Teaching your child to play an instrument at a young age can be very beneficial for them. Not only does it make them more intelligent and increase their IQ, but it also teaches them the importance and value of having hobbies. If your child begins playing instruments from an early age, it could instil a love of music in them which could later lead to them pursuing a career in the arts. The type of instrument that you choose to teach your child depends largely upon their interests and personality, as well as your own.
This article will tell you a little more about how you can teach your child to play an instrument from an early age:
Online Resources
It’s unavoidable, at some point your child is going to learn about the internet and will likely develop an addiction to it. Children of all ages use the internet, even very young ones. Whether it’s at school or at home, your child is also going to use it. If you have already introduced them to the internet and they have their own device, then showing them online music learning resources is definitely a great way to cultivate a love of music in them and encourage them to want to play an instrument. There are myriad online resource sites to choose from, from Killer online guitar magazine to less diverse sites dedicated exclusively to teaching music, that don’t teach about music culture. Introducing your child to music culture is a very effective way of encouraging them to play an instrument because they will have musicians to look up to.
Music Introduction
You need to introduce your child to music from a very young age so that they develop an idea about what they like and what they don’t, which you can do by showing them music and giving them access to the internet. If your child isn’t able to develop an ear for music, then they won’t ever fall in love with it. Make sure that you show your child different genres and artists so that they can find the style and genre that’s perfect for them. Don’t try to hide certain genres because you personally don’t like them, because this will stunt your child’s musical development.
Taking Classes
If you aren’t an experienced musician, then you need to enroll your child in music classes. If you haven’t got experience yourself, then there’s absolutely no way that you will be able to teach your child about music effectively. You need to be able to play an instrument in order to teach one! Online courses and YouTube videos can definitely teach you and your child a lot, but it’s a lot better to hire a professional music teacher. Music classes shouldn’t cost a lot of money, especially if your child is very young. The only reason that music classes would cost a lot would be if you were hiring an extremely famous and in-demand teacher.
Regular Encouragement
If you want your child to take music seriously, then you should encourage them to play their instrument, even when they don’t seem like they want to. You mustn’t come across as overbearing, however. Ultimately, your child will make their own decisions, no matter what you want. If their heart isn’t in music, no matter if they learn the technical skills, they will never be a passionate musician, nor will they want to pursue a career in music. Encourage them as much as you can without seeming like you are pushing them or forcing them to play music. As they get older, they will come to resent music if you do this.
Entertaining Practice
Make practice fun. If your child’s very young, then it will be hard for them to sustain interest for long periods of time if you don’t make music as enjoyable as possible for them. Making practice entertaining is very easy, all you need to do is to spice things up, invite some friends over, and reward your child for practicing. Giving your child sweet treats or snacks that they like when they practice is a great way to encourage them, although you mustn’t look like you are bribing them. Bribing them is a sure-fire way to deter them from wanting to play their instrument as they get older; it can also cause behavioral issues.
Instrument Selection
If your child’s really young, then it’s highly likely that you will have to select an instrument for them. If they are a little bit older, then you can go ahead and let them select their own music. Selecting an instrument can be very difficult if you haven’t got any musical experience yourself. Try not to force what you like on your child – try to pick an instrument that’s more suited to them. If they like to crash around and destroy things, then the drums are best. If they are more refined and quiet, then the piano might work.
Friendship Group
By introducing your child to other children that like to play music, then they will have encouragement from within their social circle. A good friendship group is an extremely effective way of encouraging your child to play an instrument. If you are having trouble finding children that like to play instruments, then you could enroll them in classes at their school or group classes. Your children will definitely meet new people and perhaps even forge lifelong bonds if you enroll them in a class with other children.
Other Media
Aside from online magazines, you can also introduce your child to vloggers and bloggers. YouTube is a very effective place for finding vloggers to introduce your child to. Bloggers might not work for your children if they are young, because they won’t be able to read everything that’s written or may struggle to concentrate. If this is the case, then you can read to them. You should also consider showing them movies and television shows that are focused on music, music culture, and musicians that play the genre that your child plays.
If you want to cultivate a love of music in your child, then this article’s guidance is guaranteed to help you. The most important thing that you need to do if you are going to teach your child to play an instrument is to be gentle. If you force your child, then they won’t want to learn.
