https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Sun, 06 Sep 2026 08:10:01 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/piano-lessons#post-2449384 Thu, 04 Feb 2016 14:25:02 +0000 T.H.O.U. 2449384@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@chopsuey: Is she just learning hands on the keyboard and stuff like that? Or actually starting to learn how to read music? </p> <p>I want to make sure my kids are exposed to music and know how to read music but dont care that they grow up to be expert players or anything. So I'm not sure if its worth waiting some until they could actually grasp sheet music. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/piano-lessons#post-2448692 Thu, 04 Feb 2016 09:06:07 +0000 peachykeen 2448692@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>DH and I both play piano (he is a music teacher but I just do it for fun at this point). I agree that it's best to start more 'serious' lessons around K or 1st grade age so that they can begin to read music. DD *loves* the piano and DH is teaching her a few simple things even at 17 months, but we will probably start her in private lessons at age 5/6. We plan to find her an outside teacher since I'm sure she will listen to them better than she will to us! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/piano-lessons#post-2448574 Thu, 04 Feb 2016 08:11:47 +0000 regberadaisy 2448574@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>If this was my daughter I would assume it's because other kids at school are taking lessons. I would wait a few more months to see if she continues to express interest.</p> <p>Personally, I would wait till closer to 5 for piano lessons. I know that DD1 can NOT sit still for that long! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/piano-lessons#post-2448565 Thu, 04 Feb 2016 08:06:47 +0000 brownepiano 2448565@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>At that age most piano lessons will be more like music games and rote teaching (whether or not you choose Suzuki). I would either choose a music class (where she can play lots of percussion instruments and sing) or find a teacher who specializes in young students. And don't expect crazy rapid progress.</p> <p>(I say this as a piano teacher... I know there are teachers out there who like to start students really young but I can see a big difference in attention span and retention so I don't like to start much before 5) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/piano-lessons#post-2448447 Thu, 04 Feb 2016 01:07:11 +0000 sometimesshesings 2448447@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I hated group lessons as a kid! I remember spending more time sitting around than playing. </p> <p>Otherwise, if your child is showing an interest, why not give it a try! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/piano-lessons#post-2448273 Wed, 03 Feb 2016 20:19:56 +0000 Rocker2014 2448273@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>DD is too young, but I wanted to chime in and mention that my brother started in home 1:1 lessons at age 3, and he is now a professional pianist!</p> <p>I also agree about avoiding Suzuki if you have other options. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/piano-lessons#post-2448271 Wed, 03 Feb 2016 20:17:29 +0000 pinkcupcake 2448271@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Freckles: we are planning on starting around 4.5. I've talked to Several instructors in our area and they all recommend waiting until at least 4-5, closer to 5 for attention frame purposes. </p> <p>@T-Mom: yes, we did that too in the fall when she was 3.5. Since she was expressing a ton of interest in piano and was able to sit still and focus for at least 15 minutes, I thought it might be a good time to start. The teacher thought she was just too young after meeting and watching her a couple times though, and I'm hindsight I agree - she just wasn't ready for sit down, structured lessons at that age. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/piano-lessons#post-2448216 Wed, 03 Feb 2016 19:20:13 +0000 T-Mom 2448216@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@looch: my DD's piano teacher had us come over for a meeting before we committed to lessons. In addition to us getting to know her a little, I think she was also gauging my DD and her personality/interest level. I would imagine that many teachers might do that.</p> <p>My DD started at around 5.5, close to 6 actually. I think it was a really ideal age for her to start, because she has made really fast progress. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/piano-lessons#post-2448105 Wed, 03 Feb 2016 16:51:07 +0000 Freckles 2448105@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@yoursilverlining: good to know!</p> <p>@looch: that sounds like a good plan. I know that DD's interest started when her friends would play on our piano. What is it with kids not wanting to learn from their parents? :P</p> <p>@Greentea: music is important to me too! You're lucky the school is so close to your house. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/piano-lessons#post-2448099 Wed, 03 Feb 2016 16:46:35 +0000 chopsuey 2448099@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Freckles: i think she would have been fine if we started a couple months earlier, but i waited until she showed interest and asked for lessons.<br /> I have a 3yo and he likes to sit at the piano and "play," but he doesn't have he attention span for lessons. Once I feel like he's ready and he asks, we'll have him start. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/piano-lessons#post-2448093 Wed, 03 Feb 2016 16:41:37 +0000 Umbreon 2448093@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I don't have kids but I definitely plan on putting them into piano lessons. I will probably take the same approach my parents did (but we'll see). </p> <p>I think I started lessons at age 5 or 6, but my dad taught me how to play by ear before that. He didn't know how to read music, but he knew how to play a bunch of easy songs. He taught me the songs he knew, and I'm pretty sure I taught myself a few by just listening and figuring out the tune. I remember piano lessons being a breeze for me in the beginning. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/piano-lessons#post-2448087 Wed, 03 Feb 2016 16:38:31 +0000 catlady 2448087@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We were offered optional short lessons for our LO now that she is in the toddler 2 room at daycare (it is a music focused daycare and they all get short lessons starting at the preschool level, which is age 3). She is 2 now and I thought she was too young so we declined. We will probably start at 3 or 4 if she is interested. I don't know about suzuki for piano, but like @yoursilverlining, I played violin growing up and my teachers were also pretty dismissive about the suzuki method because it was more rote and didn't teach "musicality" very well.