What is the best way to teach a three year old to play piano and violin?

Question

What is the best way to teach a three year old to play piano and violin?

Answer 1

O my gosh. Too young? NO way.

Everyone in this sections thinks all toddlers are too young for anything, it is getting ridiculous.

Enroll your child into private piano lessons. You can sit in there and read or something while she learns. She is not too young.

As for doing both, maybe just stick with one for now, but then you can add another if she wants to.

Answer 2

wait for few more years untill he/she understand what piano is and what violin is. dont u think its little early?

Answer 3

In my opinion, a three-year-old is a bit too young to start learning how to play an instrument.  Reading and understanding music is more difficult to master than the ABCs.  Wait a few years before starting with formal lessons.

There are excellent toys available (Fisher-Price piano comes to mind) that can encourage the development of musical aptitude.

Answer 4

Three is a bit young. Look up books on the Suzuki method.

Even in Suzuki instruction, they don't start until 4 or 5.

Answer 5

A three year old is too young to begin to play the violin or the piano! They are almost certainly not able to read words, let alone music! Get them going with reading, writing, and math and then maybe in 3rd grade start music.

Answer 6

IF your child is truely interested, I would speak to a private instructor and find out their opinion on the subject. I have 2 of our children taking piano right now. They both started at age 5 and our piano teacher thought that starting before then would really not be in the child's best interests because it would be difficult for them to sit through a whole lesson, they could not read the music pieces, and one thing she pointed out which made a lot of sense was the fact that with the notes on the piano being A B C D E F G and then repeating themselves, many children even at age 5 or 6 can become confused and not understand that concept. They will want to say H after the G. So, again, I think its up to you and I don't think there is any real harm in it. But I would just make sure its what your child wants to do and understands that there is  ALOT of work involved in it!

Answer 7

HI MiMi,

Your three year old is not going to play the piano....  he/she is going to be  banging on it.   But that does not mean you shouldn't encourage the piano playing behaviour.   Get the high chair and let your child sit at the piano and  bang... or hit the keys.  Now if he likes it,  he will do it for extended periods... but if not.... he will get bored quick and want down.   AND if he does get bored quickly,  it is proof, he/she was not ready to be focused.   Don't let the child just walk up to the piano and stand and bang just whenever he likes.   If he wants to do it,  he/she MUST sit and focus as long as his/her attention span lasts.

It is different for the violin.  You should look for and find a violin teacher who specifically specializes in teaching pre-schoolers.  Here where I live,  Houston, Texas - we have a Houston Youth Symphony with children from the ages of 3 to 21.  Now the three year olds to 13 year olds are not playing with the older students,  but each age group has an orchestra to participate in.   The Houston Youth Symphony is a very elite organization and very successful with young artists.  I have been to concerts where three year olds were playing the violin.

So... if you are serious about doing this.  Find that teacher to work with your child.  But the MOST important factor in your child's musical success is YOU.  You must encourage, support and see that his practice is a serious priority every day.  Both you and your child will be glad you did!!!

Thanks for reading.