There are many stories of all those successful musicians who achieved exceptional feats when they were young. Mozart wrote his first symphony when he was just 8 years of age. Stevie Wonder was just 11 when he signed with Motown. Today, many families have talented children in their neighborhood learning music and excelling at it.
As a result, they have the desire to see their children succeed in music. Even if their kids are not performing with the Chicago Symphony, parents want them to learn music. They want them to be a part of the church pre-school choir or one of the school concert bands.
However, forcing a child to learn music when they are small kids is not the right approach. Many adults who were forced to train in a certain musical instrument when they were young ended up hating it. So, to avoid such situations, it is necessary that the parents wait until their children grow older.
At a certain age, they develop the ability to know what is right and what is wrong for them. This is the age when they can choose their own musical instrument. They can even make a decision whether they want to learn an instrument or not.
The role of parents
Parents must be more like guides for their children and not someone who controls all their choices. When it comes to music, it is always beneficial to start right after their birth. The studies that have been conducted over the years also support this view. From birth to age 9 can be a good time for developing a musical sensibility in kids.
At this stage, their mental abilities to understand and process music are in the prime development stages. It is, therefore, an important time for exposing children to music. The goal at this stage is not to master the instruments or vocals. It is to develop a meaningful relationship with music.
At this early stage of development in a child, the approach must not be very formal. Parents must create an environment of music around them. Then, they can help their kids to focus on the music with some activities involving simple movements.
They can be musical games, dancing, or swaying to the song being played. Parents can hold their babies while dancing, singing, or playing an instrument. While they are performing such activities, the parents must carefully study the responses of their children. This would help them in understanding whether they need to put in some more effort.
The age for formalized lessons
Once the child reaches the age of three, it would be the right time to introduce more formalized lessons. The goal must not be to make him or her learn to play a musical instrument. It must be to develop his or her skills further. Enrolling them in one of the pre-school music classes would be a good start.
By the time such children reach the age of five, they’ll have a good foundation for formal music lessons. When they are ten years of age, they can choose their musical instrument. This is the age for them to make the transition from gaining experience in music to improving their performance.