</p> <p>@Torchwood: I'd be interested to know what your siblings thought about starting so early! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/piano-lessons#post-2448076 Wed, 03 Feb 2016 16:31:18 +0000 Greentea 2448076@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Heck yes! I mean, that's how I feel about studying music. I only have 2 main requirements- play an instrument until you are 18 and graduate college. So anyhow, I am not sure when we will start. But right now we are looking at either private piano lessons or suzuki method violin. I would like to start as soon as possible, kinder here starts at 4, so I am not sure if she needs time to adjust to that and start the next year at 5. Ideally I will do both suzuki violin and piano private. I could teach her myself, but I think it would be good for her to study with another teacher and we have a school literally a couple doors down. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/piano-lessons#post-2448064 Wed, 03 Feb 2016 16:24:22 +0000 looch 2448064@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I am thinking about hiring a piano teacher to come over and play at our house to see how it goes, what my son does, etc. He's not disciplined enough to want to learn in my eyes, but maybe if someone else is there just playing, he might be interested. Any thoughts about that? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/piano-lessons#post-2448056 Wed, 03 Feb 2016 16:22:14 +0000 yoursilverlining 2448056@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We plan to start LO with lessons when she is 4. We were thinking around now, but there just isn't time right now, and she is more into ballet and those lessons. </p> <p>I would avoid Suzuki, personally. That method produces excellent results short-term, not so across-the-board great results long term. I studied violin for many years and the Suzuki students often cracked at some poin, once they got out of the Suzuki books and had to go to "real" music. I'm sure it works for some people, but I had multiple teachers and none of them were fans (although all were fans of the work books, which I am a fan of as well) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/piano-lessons#post-2448045 Wed, 03 Feb 2016 16:13:54 +0000 Freckles 2448045@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Torchwood: I started early too (violin at 3, piano at 5) but it was forced in me rather than me actually having any interest. I have read that it depends on the child! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/piano-lessons#post-2448042 Wed, 03 Feb 2016 16:13:28 +0000 Andrea 2448042@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Freckles: I would go for a group lesson if she's that young. It seemed really fun for them to do it in a group. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/piano-lessons#post-2448040 Wed, 03 Feb 2016 16:12:33 +0000 Freckles 2448040@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@chopsuey: that's great! do you think she wouldn't have taken to it as well if she started earlier? There are a bunch of kids in LO's preschool who started at 3-3.5, but I want to wait until she is a little older than 4. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/piano-lessons#post-2448038 Wed, 03 Feb 2016 16:10:59 +0000 Torchwood 2448038@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My sister and brother were both either 2 or 3. They're 16 and 14 now, and absolutely amazing. I keep meaning to ask my sister how she feels about having started so young, and whether she'd do the same for her kids. Though she may still be too young to have really thought through whether she wants to parent the way her parents did. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/piano-lessons#post-2448035 Wed, 03 Feb 2016 16:09:40 +0000 Kemma 2448035@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Freckles: I think group lessons would be a really good starting point! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/piano-lessons#post-2448034 Wed, 03 Feb 2016 16:08:52 +0000 Freckles 2448034@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Kemma: she is 3 years and 9 months. I think there are different programs depending on the age, which is why I am leaning towards group lessons. </p> <p>@Andrea: it is a big money commitment so I'm trying to figure out what would be the best setting for her. The group lessons seem as if it would make things fun for her. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/piano-lessons#post-2448030 Wed, 03 Feb 2016 16:06:18 +0000 chopsuey 2448030@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>DD started private lessons at 4.5 years old.<br /> She has lessons once a week at home for 30 mins and practices 5-10 mins a day. I'm surprised at how much she likes it and how good she is! :) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/piano-lessons#post-2448010 Wed, 03 Feb 2016 15:47:37 +0000 Andrea 2448010@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>DD's school started group lessons at 4.5. Kids could elect to take piano on their own and they all did really well. They performed a year end concert.</p> <p>She wanted to continue so we started her in private lessons at 5.5. She really enjoys it. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/piano-lessons#post-2448002 Wed, 03 Feb 2016 15:42:58 +0000 Kemma 2448002@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>How old is you LO? My mother is a registered piano teacher and doesn't take on students until at least six or seven years old. She's found that slightly older kids do so much better because they have better reading comprehension and can sit still for longer! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/piano-lessons#post-2447984 Wed, 03 Feb 2016 15:31:00 +0000 Freckles 2447984@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>DD has been asking for piano lessons, but i can't tell if it's because some kids in her class are already taking lessons or if she really wants to take lessons! </p> <p>How old was your LO when you enrolled them into piano lessons?</p> <p>If you haven't yet, when are you planning on enrolling them?</p> <p>What type of instruction/setting are you looking at - private lessons? group lessons? Suzuki? Royal Conservatory? </p> <p>If your kids are in piano lessons, how are they liking it so far? </p>