I frequently get asked at what age a child should start getting formal music lessons.
My go to general answer is 5 years old, but I have had success with a few kiddos starting as early as 2 1/2 and 3 years old.
Each child is unique so I like to do a trial lesson if I’m starting a child under the age of 5. Lessons are usually structured a bit differently then a typical lesson for older children in hopes that the child will focus for most of their 30 minute lesson. On top of getting familiar with the keyboard and learning the notes I play lots of rhythm, pitch and dynamic games. We also makeup songs and even do a bit of coloring to make up the entire 30 min. Having a child start early sets them up with a strong foundation musically. As they can take it more seriously later many things will come easier because they have been exposed early on. In my opinion the earlier a child can be introduced to an instrument the better!
~Mary Bellah
