A Guide to Suitable Musical Instruments for Children

As a parent, you want to expose your children to as many interesting experiences as possible, and that includes exposure to music. Formal music lessons are a bad idea at a young age but listening to different types of music and creating noises and rhythm on simple instruments can be a lot of fun for the child. Unless a child shows a keen interest in a particular instrument, then it is best not to sign them up for music lessons until they are about 8 years old. Let them hear a variety of different styles of music and genres. Take them to live music experiences as often as you can.

In order to learn to play a musical instrument properly they will need to be able to recognise numbers and letters up to G. They will also need to be physically and mentally mature enough. For example, if a child is to play the trumpet or cornet, really they should wait until they have their second set of front teeth.

A popular children’s musical instrument is the recorder, it also provides a good introduction to other wind instruments. The recorder can also be played to a high standard and can sound good when played solo and a part of a group. Because it comes in a variety of sizes, there is a recorder suitable for all aged children.

Other wind instruments such as the trombone or clarinet are better suited to older children as they require a lot of effort to produce a sound. Strong lips and being able to produce a good “puff” is crucial. Generally, these types of instruments don’t come in smaller sizes and when they do (the piccolo or soprano saxophone, for example), they require a good level of skill and so are not really ideal for young children. Most children start with the cornet and progress to larger and more complicated instruments as they mature.

The piano can be played as soon as a child can reach the keys and have enough strength to press them down. Some children can handle a violin as early as age four, but most start the violin when they are six. Stringed instruments often come in smaller sizes, so children can start playing them at a young age. A number of stringed instruments can be one-eighth of the size of full sized instruments. The majority of guitars, for example, come in smaller sizes and are suitable for kids aged 8 and above.

Sometimes children and their parents forget that the singing voice is the perfect musical instrument. Children ought to be prompted to sing from a young age and have self-confidence in their own ability. Singing is a thing that all children can be concerned with and is a terrific group activity for school music sessions.

For a great selection of fun childrens musical instruments, visit the Djembe Drum Shop where you can view and buy products online.