Piano lessons for a five year old

[YukoandHiro]

Is that mad? I can't play but my DH has a good keyboard. I want her to do a couple of things after school as too often we just come home at 3.30 and put on the TV on.
She's a bit uncoordinated eg can't ride a bike, slow (but some) progress on swimming
Would it be good for her or just stress her out?

No advice but we're attempting this with a similar aged DD- we're going to do family lessons so it's not just her learning. I wish I'd learned when I was younger!

I think the advice used to be to wait till around 7 for the piano so that their hands would be big enough. But that may have changed & depend on the size of the child anyway.

My youngest has been playing for the last few months- only just 5. TBH it does feel like a waste of lessons at the moment in terms of output but I think she enjoys the lessons and is motivated. Our older child started at 6 and was probably more ready.

Depends on the teacher. My dd had enjoyed piano from quite young. We we expect daily practice but apply no pressure to do exams.

I was told not to start until they can read fluently. There is also an issue with finger development. If you something google something like ‘x ray, writing, young children’ you can see the difference. My oldest started just after turning 6 and is loving it. I can really see the progress. It is a bit of a commitment to practice every day but it’s only 5 - 10 mins.

Years ago we have been told wait until they can read, but if there are family type lessons then maybe ok.

If u have a keyboard at home, see if she takes interest in it.

Why not try an app like simply piano first and see whether they take to it and go from there? My now seven year old is having piano lessons but at five she was doing pre music lessons in the music school she's with. It was half an hour on Saturday morning bashing a tambourine or playing with a ukulele and learning to read music. But it did really help with getting her ready for proper lessons.

Our school music service does not usually recommend piano lessons before Year 3. DD started in Y2, age 6. She could read fluently and had quite big hands though! It's been good for her though, she's needed the challenge.

Our local piano teacher wouldn't take our 6 year old and says he only takes them from 8 onwards.

My DS started at about 5 or 6, and it was a complete waste of money for the first 2 years. I should have just let him mess around and experiment for himself rather than have formal lessons so early. I think those 1st 2 years could have been done in three months by an older, motivated child, and would have been far less tedious for everyone.

My dd started learning piano at 5 years because she was asking to and very keen. Her teacher did an assessment before agreeing to start lessons as normally she'd prefer the child to be at least 6. She checked her coordination, hand size and concentration before agreeing. DD was quite advanced for her age, with excellent fine motor skills and could understand more complex instructions, she has flourished and is taking grade 3 soon, she's now 10.

I would say wait a year at least. Especially if she’s not shown any massive interest in doing it. Does she play the keyboard you’ve already got?
It’s highly likely her hands are a bit small.

My 5yo started. Her brothers play and she was interested. First lesson went in fine as I was with her. After that for a couple of months it was coaxing her to get in the door. She’d practice at home if I reminded her but not play for her teacher (who is lovely). So the worked on rhythm, theory, singing etc). However she did the Xmas concert in front of about 50 people no problem at all, just with practicing at home and one practice with teacher of their duet. They’re funny at this age and only you’ll know if she’s ready. I was about to give up in the first 2mths and suggested it, but months later she has settled in.

Sounds like my son - the poor coordination was dyspraxia. Piano is really helpful, but I'd wait till she's 7 personally.

Dd had violin from 3 and piano from 4, there's no such thing as too young but be aware it's playing with music at that age

My dc started when they were 6, I think even that is too early unless you want a prodigy and are willing to put intense practice time in whether your dc likes it or not. The issues with starting too soon is that progress is very slow and they can grow tired of it after a year or 2 not having gone much beyond piano time 1. I'd say wait and save yourself the money and see what instrument your dc wants to learn when they're 7 or 8. Piano is nice but orchestral instruments can be more suitable if your dc is sociable and outgoing. Orchestra offers so many opportunities for fun and friendship, piano is mostly a solitary instrument and needs to suit the person.

My DD started when she was 5 (Year 1) as covid was starting so we stop started for a year. She's quite tall, a good readier and she was fine. Just passed her Grade 2 in Y4.

My DD started at 3 but it was strictly with a parent so I learned almost as much as her for a while but then she raced ahead. I wasn't interested to be honest but she wanted to do it so much and the teacher would only do it as a parent and child thing as she said it was hopeless without parental support for practice.

Interestingly DD struggled a great deal with reading, and school in general. She started piano around 7 and because she learned concentration with a very dedicated, kind and firm piano teacher, every other subject fell into place.

Her reading is now great and she still loves piano.

5 would have been too young.

It absolutely depends on the teacher! My son aged 8 started and was showing giftedness, teacher saw that and unfortunately pushed him so hard so quickly and expected so much practice in-between lessons that it pushed him away.

We tried another teacher who taught very differently and her teaching style was so boring.

I'd say at that age let them enjoy it without lessons.

It has to be the right teacher. My son did guitar, he was pushed to play a duet in a concert, he did it and it was very good but as he left he told the teacher he'd never play again. Guitar was for him and not the public. He stuck to his word and that was the end of that.

@Choconut when and how was the dyspraxia diagnosed? She has a lot of the physical signs but very few of the intellectual ones eg no issues with numbers, reading or writing at all and she's also v young in year 1 (august birthday) so would have expected that to highlight itself by now

Thank you for the advice. Maybe we'll wait a little and look for the general music group.

I started piano at 4 and violin at 6 and that was fairly normal - other children I eventually played with in orchestras etc. started around the same age. Maybe things have changed though.