Is it ever ‘too soon’ for a child to start learning a musical instrument?
You’ll know from reading our previous blog posts that learning music from an early age can have a profound effect on a child’s development across the board. So, is it ever too soon for a child to learn a musical instrument?
In short, yes. Most musical instruments require strong fine motor skills which are not normally acquired until later in childhood. Learning a musical instrument is a very demanding feat for children, and even for adults. It involves learning a number of theory concepts, as well as having the fine motor agility and physical strength to be able to apply this knowledge to the instrument itself.
So, what is the right age to start learning a musical instrument?
Elements of music can be grasped pre-birth. Parental singing has been shown to be extremely beneficial for children’s later musical development, as well as to their socio-emotional skills. Fundamentally, listening to and talking about music will give necessary awareness of musical concepts from a very early age, however it is not normally until around age 5 to 7 that children will be able to apply this to a musical instrument.
Are there any instruments that can be learned from an earlier age?
Soundbops has been specifically designed for children from the age of 3 and up. It works well for little hands as sound is produced my pressing a button, rather than holding a string position or pressing a heavy piano key. Children can play Soundbops before they have fully motor skills, making it an invaluable first step in a child’s musical journey.
Images: Kelli McClintock, Unsplash.