Playing and learning music benefits people of all ages, including children—and, it’s proven to be fun.
The benefits of music education extend well beyond childhood, lasting a lifetime. Music education is shown to have a multitude of benefits, including abstract reasoning and creativity. Children who are musically trained have stronger every day listening skills. Music engages both sides of the brain and challenges children to simultaneously concentrate on multiple tasks.
Explore how making music can be part of your children’s lives below!
Top 10 Instruments for Children to Learn to Play Music
**List order is based on "recommended age."
The Xylophone
Recommended for young children
Children often recognize the melodies of songs before they understand the words. The xylophone is an instrument any child can pick up and play. Most xylophones these days are designed with bright colors and/or animation that your child will be automatically drawn to.
Hand Percussion
Recommended for young children
Think shakers, hand drums, bells, rattles, etc. These instruments are ideal; young ones can easily pick up these with their hands and start making music instantly. Benefits to children include coordination and learning how to keep rhythm.
Piano
Recommended for children in elementary school
Playing the piano offers advantages to players of all ages, including developing concentration, lowering stress, improving self-esteem, and enhancing fine motor skills.
Ukulele
Recommended for children in elementary school
You can’t play the ukulele without a smile on your face! Try it with your child- it’s a given that it will lead to smiles and liven up the atmosphere of any room. The ukulele is a perfect instrument to learn to play. Nylon strings make it easy to play and the instrument itself can be purchased at a low cost. Children will benefit from hand-eye coordination and be playing songs with weeks, or even days!
Drums
Recommended for children in elementary school, middle and high school
Parents may be wary of buying a drum set for their child because of the noise factor. It might not be the quietest of instruments, but children love this instrument they can play with all of their limbs.
Recorder
Recommended for children in elementary school
Playing the recorder requires breathing techniques and coordination. The recorder is easier than other wind instruments and is the ideal introductory instrument.
Violin
Recommended for children in elementary and middle school
The violin can be challenging. If your child is disciplined to push through the difficulties of mastering the violin, they can play anything they put their mind too! Benefits include tone, pitch, coordination and perseverance.
Guitar
Recommended for middle and high school students
Learning to play the guitar is easy! Kids also gravitate towards the cool factor that the guitar brings. This fundamental instrument teaches children the basics of music.
Flute
Recommended for middle and high school students
The flute requires patience! Kids should know that it takes hard work to make sure their hands and arms should be in a lifted position for extended periods of time. This is a great instrument to play to crossover into playing the clarinet.
Trumpet
Recommended for middle and high school students
The trumpet is truly the ideal beginning brass instrument. Like the flute, students need to have the strength to hold their instrument in position for a long period of time.