When is the right time to start violin lessons?

You may have heard that very young children can learn the violin and wondered, “is my child ready to learn an instrument?” So, how do you know if your child is ready for that kind of commitment? As a teacher with years of experience with preschoolers, I can tell you that it’s a perfect age to begin your violin journey. Violin lessons are a wonderful way for children to develop skills like discipline, patience, stick-to-it-iveness, and a love of the arts. If you're still not sure, here are some things to consider (or ask your prospective teacher) before starting lessons:

• Does my child like the violin? Or am I choosing the instrument for them?

• Is my child old enough or hit the right milestones?

• Does the teacher have an age requirement for new students?

• Does my child have any experience with music?

• How is my child in an environment outside the home?

• Is my child OK with someone moving their hands? Including myself?

• Which parent might be best as the practice parent?

• Am I comfortable entering into a beginners mindset to learn along with my child?

• What routines do we have in place that could help with daily practice?

• Can we listen to the same recordings every day?

What is the best age to begin?

For most children the ideal age to start violin lessons is 3.5 to 6 years old. For the youngest students, they should be potty trained, able to follow some simple instructions, and have met their milestones for fine-motor skills. Ideally, they have been enrolled in early music education classes as a toddler, or are already listening to Suzuki Volume 1. As a Suzuki teacher I require students to attend lessons with same parent or guardian until they are around twelve years old, although having support from the entire family is essential. This parent serves as the practice parent for the student, guiding practice sessions to be as meaningful as possible.

I find starting students young is preferable because it is hard to make the violin sound beautiful. Pressing a key on the piano is not challenging, but moving the bow across the strings to produce a beautiful tone takes years. Because it is so hard to make a good sound it is essential for the parent to help in the beginning stages. We all know children want to do everything themselves, so it's best to start violin at an age where the child is more willing to cooperate with their parent's help and when fine motor development is ready. This ideal age tends to be between 3.5 to 6 years old, but students can start at older ages, and those lessons may look a bit different.

Another reason for starting young is to develop a practice routine. Although progress for a 3-year-old may be slow, they will be playing the instrument more fluently by the time they are 6 years old than if they waited to start until then. By starting early, you are getting help from an experienced coach who will be there for you when practice becomes hard or stagnant, and you’ll learn how to navigate these challenges when your child is at an age when they are more willing to ask for your help.

Keep in mind that not every teacher is trained to teach preschool students, so before you begin lessons ask your prospective teacher about their experience with your child’s age group to see if it’s a good fit.

Are you OK with taking things slow?

You might not be and that's OK. But you will need to be prepared for things to move glacially. I tell new parents to measure their child’s progress by years, not from week to week. Another analogy I like to use is exercising. You don't see results from doing it once a week, you see results doing it every day for months on end. And learning patience is one of the wonderful skills developed while studying violin.

I start my preschool students off with no instrument. Yes–no instrument! This often scares parents away–I thought we were learning the violin? Remember–the violin is a very difficult instrument and children love to play imaginary games. While we’re working on earning the instrument, we’re learning violin skills that will come in handy when we have the actual instrument in hand. Suzuki violin teacher Edmund Sprunger emphasizes that kids like to solve puzzles and don't like to be overwhelmed. Learning in this slow way allows them learn the violin without getting overwhelmed by its complexity.

Another concern parents have is that their child won't be interested in violin unless they are holding an instrument every lesson. As a musician and a teacher I know if I hand a 4 year old a violin at the first lesson they will instantly develop bad habits and then we'll spend years undoing them. I did not learn this instrument by luck or talent, but through hard work. In fact, I believe every child can learn the violin with hard work. Because learning the violin requires hard work parents must accept that we're traveling a long, challenging path with a beautiful, enjoyable outcome.

Can your child be outside their home, in the same place, for 30 minutes?

Young students start with 30-minute lessons. Can your child be in the same place for that long? Often times we won't be working the entire lesson, but in 5-10 minute increments. Then I will give students small breaks so we can talk. Remember that you are learning along with your child. 

Is your child comfortable with someone touching/moving their hands/body?

This is a huge part of lessons. If your child won't let their teacher handle their hands, arms and body we won't really be able to pursue with lessons. Some children may just take some time to warm up, so don't be disheartened if your child is afraid or uncomfortable during the first few lessons. I usually start children working with their parents, so gradually they become comfortable with me and we can start to work together. 

Are you comfortable learning with your child?

Parents must be engaged during their child's lessons, so come to lessons prepared to engage in a beginners mindset. For parents in my studio, I will ask you to demonstrate your at home practice to make sure you're doing it effectively. Be prepared to keep a practice journal and even take videos with your mobile device during lessons. Even if you grew up playing the violin, it’s essential that you put your trust in your teacher since they have training and experience teaching very young children the violin.

What kind of routines are already in place at home?

Not only do you need to schedule your weekly lesson and group class, but you also need to schedule daily practice. The easiest way to establish a daily practice routine is by attaching it to something else you already do every day. For instance, do you eat and brush your teeth every day? Then doing violin before or after these essential, daily routines is a surefire way to establish great practice habits. My hope is that my students develop a love of learning and that playing the violin is itself a reward. Check out this post about setting up successful home practice. 

How do I know if my child likes the violin?

Families come to me to study the violin for many different reasons. Perhaps a parent grew up playing the violin, or the parent heard learning the violin can help academic study, or maybe the child has become enamored with the instrument on their own. Regardless of the reason, I believe any child can learn and love to play the violin with the right environment.

One thing I will guarantee is that your child might not like learning the violin at times. In fact, there will be times where they become very frustrated while learning the instrument. But quitting is often a very complicated decision, one that your teacher can help you with, so it must be handled thoughtfully. Unless there is a very unhealthy relationship developing between the parent and child through violin practice (and this is something we can work on together), it will take a few years before your child can really say "this is not for me." You simply don't know if it's right until you can play the violin with ease and that takes time. I ask families to give my program at least a year before they quit and if your child likes playing the violin in any capacity–don't quit lessons. Instead, talk to your teacher about it and develop a plan together. Remember that everyone’s violin journey is different.