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When should you start piano lessons for children?

I am often asked by parents of young children what is the best age to begin piano lessons. Well, although I have seen children as young as four start to learn to play piano it is a tall order for most so young to cope with the physical and mental demands.

I specialise in a course designed for very small children which uses a lot of singing and all round musical tuition, but there are the physical hold ups of tiny hands that just aren't ready to use the fingers independently and most children will progress much faster and therefore enjoy the experience much more if they are around six.

Between five and six the difference in children's hand sizes is not great but their ability to concentrate on learning to play the piano moves on considerably. Their ability to take in information and just their knowledge of such things as the letters of the alphabet (A to G) makes a huge diffence.

The type of course offered too makes a big difference. My course for the very young is taught in a group of six or seven pupils. Parents are encouraged to sit in and help. I can demonstrate and encourage from the front whilst parents can guitde their own child's hands on the piano keyboard. I can move around the group and check each is coping.

Lessons for the very young need to be fast and flexible. Singing, and perhaps even dancing help to develop children's musical skills. Even most adults will find it difficult to concentrate for long if the work is intense.

It is not just physical skill that is limited in the very young but piano lessons require more analysis and intake of information than most can cope with. Remember you are asking a child to think in two languages at the same time, use their hands independently and all with expression and feeling. Quite a task for anyone.

I therefore have all praise and admiration whenever I see a six year old, who probably has difficulty reading English, make a success of playing the piano. There are lots of children of this age who cope very well, however. It's wonderful to see a small child learning to sit comfortably at the piano and looking at ease as they play their simple but challenging pieces.

So to sum up, I would generally say that the age of seven would be the best time for the average child to begin to learn how to play piano. By this time they should be physically, intellectually and emotionally mature enough to cope. Still a keen and musical six year old from a supportive family will be far more successful than a reluctant eleven year old being pushed into lessons by eager parents.

Every child is different and every teacher is different. Don't despair if things don't turn out right on the first attempt. Once you achieve the right formula, you and your child will experience the joy and overall benefits that good musical tuition will give.

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