If your child is ready to start learning to play a musical instrument, you might be wondering what the best musical instruments for kids are!
I’ve heard quite a few people say that kids have to learn a specific instrument first, even if they’d prefer a different one. I disagree with this though. The right musical instruments for kids to learn depend on the circumstances and their insterests.
Of course, there are al lot more than 5 instruments kids could learn. The ones discussed below are just the most accessible instruments for a variety of families. If you read to the end, I’ve included a bonus section of instruments for todlers and preschoolers!
Learning to play any musical instrument for kids will give them amazing, lifelong benefits. But tuba lessons may not be easy to find depending on where you live. Never mind that a tuba might still be bigger than your child!
With that said, let’s chat about a few things to consider when choosing musical instruments for kids. Let’s make sure they have a good experience, and so do you!
Things to consider when choosing an instrument
- Availability of a teacher, or the time and resources to help them learn at home.
- Cost of the instrument and it’s maintenance. Don’t discount an instrument based on cost, though, since you can often find free or quite cheap instruments on online marketplaces such as Kijiji, Craigslist, or your local equivalent.
- Keep in mind a ‘toy’ piano or guitar, for example, might result in frustration if your child begins learning to play the instrument. ‘Toy’ instruments often are just that and don’t function in the same way as a ‘real’ (even if inexpensive) instrument.
- Your child’s interest and preference
Top 5 musical instruments for kids
As I mentioned earlier, there are obviously many more musical instruments for kids, but these are my top 5 in no particular order. I chose these 5 instruments for the accessibility of both the instruments and of teachers or classes.
1 – Piano or keyboard
The piano has traditionally been touted as the ‘first instrument a child should learn’ before they move on to their instrument of choice. The reason for this seems to be that piano lessons teach kids to read music, and are also accessible to smaller hands.
Those are both good reasons, and I am myself a piano teacher, but I still don’t’ think your child needs to learn to play the piano if it is just a stepping stone to another instrument.
There are a lot of pros to the piano as a musical instrument for kids. It’s very accessible, either as an acoustic piano, or an electric keyboard. Even the smallest towns usually have someone offering piano lessons. And if not, online lessons are also readily available.
The piano is accessible to children from quite a young age. As young as 3 and a half, although often children do wait until they are older.
Playing the piano will teach kids to read music in both the treble and the bass clefs, which not all other instruments will.
The cons of the piano as an instrument for your child include the cost. An acoustic piano can be very expensive, as can a good quality electric piano. Bear in mind that if your child sticks with piano lessons, a small keyboard will not suffice for long.
You must also be prepared to pay for piano tuning (for acoustic pianos only), which is an adidtional yearly cost.
That said, if you are willing to do some hunting around online marketplaces, inexpensive and even free pianos are often available. I got my first piano for free. I just had to be willing to come and get it!
The piano or keyboard is the instrument for your child if:
- your child is at least 3 and a half years old
- you play the piano well or have access to lessons
- you are prepared to purchase and maintain an instrument.
If you’re wondering if your child is ready to take piano lessons, check out this article to find out.
2 – Violin
The violin is also a very popular musical instrument for kids. Like the piano, the violin is a great instrument for kids of all ages, even as young as 3!
Violin classes aren’t quite as common as piano lessons in my area, but they are readily available in most larger centres. A popular type of violin class, especially for young children is the ‘Suzuki method’. It approaches playing from the approach of learning a mother tongue. This means the focus is on making music first, rather than on reading music and understanding any theory first. This approach can work well for younger children.
Suzuki violin classes are quite common in many countries. To find more info just do a quick search with your city name, and you might find one near you.
If you’re wondering if your child is ready to take ciolin lessons, check out this article over myviolinbff.com
A violin for your child can be a somewhat expensive instrument to purchase. However, many music stores offer monthly rentals that are a great option for kids just starting out with a new instrument.
The violin is the instrument for our child if:
- they are at least 3 years old
- you have the time to help your child practice each day if they are still young
- you can afford a moderately expensive instrument
3 – Guitar
The guitar is one of the most popular instruments both kids and adults desire to play! There are guitar teachers or group classes available in most locations. Some basics can also be learned online if you have the time to spend with your child.
Because playing the guitar requires pushing down larger strings, physical development is a bit more important here. Very young children might not have the physical strength to hold the strings down. That makes the guitar a better choice for kids who are a bit older.
Depending on the style of lessons your child learns from, they may learn to read musical notation when playing the guitar, but they may also learn to ready chord symbols instead or in addition.
The cost of an entry level guitar is more afforadable than that of a piano, although still not cheap. Guitars are often available used as well for a more afforadable option.
The guitar is the instrument for your child if:
- they are at least 6 years old
- they have good finger strangth
- you are looking for a moderate price instrument.
4 – Ukulele
The ukulele is a good alternative to the guitar for young children. It is taught in groups at some schools and community centres. In fact, at my local library kids can even borrow a ukulele like a book!
If you can’t find any classes near you, there are a plethora of good quality instructional videos for kids’ ukulele online to get you started.
The smaller size of the ukulele makes it more suitable for young kids compared to the guitar. The strings are also easier and less painful to push down for little fingers.
The ukulele is the instrument for your child if:
- they are at least 5 years old.
- you are looking for a lower cost instrument
5 – Recorder
The recorder might seem like it doesn’t fit with the last 4 musical instruments for kids. But I think it absolutely does!
The recorder is the most accessible of instruments, which is why it is taught in so many elementary schools.
Some parents can’t stand the sound of the recorder though! If that’s you, don’t choose this musical instrument. If you dislike hearing your child practice, they will be able to tell, and won’t enjoy the instrument either.
The recorder is very affordable, and can even be found at some dollar stores. This should give every child access to an instrument that would allow them to start making music, and learning to read music notes.
It is also easy to find instruction to start teaching your child to play recorder at home if they don’t have a music teacher at school.
The recorder is the instrument for your child if:
- they are at least 4 years old
- they can coordinate breathing with their fingers.
- you are looking for a very low-cost instrument.
Bonus – Musical Instruments for preschoolers and toddlers
While some of the musical instruments for kids above can be a good fit for preschoolers as young as 3, that doesn’t mean they will suit everyone. For example, physical development, attention span, and your availability as a parent to help such a young child learn all vary widely.
Keep in mind that the instruments above will all need regular practice to learn, along with daily parent involvement for young kids. If your child isn’t quite ready for those instruments, choose the ones in this section, and let your kids start experiencing music now. It’s best to wait until your child is old enough that you feel playing a bigger instrument would be a positive experience for them.
If you can’t imagine your preschooler holding a violin, never mind playing it, a non-pitched, or rhythm type instrument might be a good option for them to start experimenting.
These instruments won’t require learning to read music, formal lessons, or a large expense. Despite this, they still give your little one an enjoyable first experience making music at an age-appropriate level. Look for these instruments in the toy section of a department store, or online.
For example, good preschool and toddler musical instruments include:
- Drums
- Xylophone
- Bells
- Shakers
- Tambourines
These are the types of instruments commonly used in group music classes for young children. Allow your toddler or preschooler to have free play with the musical instruments. At this age, experimenting is an excellent form of learning.
If your child is in this age range you may also enjoy this article on Music and Movement for 3 – 5 Year Olds for some more activities.
Which will you choose?
The top musical instruments for kids are:
- piano
- violin
- guitar
- ukulele
- recorder
- rhythm instruments for toddlers and preschoolers.
Remember, one of the most important things to consider when choosing an instrument is your child’s interest (provided it’s reasonable of course!).
What musical instrument do you think your child will enjoy learning? I’d love to know!
