How to Decide if a Child is Ready for Piano Lessons

The draw of banging on a piano is almost more than a young child can bear. As a parent, you may want to know if your child just likes being loud or if they are really ready for piano lessons. Here are some basic steps to look for in your child to determine if they might be ready for piano lessons.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Things You’ll Need:

• Access to piano or keyboard

1. Watch your child to see how much interest they actually show in the piano or keyboard. They should show a repeated desire to sit at the piano and play the keys.
2. Look to see if your child has developed their gross and fine motor skills. Usually around age three or four, a child has the motor skills necessary for beginner lessons.
3. Analyze your child's ability to focus on tasks. They should be able to focus on one thing for at least ten minutes.
4. View your child's comprehension skills. Even beginning piano lessons requires the learner to follow simple instructions and directions.
5. Teach your child colors and numbers. These are two basic concepts that are used in most beginning piano lessons.
6. Talk to your older child about the commitment to practice and not give up before they begin lessons with a private teacher. Let them know that not every aspect of learning to play the piano is easy and fun, but that it is well worth the effort.

Tips & Warnings

• There are many online beginning piano lessons for young children. This is a good place to start before seeking private lessons.
• Your child should lead the way in the process of learning to play the piano. Forcing them to play and practice can lead to a distaste for music and learning in general.