How to Know If Your Child is Ready for Piano Lessons

If you are a parent who has an appreciation for music and musicianship, you may be wondering how you will know when your child is ready to begin piano lessons. My husband and I experienced this recently when we noticed that our 3-year-old son had not only developed an interest in music, but also had great pitch. After reading up on the topic and discussing my observations with other people, I decided to start him in piano lessons. Here are some things to look for in your child before you start formal piano training:

1. He has a genuine interest in music. It is important to be sure that you do not want your child to begin learning the piano for your own gratification. Though all parents want their children to succeed, we must be sure that our children's interests are really their own, and not those that we are forcing on them. Making your child take piano lessons when he has no interest of his own is only setting you both up for failure. Your child will loathe lessons, practice, and perhaps even you for making him do something he didn't want to do.

2. He understands basic reading/music principles. Concepts such as faster and slower, going from left to right on a page, up and down, black keys vs. white keys, and knowing the alphabet all must be understood by your child. While I have heard of two-year-olds starting lessons, it seems more appropriate to wait until your child is 3 or 4 to ensure he will be able to comprehend and enjoy the ideas he is taught.

3. He has a reasonably long attention span. In order to learn the discipline of a musical instrument, a child must be able to concentrate for 15-30 minutes at a time. Some teachers of young students arrange shorter lessons for them, or alternate the work of learning the piano with fun musical activities. Either way, if your child cannot sit and look at a book or carry on a conversation with you for 15 consecutive minutes, he is probably not ready for lessons.

Here are some additional tips for ensuring your child's piano lessons are a success:

-Consider scheduling bi-monthly, rather than weekly, piano lessons. This will give more time for your child to make progress at home and will give him a greater sense of accomplishment when he plays for his teacher.

-Be dedicated to practicing with your child, rather than expecting him to practice on his own. As the parent of a young piano student, you must be even more dedicated to the task than he is. You must sit next to him, explain and review ideas with him, and most of all, praise his efforts.

-Find the right teacher. Look for a teacher who not only has experience with teaching young students, but also relates well to your child. Ask the teacher if he would be willing to do a trial lesson. Then, sit in to observe how he and your child interact.

- Watch your child's cues. If your child wants to quit practicing after only 5 or 10 minutes, encourage him to try a song or two more, but don't insist he make it the full 20 or 30 minutes. If you have practiced for 4 days straight and he does not want to practice the next day, don't make him. Again, forcing him to practice or continue in a lesson when he is genuinely disinterested could undermine your efforts. If your child persists in a phase of disinterestedness, don't be afraid to stop lessons for a period of time, even six months or a year, until his interest is renewed.

- Make it fun and encouraging. Create incentives for practicing. Often for young children just spending alone time with mom or dad practicing the piano is an incentive in itself. Sometimes offering a special activity or reward is appropriate. Above all, be sure you give your child praise no matter how well (or terribly) he plays. Being impatient or disgruntled with his ability will degrade his self-confidence and will lead to a bad experience for both of you.