How to Help a Child Learn to Play a Musical Instrument

Learning how to play a musical instrument is an important skill that will continue to benefit children throughout their lives. Because a child is most receptive to learning new skills while they are still young, it is best to begin music lessons at an early age.

However, it is also important for parents to know how to help teach their child to play their instrument in a way that will be the most efficient at meeting the unique needs of a child musician. For this reason, the following ideas are offered to help parents to begin introducing their child to a love of music in a way that will help to pave their way for success:

Choose the Right Instrument For a child to be successful in their endeavor to learn a new instrument, it is important to select one that will suit the child’s size and personal preferences. For example, a very young child may find that a large instrument, such as a tuba, is uncomfortable or unwieldy.

Therefore, it is important to spend some time allowing a child to try out different instruments in order to find one that fits their specific needs. Guitars tend to offer the most options for child musicians as they can be found in a variety of sizes and styles that range from acoustic to electric.

Teach Care and Maintenance Even a child’s instrument should be treated as an important investment as it can provide years of beautiful music when it has been properly maintained. Therefore, parents will want to encourage their child to learn how to take care of their instrument so that they can be self-sufficient.

Simple tasks such as cleaning, restringing a guitar and properly storing the instrument can be taught from the very beginning of music lessons. Additionally, it can be helpful to keep a few extra supplies on hand like the electric guitar strings at JustStrings.com. This way, a minor issue, such as a broken guitar string, does not have to stand in the way of practice.

Encourage Regular Practice Learning any new skill will require many hours of practice. This is especially true when a child is learning a new instrument. For this reason, parents will want to set up a regular time each day when the child will be expected to practice refining their skills. Additionally, it is important to provide a way to track progress such as by keeping a recording of a session each week.

Once a child has found their perfect instrument and learned how to maintain it, parents should remember to offer praise for their child’s efforts. By making music lessons a family affair, a child will be able to progress in their new skill while enjoying the support of their family.