How do you start a 5 year old learning piano/another instrument?

[Bubbinsmakesthree]

DS just turned 5, suddenly fascinated by a toy keyboard and learning to play simple tunes on it. Declares he wants to learn the piano.

I’m not musical at all, we have no proper instruments in the house. Where to even start? I think music could suit him but I don’t know how to encourage this interest at a very early stage.

That's lovely. Most piano teachers will not take children until around 7 when they can read fluently as progress can be very slow until then. If he is intereted in Violin, then I believe that Suzuki teach from a young age.

In the meantime though you could encourage all things musical, singing, drums/percussion which will all benefit him when he does start.

My son got his first junior drum kit when he was three because he obsessed by drumming. We found a local drum teacher when he was older and bought a proper acoustic kit. He's now learning guitar and writes his own music. A good local music shop should be able to make some recommendations both for instruments and teachers.

Let him keep picking out tunes, look out for children’s concerts and take him, listen and watch concerts as well. (CBeebies proms are a good place to start.)
If he is still interested in 6 months to a year then look for a piano and lessons - you know then it isn’t a flash in the pan. Depending on where you are, you may be able to find a music class which teaches musicianship and they get to sing, play games, improvise etc. My eldest DD nagged for a while before I caved for piano lessons, and I had to cope with two years of nagging before I caved with oboe lessons. I teach piano myself and 5 is a bit young (I usually say year 1 to year 2 for the youngest I teach) but it is really good that it is coming from him.

Our Dd was picking out tunes at age 3 and started piano lessons at 5. She could read by then and was very keen, making a child wait years to learn would be frustrating and they learn so quickly when little.
You can buy a piano very cheaply or they are given away but having it delivered and tuned is expensive.

Check your local county music service. There may be specific classes/ groups for young kids.

Our primary schools work together with a music charity especially for children so the teacher are all trained to work with them as young as 5-6.

I would check if his school offers lessons or works with somebody.

DD started with the violin from age 5 but she was already in Y1. Not the easiest instrument but she enjoyed it for several years and it definitely helped with music lessons now in secondary.

When people are saying being able to read do you mean read music or just read in general? I presume you just mean read in general but what difference does it make? DS is in Y1 and can read but not brilliantly.

Piano lessons are available at school but I know there is a waiting list.

I was thinking about getting him a cheap or second hand keyboard but I don’t know how to start him on the road to learning. Are there any recommended books, apps etc that would help him on basic skills?

Put him on the waiting list if it takes ages and start looking out for a piano. Or better find a recommendation for a teacher outside school and ask to go on their waiting lidt for when your dc is 7.

I think you need either a piano or an electric piano with weighted keys. Learning to play is more than just playing notes its also about playing with expression (softly loudly etc) which you can't do as easily with a keyboard.

I leaned from year1 but its hard when your hands are small. I started ds from 7. I am able to help him at home. It would be worth you trying to learn some basics if you have time. Sit in on the lessons and help him practice. Hed get more out of it.

We started on Michael Aaron piano course grade 1. You could work through it with him. I really would leave it until he is 6 or 7 to get into it. Or ask the teacher you choose what beginners book they use and start him on that.

I started learning an instrument at 6. I could already read fluently so learnt to read music as most children learnt to read. I was passionate about my instrument and enjoyed practising and played all the time. By 8 I was performing at a fairly high level and performed in other countries by age 10. I went on to be paid to perform as a teenager but decided not to make a career of it and now just occasionally play for pleasure. I would say this was a simpler instrument than the piano as didn't need to read two lines of music at the same time.

My Ds was desperate to learn violin when he was about 6. He saved up and bought a second hand violin when he was 7. He had lessons in school. But he had to be told to practice - he wanted to play well without the effort. He has stuck with the instrument. I would say about age 10 he finally saw the value of practice and his playing is starting to take off.

My eldest ds tried many instruments all his choice and never really got on with the whole practice thing and gave then up. He now plays guitar self taught.

Middle son finally got the impetus to learn at secondary school.

I guess what I'm trying to say is, if you are thinking about paying for lessons be prepared to make your child practice as it is very different to enjoy tinkering on an instrument versus having to do it. And there is little point paying if a child doesn't practice in between lessons. Only you know your child if they will enjoy practising or if you are willing to pay if they aren't progressing as they aren't practising. Until recently all the lessons my kids had were almost free as they learnt in school until council provision was withdrawn. Music lessons are expensive. So I would suggest leaving them to enjoy 'playing' their keyboard and see if they are still keen in a few months time.

We’re a long way off buying a piano! I’ll put him on the waiting list for lessons at school.

However i’m still not really any closer to knowing how, outside of formal lessons, you start developing this interest.

I can help teach him reading or maths, I can develop an interest in drawing or baking. But I am at a bit of a loss with music.

He is very interested in maths and others have suggested music is a good way to ‘stretch’ that interest into a new territory and I can see he’s engaging in it in a similar way, seeing patterns, starting to understand relationships between notes. I just don’t know what to do with him to cultivate it beyond him messing about with a plastic keyboard from the charity shop!

Assuming he doesn't start school lessons straight away...
Buy a cheap keyboard (unless you are feeling flush in which case get one with weighted keys) buy a book like this One do a search for learn kids keyboard and read the reviews. They should show which keys are which notes and how to relate that to dots on the page.

It should be possible for example to pick up a keyboard on fb marketplace but otherwise amazon or even better Google independent music shops in your area. Ours are really helpful and would have keyboards for every budget.

I have a 5 year old who is learning to play the piano. If you do not want to head down the lesson route just yet, why don’t you buy a stage 1 book and work through it? If you are thinking of putting his name down with a piano teacher, you could ask them what book they start off with and try that.

My son is four, I have started him on the piano, however it’s easier for me as I can play.

We started by just having fun on it, then I moved to correct hand placement and posture, we’re now learning simple things to play before he starts formal lessons in January.