What is a good age for starting piano

[lexcat]

I have friend who teachers piano at dd school. The norm at the school is y3 and above. But dd (y1) is very keen to learn and is always playing the piano at home. My friend is worried that she will get into bad habit with the fingering making it hard when she starts lesson. She has ask me if I what her to start early in y2 (she will be 6.5) as she will need to clear it with dd teacher and make space for dd for September.
I'm not sure if it's a little young or if she is keen to go with it.

If your dd is keen and she has a good opportunity to take up lessons then why not?!
My dd1 is in y3. I enquired about lessons recently from recommendation, but the teacher has a long waiting list!!

I would say go for it.

I wanted ds2 to learn when he was almost 6, but couldn't find a teacher. We looked for almost a year, and he started a few months before his 7th birthday (Feb yr2) with a teacher who normally won't take them until they are 7.

In retrospect this was absolutely the right time for him. He would not have had the concentration or discipline when he was younger: but it does depend on temperament.

He progressed amazingly quickly at this age. At first I insisted he did at least 5 mins practice twice a day, but he would always play for longer, and often for 30 mins at a time! His teacher wanted him to do grade 1 just 8 months after starting but ds2 didn't like the pieces and was completely put off, so we've dropped the idea of exams for now.

When I listen to him play now I can hardly believe that he's been learning for only a year.

my dd started in year 1 - she still can't reach the pedals but has just started scales now her hands are bigger. She loves the lessons and it's the one after school thing I won't cut no matter how broke we get! My advice is to find a teacher who has taught little ones before though.

whoops , she is now year 3

Yr 3 is a great time.

It really depends how big her fingers are! If she is desperate to play something but still rather small, perhaps she could start on something that comes in small sizes (eg violin, cello), or simply learn the recorder.

I was 7 when I started. You don't need to be able to reach the pedals early on, so that isn't an issue.

Generally I'd say 7 - maturity, larger hands, reading ability etc. But if keen, why not start a little earlier. Mozart was playing and writing concerti at the age of 3!

my dd started in november when she was 6.4. She loves it and has just passed her pre-preparatory exam with 80% (merit). It does depend on whether they can sit still for long enough and concentrate though, but if keen and the teacher is willing - and you are too - then I would give it a go. She can always go back to it later if it doesn't work out now. Hope that helps

Thanks for all the advice. I do think a recorder would be a good start but dd is no interest what so ever. May we will start in September as dd keeps going on about lessons. Let's hope class teacher will give the tumbs up. Don't see there should be a problem dd is ahead in the class and a free reader. After all if she really dislikes it we don't have to carry on.