How Young Is Too Young to Start Singing Lessons?

"My child shows a lot of musical talent. Should I start him on voice lessons?"

• First – all children are different. Of course, most parents think their child is exceptional for their age. I certainly thought my young children were musical geniuses. But that doesn’t mean your child is ready for actual private vocal instruction.

• Second – all children benefit from learning good singing habits from the beginning and most children love music and love to sing. This should be encouraged through many experiences.

• Third – formal instruction is probably not necessary for the majority of young children and can be a challenge for young attention spans, leading to discouragement. 

Let’s consider these points. Yes, your child is exceptional. Your child loves to sing and picks up songs so quickly that you are amazed. That is awesome! Most children take to music like ducks take to water. But, as a professional voice teacher, I tend to wince when an eight year old (or younger) is signed up for voice lessons with me. For most children, voice lessons are definitely overkill.

My primary focus with a young child is different than my focus with a youth or adult. With a young child, my goal is to open up a world of exciting possibilities that will last a lifetime, but formal voice lessons are not necessary for this step. There are many ways a child can discover the joy of music and performing.

FIRST THINGS FIRST. The very first thing a parent can do for their child is to take them to see and experience live performances. Let your child see the local ballet, concerts and theater. If you are budget-minded, local productions offer a great alternative to more expensive professional shows and your child will love them. Watch quality shows and performances on TV with your children. Introduce them to every Musical you can find (appropriate for kids, of course).

In other words, educate them in the Arts! Then when they begin to study privately, they will have a better idea what they are aiming for and know where our vast repertoire of music comes from.

Performing Arts are incredibly beneficial to children. Whether it’s acting, singing or dance, children
are going to love participating in the arts and expressing themselves. Start with a class or workshop outside your child’s school music program that will be a wonderful enhancement for them. Let your child start in a group with other kids with passion for music.

Sing with your child. Don’t worry about your own ability – just have fun singing. When you listen to the radio, find different genres of music to introduce to your child. Children will start imitating the singers they hear. Make sure they are hearing GOOD singers! Kids even love opera, so don’t limit what you expose them to.

It is important that kids develop a good sense of pitch when they are young. This just makes things easier when they do start singing. You can always develop your sense of pitch but children can learn so quickly. I will go into detail soon in another blog so stay tuned. A voice teacher can help with this, but so can a good school music program and the aforementioned exposure to vast amounts of music.

SUM IT ALL UP - So, don’t feel you need to jump into professional voice lessons with your young child. Just give them the opportunity to enjoy music and see all the possibilities. When they are ready to get more serious in Junior High or High School they will have a wealth of experiences to draw upon.

See more at our website - Sing-Naturally.com.