to go to bed now, or to stay up to practice?" Children choose practice every time.

11. Break The Routine. Some nights, I might create an audience for my 6-year-old daughter (a beginning cellist) with all her favorite stuffed animals. Another night, I invite her to serenade me in the kitchen while I cook. We have "backwards" night where she does the measures in reverse order. I have at least a hundred tricks like this, and make up more on the spot. The wackier, the better.

12. Do Not Buy The Instrument. When parents come to the first lesson having just bought the instrument, it's practically a guarantee that the kids will fail. It's simple psychology: Parents feel they made this big investment, so their kid had better follow through. That's too much pressure. If you don't already own the instrument, rent or borrow one. Minimizing your investment will help you achieve the right, relaxed attitude.

13. Be Positive. Let's be real: They're going to sound lousy in the beginning. Always see the bright side. Praise them for trying, for practicing, for their improvement. Kids thrive on approval. It will motivate them to keep going.

14. Give It Five Weeks. Some music schools require a three-month commitment. I think that's way too long for a preschooler. We've found that five weeks is ideal for our youngest. After five sessions, parents understand exactly what's required to keep a child learning an instrument, and the child does, too.

Now Take This Quiz:

After the first five weeks, ask yourself:

- Did your child learn something?

- Will he practice for at least a few minutes a day?

- How did YOU do? Can you handle the investment of time and energy?

If you answered "yes" to at least two of these questions, keep going. Most of our preschool students do move on to private lessons. Or, if they're old enough (4 or older) some switch to a stringed instrument. The piano lessons help enormously when they face the increased complexity of the violin, cello or guitar.

No worries if your child isn't ready to continue - you have not wasted your investment. Everything they learned in those first five weeks will still be there when they return to music, whether in 3 months or 3 years. It's like riding a bicycle.

Playing an instrument enriches children's lives. The sooner you start them on their musical journey - in a positive, happy, developmentally appropriate way - the better.

(c) 2008, Susan Pascale, All Rights Reserved.

Susan Pascale is founder and director of the Los-Angeles-based South Pasadena Strings Program, a nationally acclaimed program which teaches piano, violin, viola, cello, bass, guitar, and voice to preschoolers through adults. Her children's orchestras have been featured in many national magazines and newspapers, as well as MSNBC, KABC, KNBC, KTLA, and in 2005, her youth orchestra was invited to play at Carnegie Hall.

For more information on this and other programs, please email music@familymagazinegroup.com.