If you’re among the 82% of American parents who think it’s important for their kids to make music, you’re likely wondering what the best beginner musical instruments for kids are.
The answer varies from person to person, but there are a few instruments that stand out for young players.
Read on to learn some of the best beginner musical instruments for preschool music lessons!
Piano: The Cadillac of Beginner Musical Instruments
The piano is an extremely versatile beginner musical instrument. Kids aren’t limited to just learning classical music. They can learn genres like jazz piano and pop, too.
The ability to learn multiple genres makes each young learner’s piano-playing experience customizable. If your preschooler likes listening to upbeat songs by Taylor Swift or Bruno Mars, they can learn those. If they like slower lullabies, there’s sheet music for that, too.
Consistent Sounds
But there are more reasons to start your child on the piano than diverse musical options. The piano is ideal for small kids because of one-to-one sound interaction. They press a key and hear a corresponding sound, which establishes a connection between an action and a consequence.
It’s a consistent way for kids to enjoy making music reliably and predictably!
Better Coordination
Studies also show that children under 10 may see coordination-related improvements if they learn the piano. Children will need to move their hands while reading sheet music, which improves hand-eye coordination.
Quick movements across piano keys also improve:
- Fine motor skills
- Fluidity of motion
- Brain development
- Motor development
- Memory function
Life Skills
Kids can also learn life lessons from playing piano, including:
- Goal-setting, which is essential when setting realistic learning objectives
- Patience, which is needed to practice scales and learn songs
- Discipline through hard work and practice
- Resilience, because kids need to work through setbacks when practicing
Many young kids also do better in school when they learn to play piano!
Group piano lessons can also teach teamwork, much like group lessons for any other instrument! Staump Music School pairs kids with others in their age group to make music together. It’s a great way to get toddlers excited to collaborate and cooperate with others.
Drums
Music is generally a great emotional outlet for kids, and one of the best beginner musical instruments out there. Some reasons for this include:
- Helping kids become more patient
- Releasing tension
- Expressing emotions non-verbally
- Relaxing the body while playing
- Channeling energy into creativity
Some kids want to play something louder and more brash than the piano to release their pent-up feelings. That’s where the drums come into play!
Drumming releases a lot of endorphins in the brain. It’s great for promoting feelings of well-being. Euphoria is a common response to playing the drums, which can do wonders in preventing tantrums and helping to get kids in a good mood.
Music generally is known to make people feel better and happier, but the drums provide a next-level rush because of their “intense” nature.
If you don’t want to hear noisy drums all day while your kids practice… that’s no problem! Kids can use quiet drum practice pads and headphones while at their drumset. You’ll barely hear them from another room, and they’ll have the chance to show off their skills at music school or whenever you want them to serenade you.
Less Stress
Studies published in the National Library of Medicine also show that drumming can provide players with a stress-relief response.
Playing the drums can:
- Decrease anxiety
- Reduce the risk of depression
- Reverse stress on a DNA level
This is especially important for young kids, who have developing nervous systems!
These studies specifically looked into the benefits of group drumming. When you sign up for group lessons at a top-notch rock school like Staump Music School, your child can rock out with their peers and make music in a band setting. The group can collaborate to play complex pieces that kids love!
Better Motor Skills Through Rhythm
Like the piano, learning the drums at music school is also a masterclass in motor skills for kids. But it goes about things a little differently by offering an alternative to simple body percussion.
To play basic rhythmic patterns on the drums, kids will need to use both of their hands and both of their feet. They’ll need to move them all at once in different tempos. This makes preschool-age kids more mobile because they’ll need to have more fluid movements and great coordination.
A good sense of rhythm also helps little kids boost their body awareness. They’ll be able to control their movements better and get ahead of their peers when it comes to both physical activity and tasks that require fine motor skills.
Improv Opportunities
The drums also give kids a creative boost because they offer lots of chances for improvising.
Sheet music is fun, but drumming isn’t all about technical skills. It’s about experimentation, too! Kids like improvising on the drums because:
- They can physically engage with sounds
- They can try new patterns and rhythms
- They can express themselves without worrying about rules
Improvisation can boost confidence in kids. They’ll feel accomplished after making up their own songs. This is invigorating and improves their self-esteem, so they’ll feel ready for anything music lessons – or life – throw their way.
Ukulele
Guitar lessons are an amazing gift for any child, but they’re best for kids slightly older than preschool age.
The guitar and violin are great string instruments, but they can be hard for little hands to hold. They also require a lot of complex movements and techniques to make even basic music.
The ukulele is a child-friendly string instrument that lets kids as young as three foster an early love of music. They’re only 21 to 30 inches long, and they don’t weigh much because of their hollow structure. Kids can pick them up and hold onto them comfortably.
A Quiet Instrument
The size of a ukulele means that it’s quieter than other string beginner musical instruments! Kids are less likely to get overstimulated with softer sounds, especially since the nylon strings are loose and easy to strum.
Ukuleles are also ideal for kids and families who:
- Live in apartment complexes
- Reside in busy areas where noise is a concern
- Have parents working from home while kids practice
It’s less of a headache than larger, noisier beginner musical instruments like the drums and piano. You won’t need to worry about harsh sounds ringing through your space.
A Simple Structure
Ukuleles are easy for kids to learn because they only have four strings – G, C, E, and A. Guitars have six, which can be hard for kids to figure out. After all, they only have five fingers!
Since a ukulele has fewer strings, it’s a more intuitive beginner musical instrument for most young children. There aren’t as many potential notes for them to learn, and it’s easy to find chords and strum along to simple songs.
Easy Playing
Playing the ukulele has all the same advantages as larger beginner musical instruments offer. They boost fine motor skills through fingering and strumming movements. Playing also opens the same neural pathways in the brain that piano activates, so young ukulelists learn to think in new ways and enhance critical thought.
However, many preschoolers believe the ukulele to be one of the best instruments for kids solely because it’s fun! An easy structure makes playing easy, so kids are more likely to make dynamic sounds and get excited about practicing. They can strum for fun and make up their own tunes between their ukulele lessons.
Regular practice improves:
- Time management
- Problem-solving skills
- Outside-the-box thinking
- Creativity
- Working memory
- Attention span
- Processing speed
When kids have a fun beginner musical instrument that they’re excited to play, they can reap more of these benefits than they would with an instrument that didn’t energize them.
Choosing Between the Best Beginner Musical Instruments for Kids
In the end, the best instrument for your child is the one that they’re most interested in learning. You should:
- Consider what kind of music they like listening to
- Play some songs on several beginner musical instruments to see what they like the sound of
- Try out rental instruments and see if any of them stick
- Talk to your child about what beginner musical instrument they’d like to play
- Ask what skills they’re most interested in learning if they’re unsure of what they want
- Talk with music school instructors about different beginner musical instruments
- Do online research about what instruments kids your child’s age tend to prefer
While no one but your kid can tell you exactly what they want, you can give them a starting point from which they can make their decision.
Schedule Preschool Music Lessons Today
Now that you know some of the best beginner musical instruments for kids to play during their preschool years, it’s time to begin looking into music lessons.
Staump Music School offers lessons for a wide range of beginner musical instruments. Some kids may prefer the one-on-one structure of private lessons while others are ready to start jamming with their peers.
Regardless of your little one’s needs, we’re excited to hear what we can do to help them foster a lifelong love of music. We’ve been working with children and families since 2008, so contact us to get your first month of lessons free of charge!