How You Can Help Your Child as They Learn to Play the Guitar

Giving children the opportunity to learn a new instrument is a valuable gift from any parent. Playing an instrument such as the guitar as a child has many benefits, including improving coordination, serving as a creative outlet, and encouraging learning other musical instruments later in life. While children do learn quickly on the guitar, it's still a huge difference when they have guidance and support from their parents along the way.

Here are some valuable tips for helping your child as they learn to play the guitar:

1. Give Them Encouragement

Encouragement is perhaps the most essential tool for helping children learn to play the guitar. It's important to avoid criticism or pressuring your child to improve. It's also necessary to make the experience fun. Remember, playing the guitar is a long-term investment, so it's important to keep your child excited about it.

2. Start with a Decent Guitar

A guitar that is too cheap or poorly setup won't produce the best sound. When it comes to your child learning to play the guitar, a decent instrument is an essential starting point. A low-quality guitar will produce poor sounds and difficult to play if poorly setup, which can be discouraging and adds unnecessary pressure to perform well. Your child's first guitar should be sturdy and a good fit physically. 

3. Share Great Music with Them

It goes without saying that when children learn to play an instrument, they should listen to music regularly. Your child will naturally want to play covers of their favourite songs, so it's crucial that they have access to music they like. Children are more likely to keep practising if they know they'll be able to perform the music they like.

4. Choose an Instructor They Like

No matter how much you help, your child will have a much better experience if they have a guitar instructor they trust. Instructors who are patient with children and who encourage them to learn at their own pace will make a world of difference. Of course, any instrument your child is learning to play is going to require practice, so they'll probably be spending a lot of time with their instructor.

5. Ask Their Instructors about How Sessions Are Going

If your child is in lessons, it's important to communicate with their guitar instructor. Ask about what your child is learning, whether they're keeping up, and anything else you're curious about. Your guitar instructor will have a solid idea of what challenges your child is facing, and they'll also have some ideas for how you can help.

6. Try Learning with Them

Learning how to play an instrument with children is a great way to spend time together and make the experience more fun. Learning with your child will let you check in on their progress as they move through the lessons and overcome musical challenges. Remember, approach the sessions with a positive, encouraging attitude, as your child will likely respond in the same way,

Conclusion

Learning how to play the guitar is an exciting opportunity for anyone, especially children. It can improve coordination, encourage creativity and make learning other instruments easier as they get older. Learning to play the guitar is also a valuable experience for children because it promotes responsibility and accountability. Help your child learn, and you'll be setting them up for success.

If you need recommendations for local guitar teachers at any level please don't hesitate to contact us at Musicstreet for some phone numbers.

Check out our new and used acoustic guitars for great guitars you can learn on and make music with. Invest in a decent instrument and provide your child with a solid foundation for music and their future! Visit our store in Cambridgeshire today!