Childhood is a magical time when kids discover the world and in this time, it is important to give them opportunities to explore. One of the best ways is to introduce them to the world of music – not only is learning an instrument a fun activity, but also a tool for development in many areas. If your child has expressed the desire to play a musical instrument, and especially if that instrument is the guitar, they could hardly have made a better choice.
Let’s get something out of the way – when is the best time for a child to begin taking guitar lessons? The answer to this question is largely dependent on the child – some kids are ready to begin guitar lessons very young, while others need more time. The biggest physical hurdle young kids generally need to overcome when learning guitar is their lack of fine motor skills and hand strength. A way to cope with that is to start with learning the ukulele – due to its size, it is perfect for children. The best option though is just to try – a trial lesson with a guitar professional is a sure way to check whether the child is ready to start lessons.
Let’s now talk about some of the benefits of learning the guitar for a child. They are numerous, but read further to find some of them.
Develop Concentration
Concentration is often one of the first skills that children must master when they are learning how to play the guitar. Due to having to focus on a specific task over extended periods of time, concentration is something that comes hand in hand with learning the guitar. Developing it like this will also help them when they need to focus their attention in other educational subjects and generally in life.
Physical Benefits
Taking guitar lessons helps children develop physically, and also strengthens the links between physical and mental action. As they learn to place their fingers on the neck of the guitar and coordinate their hands, children will improve their general coordination and learn to use their hands independent of one another. They will also learn proper posture and positioning.
Improve Memory
Children have the ability to absorb a lot of information, and learning guitar will help them structure their memory and improve this skill. Playing an instrument and reading music requires the kids to constantly build up their knowledge and make links between the different pieces of information, which trains their memory and cognitive abilities.
Teach Discipline
Guitar lessons also improve children’s self discipline. In order to play well, they have to spend many hours practicing. By persevering in their practice sessions and keeping on with basic music theory even when they are frustrated, children will then be able to apply that same dedication to school and to life in general.
Boost Self-Confidence
By providing children with the opportunity to learn guitar, together with the encouragement of a good teacher and also the family showing plenty of support, a child can develop a sense of pride as well as increasing confidence. It is widely believed that children who practice creativity and self-expression that goes with playing guitar often become better communicators and happier individuals.
Increased Creativity and Critical Thinking
By learning guitar from a young age, children learn to develop their critical thinking. When they read sheet music or guitar tabs, they learn to analyze and deconstruct a piece of music by examining its structure. By learning different pieces of music in different styles, children also engage their artistic sensibilities and creativity. They begin to identify their own preferences and when improvising develop their creativity.
Expressing Emotions by Playing Guitar
Music is a universal language – you often hear that it’s a channel to express the soul of the musician, and it’s definitely a way to explore one’s emotions. By playing the guitar, children will explore new dimensions of their personality, give voice to what is in their hearts, and be more in tune with themselves.
While letting a child try guitar lessons is a wonderful thing, it is also important not to force the child to do something he or she doesn’t want. Developing a negative impression of guitar lessons early in life can repel kids on playing music in general. So don’t be too disappointed if your child has no aspirations to become the next Jimi Hendrix…
If you would like to sign up your child for a trial guitar lesson, you can do that HERE – the first one is 50% off! Also feel free to reach out to ask for a list of recommended tutors.