For a parent who loves music, it is a thrilling thing to see a child begin to take interest in the piano, even if that interest is simply plunking at the keys to see what sounds it makes. The question then becomes, when is it appropriate to start enrolling your child in piano lessons in NYC? According to the Hoffman Academy, a good age range for your child to begin taking lessons is from 5 ½ to 8 years of age, due to several necessary factors, including having hands of the right size, an interest in music, and the power to move fingers separate from others.
Children Must Have Hands Large Enough to Reach Different Keys
The key tools of a pianist, aside from the piano, of course, are his or her fingers. Small children, enthusiastic as they may be, are limited in what they can do with a musical instrument by the size of their hands. By the time most children reach the recommended age of 5 ½, their hands have grown to the point where they can stretch and reach multiple keys at a time without mashing them in an incoherent jumble. If your child grows faster, then you may consider enrolling them sooner, given that they meet the other two requirements.
Children Must Have an Interest in Music
Another of the things that must be present for your child to really take to piano lessons in NYC is that they must be interested in music in the first place. Though you, as a parent, may love music and know the benefits of learning a musical instrument, your child may not share the same enthusiasm. If they do not have an interest in music, then any lessons in which you enroll them will simply become a chore and an irritant. However, if they are curious and willing to make the intent, then the lessons will be something fun for them.
This is another benefit of waiting until the child is 5 ½ to 8. It will give them time to truly develop one way or the other.
Children Should Have the Ability to Move Fingers Independently
Another critical skill in playing the piano is being able to move fingers and hands independently from one another. For small children, this is a difficult thing to develop in the younger years, as they are still learning how to move their digits and perfect the art of walking and running. Around the recommended age, however, most children will be able to develop this ability.
Though It Is Best to Start Young, You Should Never Discourage Anyone from Learning
Studies have shown that an individual will best learn a musical instrument at early ages, preferably starting in the recommended ages for ordinary children. However, if an older child expresses the interest in learning an instrument, you should not discourage them. True, their hands are less malleable than those of a child, but with determination, they can become just as skilled.
In the end, the time when you should enroll your child in piano lessons in NYC is entirely individual. So long as the child is both willing and able, they will be able to begin lessons as soon as you enroll them.