Should You Make Your Child Take Piano Lessons?
I teach piano lessons in Westchester County, NY, and I know that parents often wrestle with whether or not they should make their kids take piano lessons.
On the one hand, you have more life experience and wisdom than your child, and you know that they’ll probably appreciate being able to play the piano when they are older. On the other hand, they already have to do homework, go to school, and study, so should you really force them into another activity that requires discipline and practice?
It’s a nuanced issue that deserves thought - hopefully the material below will help you decide whether or not piano lessons are right for your child. And of course, if you would like to contact me regarding piano lessons in White Plains, piano lessons in New Rochelle, or anything else, I’d be happy to hear from you.
How to Make Your Child Want to Learn The Piano
This is easier said than done, but in a perfect world, you would create a scenario in which your child becomes curious about music, discovers the piano, and wants to take piano lessons. You could try to create an environment where they start asking you for piano lessons, or you can wait until the right time and suggest that they take lessons -- when they are ready to respond with an enthusiastic “yes.”
Children, and young children especially, internalize knowledge best by discovery, and it’s no different with music. If your home is full of music, they see you participating in music one way or another from an early age, and a keyboard, rhythm instrument or something else is readily available, you will encourage them to experiment and grow curious about music on their own.
The more they discover and learn without being made to do it, the more enthusiastic they are likely to become, and the groundwork will be laid for an introduction to piano lessons.
It’s Usually not Lessons that Kids Hate, it’s the Monotony of Practice
When you think about it, it’s no surprise that many children beg to quit piano lessons. Some teachers are very strict and formal with children in lessons. After an hour-long session reviewing scales and drills, the child is sent home to practice.
Then, when it’s time to practice, the child is sent to the piano alone, sometimes with a timer to track the time (and as we all know, the timer never feels like it is ticking towards zero!). They are expected to diligently review their technique, lesson materials, and music all by themselves.
Although some children may do well with this kind of situation, others may not enjoy it or won’t succeed. If you practice piano with your child, however, it suddenly becomes a social activity and a great bonding experience. The piano is often a lonely instrument, so it’s no surprise that your child doesn’t like it. But that can be changed.
Additionally, there are many different choices for age-appropriate music and teaching materials these days. Children often find these materials fun and engaging, as opposed to materials that were written for adults. If you’re looking for some materials for your child, take a look at my guide to piano books for kids.
Allow Your Child to Pursue His or Her Curiosities at the Piano
Do you allow any leeway regarding the music your child plays at the piano? If they are forced to work through difficult pieces like the Bach Preludes and Fugues along with drilling scales and repetitive exercises when they are young (because it’s “good for them”), the piano is likely to seem monotonous and boring.
If they have a favorite musical artist, for instance, why not work some beginner arrangements of those songs into their lesson material? They will still learn reading, good technique, and music theory, and on top of that, they will actually like the music! It also lets them feel some control over what they are doing.
The fun of music is often snatched away when a child is constantly told:
When to practice
How to practice
How long to practice
Exactly what to practice
When a child is young, the best thing you can do for their musical development is to spark their creativity and cultivate a love for music. Then, when they are a bit more mature, they can engage with the more serious elements of piano playing when they are ready.
That brings us to the next point:
You Don’t Have to Start a Child on Piano When They are Very Young for Them to Be Successful
Some parents want to give their child a head start, so they enroll them in formal private lessons when the child is 4 years old or so. Sometimes this works, but it can also rob a child of the joy of music. If they only remember music as a chore they had to do, then how could they enjoy it?
Truthfully, if an enjoyment for piano and music is there, an 8-9 year old beginner will often reach the same level by middle school or high school as a student who started three years earlier.
If the early years are spent with a teacher who understands that a young child may learn best by discovery and experimentation, the teacher may be able to guide your child to a love for piano that becomes self-sustaining when the child is older. This is the ultimate goal. There are many ways to do this, such as by incorporating learning games, singing, group activities, colorful flash cards and other visual aids, and improvisation.
That Said, You May Sometimes Have to Maintain Discipline
Your child certainly doesn’t know as much about life as you do, and you are far more aware of the benefits that piano lessons can bring than they are: music breeds creativity, strengthens the left side of the brain (improving linguistic skills in children), builds confidence and self esteem, develops hand-eye coordination, and so much more.
Sometimes, your child won’t want to practice or they won’t want to practice the necessary lesson materials, and you may have to put your foot down. It’s like when your child doesn’t want to go to school or do their homework. Here, it’s your role as a parent to encourage them to do it anyway. It’s the same idea with piano practice.
As long as they aren’t constantly being forced to practice and they really don’t enjoy the piano, they will probably come to thank you for this down the road, even if the situation becomes tenuous in the short term. And, these kinds of situations can be mitigated when you establish a love and curiosity around music in your child.
What Should Your Child be Learning at the Piano?
A well-rounded approach to music and keyboard training will set your child up for success. Firstly, training the ear is incredibly important at a young age. Your child will benefit from learning how to sing tunes back to their teacher, identify skips vs. steps and leaps, identify high notes vs. low notes, and so on.
Also, reading is incredibly important. Just like the ability to read books is one of the cornerstones of success in life, the ability to read music fluently will allow them to learn any music they’d like to, sight read, and much more.
Rhythm is another important factor for young children - time is a difficult concept to grasp, and the sooner they understand rhythm, how to count music, and how to keep a steady beat, the more successful they will be.
Get in Touch for More Information about My Teaching Philosophy or Lessons
This is an important conversation to have, and if you are contemplating piano lessons in Putnam Valley or the surrounding areas for your child, I’d love to speak with you. Please don’t hesitate to reach out!