With millions of kids starting music lessons each year, it’s safe to say that music education is a pretty popular choice for parents looking for extracurriculars for their children. Plus, with instrument sales numbers skyrocketing, it seems like more and more parents are choosing to get their kids guitar lessons than ever before. As a concerned parent, you are probably asking yourself whether lessons are right for your child, and what benefits your child would get from lessons beyond being able to tell the difference between a G sharp and a F flat (and how to understand music theory jokes!). Well, look no further, because this is the guide for you!

Is my child ready for lessons?

Before you dive right in, you may first want to consider whether guitar lessons are right for your individual child. Most children under 8 will struggle with some of the key elements of a music lesson or with physically operating the instrument. A child will need to be able to hold and finger the instrument, be able to focus for 20-30 minutes at a time, and have the discipline to be engaged while the teacher is helping them.

If your child is ready for the mental challenges of guitar, but may have some growing to do before being able to hold a full sized instrument, fear not! Most guitar retailers offer 30” and 36” options for younger children (and you can get one for free here! [link to SoS]). Most children ages 8-12 prefer a 36” guitar, and older children will usually want a full 40” guitar. You will want to make sure that your child can hold the instrument, reach to the end of the fretboard, and wrap their hands comfortably around the fretboard to reach the strings.

 

How will lessons benefit my child?

Now that you’re sure that lessons are an option for your child or teen, let’s talk about the incredible benefits lessons can bring them!

 

For example, did you know that just taking a single year of music lessons can significantly raise a child’s IQ? And the benefits only increase the longer your child takes them! This improvement is visible in young children all the way through college, and directly impacts children’s grades and academic performance as well!

In fact, music lessons are associated with many improvements to measurable mental faculties, including memory, focus, and even neuroplasticity! How cool is that? Your child, just by taking lessons, can teach their brain to make better connections between neurons, helping their capacity for learning increase.

Discipline and goal setting can be some of the most frustrating skills to pass on to your children, but guitar lessons make it easy! Music is perfect for teaching task management, long term planning, and goal orientation. Every project is broken into week-long manageable chunks, which are importantly broken down even further by the student in their practice. In addition, taking music lessons requires day-to-day commitment to practicing and working towards goals, which are incredibly important skills for any person to have.

Ultimately, though, the mental skills and improvements are just one small part of why we recommend taking guitar. At the end of the day, it’s just fun! Being able to play music is one of the greatest joys a person can experience. It’s a great way to connect with and appreciate culture, it helps you make friends (as any lifelong musician can tell you, jam buddies can easily become lifelong friends), and it gives you the opportunity for a deeper creative expression than almost any other medium. Besides, who doesn’t want to capture everyone’s attention with a sweet Jimi Hendrix lick, or captivate an audience with a perfect rendition to “Stairway to Heaven”?