What is the best age to start piano lessons? Piano Lessons for Kids under 7 years old

So what is the best age to start piano lessons?

That is a great question and is one that we usually answer at our studios weekly or even daily.

Let's start with a simple answer: first grade or seven years old is a great age to get started on piano lessons!

So how can you decide if your child is ready for piano lessons, especially if they are younger than 7? We understand that all students have unique abilities, so here are a few guidelines that might give you a better idea of what to look for in your child to decide if they are ready for lessons.

What is the minimum age that my child can begin piano lessons?

At The Hit, the minimum age for our private piano lessons is normally five years old.

The piano is a very visual instrument with a fairly straight-forward approach to sound production. The beginning of piano playing usually requires our hands to be steady, which allows us to concentrate our attention on the basic motion of pressing one key at a time.

Students younger than first grade age tend to have a harder time keeping their hands in one position, making the learning process for piano significantly slower. This is a vital skill, especially for the beginning stages of learning how to play the piano.

 Check if your child can keep their hands in one position for multiple minutes at a time by labeling their piano and asking them to match the fingers for each key. We have a video on our YouTube channel that describes this process. Search our Youtube Channel for "How to label a piano for a beginner."

Another important consideration is that younger students, especially in kindergarten, are used to shorter time spans (10 to 15 minutes maximum) for an activity, potentially making most of our lessons feel overwhelming.

Since our private lessons are a minimum of 30 minutes in length, an added benefit to waiting until the child is between the ages of six to seven is that they will already be familiar with a class time length and a structured type of learning similar to our piano lessons. The experiences they have received in kindergarten and first grade will give them the necessary skills to help them learn to play the piano productively in this setting.

But wait! My child is four or just turned five and loves music. Can they start then?

Yes! We believe that all children are different, and for us at The Hit, we truly care about making the process of learning an instrument enjoyable regardless of age.

While some students can be successful at taking piano lessons as early as four years old, they tend to be the exception. To help parents make the best decision for their child, we like to offer our clients a free trial lesson, especially for students younger than six. This introductory class allows us to meet the child and do some specific tests to check their ability to keep up with the material covered in our level books.

But I have two kids, and I don't want to leave my youngest child without lessons!

Yes, we hear this a lot and totally understand it but keep this in mind!

Younger students will likely take two to three times longer to cover the same material as their older siblings, which can sometimes make them feel inadequate. While we are always excited to help multiple members in the same family develop their love for music, we do believe expectations need to be managed to make the experience of learning piano pleasant, especially for the younger child. Ultimately, every child will differ, and it is important to keep that in mind! At The Hit Music Studio, we strive to reach every student in their learning process and want to make it a great experience for all.

At any age, piano lessons can be a productive experience. Regardless of your child being four, five, or six years old, we believe that with the guidance of our professional instructors, your student will have a productive and healthy beginning to their musical journey!

Give us a call today to get started!