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If your child is showing signs of piano prowess early in life, you’ll want to nurture their gift as best you can to ensure they can grow up to achieve all their goals and dreams! But how do you tell if your child is developing a budding interest in or talent for piano?
There are a few obvious signs, of course, especially if you happen to have a piano at home for them to experiment on. If you already have a piano at home, in fact, there’s absolutely no reason, except total lack of interest or downright aversion on your child’s part, why you shouldn’t get your little one started learning the basics of piano. After all, what is that piano doing there if not to improve your child’s lifelong cognitive function, fine motor skills, posture, and more? Just gathering dust.
But say your child does begin to show an interest in videos of people playing piano, music stores with pianos on display, or just straight up asks you to enroll them in piano lessons. What do you do then?
Don’t fret! Wondrfly is here with a special guide to enrolling your child in piano lessons, both online and in-person, free and paid. We think your child’s interests totally rock, and we’re here to help you make the most of them! So, read on to discover why we absolutely love piano lessons for kids, and you should too!
Why Should I Sign My Child Up for Piano Lessons?
There are certain creative, physical, and mental benefits that come with music education, no matter what instrument your child chooses to pursue. These include:
• Enhanced number and mathematical skills
• Greater retention of knowledge (learning through song aids memory!)
• Accelerated brain development
• Better communication skills
• Higher-level academic achievement
• Confidence
• Self-Esteem
• A healthy emotional outlet
• Stress relief
• And much, much more!
The piano in particular has its own host of benefits and perks such as:
• Manual dexterity and fine-motor development
• Improved posture
• Increased ability to split concentration, or multitask
• Provides an excellent musical background for learning a variety of different instruments.
When is My Child Ready for Piano Lessons?
No child is too young to start exploring and experimenting with the keys. In terms of when to start your child out in formal piano lessons, however, there are a few factors you’ll want to consider first.
Height- Can your child reach the keys comfortably while sitting upright on a piano bench? Can their feet reach the pedals?
Hand Size- Can your child lay their fingers comfortably over five successive white keys without stretching?
Desire- Does your child really want to play? This is the most important factor to consider!
Dexterity- Before learning to play the piano, your child should have fine motor control and manual dexterity to move each of their fingers independently of the others.
Reading Ability- Kids don’t need to be reading fluently, per se, to start learning piano. They do, however, have to be adept in identifying symbols and their corresponding meanings quickly, a process not unlike learning their letters!
How do I Choose the Best Piano Lessons for My Kid?
First, you must assess whether you’re looking for online or in-person piano lessons. One is not necessarily better than the other—they both have pros and cons.
In-Person Piano Lessons for Kids
PROS-
One-on-one, in-person lessons are very engaging and conducive to good focus and concentration since they usually take place in a neutral, distraction-free environment.
They also allow for the creation of a certain bond between the instructor and the student.
CONS-
They have the disadvantage of requiring travel, being restricted to a certain time and place, and often being quite expensive!
Online Piano Lessons for Kids
PROS-
Online piano lessons have the benefit of being a pandemic-safe alternative to in-person lessons for wary families.
Online piano lessons offer more flexibility. Often, they’re available either in the form of a one-on-one live zoom session with an instructor, or an online curriculum your child follows independently. The latter allows your child to learn piano anywhere, at any time!
CONS-
Online piano lessons lack the one-on-one connection that in-person lessons can build. Even live zoom lessons don’t capture the same sort of attention kids get from live, in-person piano lessons.
How to Find In-Person Piano Lessons for Kids
If you decide that in-person piano lessons are best for your child, here are some steps you can take to jump-start your search for local activity providers.
1. Decide what you and your child’s goals are. What do you want to get out of these piano lessons? What style or styles do they want to play?
2. Determine what qualifications would indicate a teacher who is a good match for your child’s goals and seek out instructors with said qualifications.
3. What is my budget? What am I willing to spend financially and in terms of time commitment for these lessons?
Here are some ways to discover local piano teachers:
1. Word of mouth and personal connections
2. Search engines like Google and Bing
3. Specialized directories like Wondrfly! Wondrfly is a terrific directory for kids’ activity providers in the Hudson County area. If you live in Hoboken or Jersey City and are looking for kids’ activities, give us a try!
Online Music Lessons for Kids Learning Piano
Check out this selection of paid online piano lessons for kids. The price points range from 15 to 20 dollars a month for subscriptions to these online, guided piano curricula.
How Kids can Learn Piano Online, for Free!
There are plenty of ways to expose your child to piano learning without paying a cent! These free online video lessons may not come with as many comprehensive resources and lessons as paid subscription services. However, they’re an excellent way to gauge your child’s interest in piano lessons and supplement their more formal training.
We hope we’ve given you a head start toward finding the best piano lessons for your child’s individual needs. For more reasons why your child’s interests rock, and info on how to best pursue them, keep following Activity Answers on the Wondrfly blog.
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