5 Best Instruments for a Child to Learn First

So you want to know about the best instruments for a child to learn first? Don’t worry, we got you covered.

Before we get to the heart of the matter, I would like to give you advice. It is up to you to take it or disregard it. Don’t push your child into learning an instrument he/she doesn’t want to learn. I’ve witnessed many people burning out because of the pressure and they grew up hating the instrument their parents wanted them to play. Yes, they ended up being amazing musicians, but they never did play the instrument with joy. However, you should encourage your kids to play music. I wish my parents encouraged me when I was younger; maybe I would have been a better guitar player than I am now. The point is, pay attention to your child’s wishes and try to make the instrument choice mutually.

If your child doesn’t have preferences, then you are off the hook but you still should take everything into consideration. There is a financial side to it. You can’t expect your child to be a good piano player if he/she doesn’t have a piano to practice on. Renting is expensive but so is buying one. Also, piano learning does require private lessons. Will you be able to handle the financial pressure?  One more important thing is that you have to adjust the instrument to your child’s age and size. A 3-year-old can’t even hold a guitar, let alone play it. Smaller instruments like violin or flute are ideal for a younger age. If you ask me, drums would be perfect, since all little kids like to bang stuff. You’ll just have to get some earplugs and deal with angry neighbors. If you have ambitions for your kid to play in a school band, then take a look at our list of 10 Easiest Elementary School Band Instruments to Play.

For our list of best instruments for a child to learn first, we decided to take recommendations from both professionals and internet users over at Music Australia, Music Time Academy, PBS and Quora among others. The instruments that were most recommended in terms of being easy to learn by kids and as a first instrument entered our list of best instruments for a child to learn first. Let’s take a look.

5. Guitar

We will start this list with the best instrument ever invented. Ok, I am a bit subjective here, but guitars are cool. They sound great, benefit the coordination of hands and develop a sense of music improvisation. The guitar doesn’t require you to follow the patterns, notes and established guidelines all the time. Going out of the box is even encouraged. If you wonder at which age should your kid start to learn guitar, the answer is “as soon as she/he can hold it and reach the first fret”.

4. Flute

The recommended age for kids to start playing the flute, the number 4 on our list of best instruments for a child to learn first is 6/7 since the child has to have a lung capacity to be able to play wind instruments. The flute is particularly great as a first instrument since it is easy to learn and doesn’t require a big investment. If the kid is younger, there are flutes with curved head piece modification, so the size of the instrument shouldn’t be a problem.  Flutes are also always part of the school band instrument line-up, so your kid can easily join one.

3. Clarinet

Another wind instrument on our list of best instruments for a child to learn first. Just like the flute, the clarinet is suitable for younger children due its size and simplicity while being affordable. Also, after learning the basics, the child can switch to more robust wind instruments like the saxophone. Note that your kid will have some problems with the instrument he/she wears braces.

2. Violin

Now we come to the good stuff. I only started to appreciate violin when I got older, and it really isn’t as complicated as it sounds. The good thing about violin is that they come in all sizes, so you won’t have to worry about it being too big for your kid or something like that. Also, unlike some other string instruments, the violin doesn’t have frets and the neck of the instrument is suitable for smaller fingers.

1. Piano

Taking all things in consideration, piano deserves the top spot on our list of best instruments for a child to learn first. It was the most recommended instrument for kids to play as their first out of them all. Your child will get familiar with the music theory and have a good foundation. If a kid chooses to switch to another instrument, the transition will be unbelievably easier. The piano also enables children to learn simple melodies real quick, encouraging them to progress more. Another thing I find great about the piano is that you can just start striking keys randomly and the sound will still be pleasant. As we said in the intro, the only downside is the financial side of the instrument.