As a parent, you’re going to want your little one to have as many extracurricular hobbies as possible. This helps them to develop their personal interests and really get a hold of what interests them on an individual level. So, chances are that at some point or another you’re going to want to try them out on some sort of instrument. The problem here is that parents don’t tend to have neverending cash flows. So you want to find the easiest instrument to learn for kids that aren’t going to cost you an arm and a leg to purchase for them to try out.
After all, they might not take to it and you don’t want to have thrown a whole load of money into the venture, only for it to last a few fleeting moments. So, let’s take a look at a few of the budget-friendly options that might pique their interest!
Benefits of Playing an Instrument
There is much evidence to support that just listening to music is a form of therapy and that it can have a type of healing effect but did you ever put into much thought as to what benefits playing an instrument may have on your child other than simply easing their boredom? Well, studies have shown that there are many cognitive benefits that can be enjoyed when children participate in music classes.
Some of the top reasons to encourage your child to learn an instrument may include;
Increased memory skills
Learning an instrument is a form of stress relief because it keeps a child distracted from things that could be bothering them. As the child is learning how to play this instrument it also helps them to create, store, and retrieve memories. These brain exercises help to increase their memory skills.
Increased patience and a sense of accomplishment
Learning a new instrument takes a lot of time, effort, and patience. However, once the child has put in that effort and their goal is finally completed there is a sense of accomplishment.
Improved hand-eye coordination
As children play an instrument, they are required to convert what is read on their music sheets into music with their hands. This develops better hand and eye movement.
Improved reading and comprehension
Children who play an instrument have to learn how to read music sheets and recognize musical notes. Learning how to read in music class is also effective in helping children read literature books.
Improves listening
Playing an instrument requires children to be able to listen to various things from notes, to pitches, and rhythms. This requirement of constant focus and concentration increases their ability to listen in other areas of life.
Improved Responsibility
Certain instruments will require some type of maintenance or upkeep or your child’s part. By encouraging your child to stay up with their instrument you are creating a responsibility for them thus making them more likely to maintain that item’s care.
Easiest Instrument to Learn For Kids
Ukulele
Now, most kids want to pick up a guitar straight off the bat. This isn’t all too surprising. After all, if your kid is into modern music, chances are that their heros and favorite musicians all play this instrument. However, guitars can often be difficult for little hands to maneuver and they also tend to come with a pretty high price tag. Incorporate specialist guitar lessons and you could be set to take a big step back financially.
Now, there are alternatives out there that will keep a grin on their faces but prove a lot less costly on you. Consider a ukulele! This small instrument is perfect for little ones, as the average ukulele only measures 20 inches, however, there is also the pianissimo ukulele, which is gaining increasing popularity on the market at just 16 inches.
So no matter how young your child may be, the ukulele should be easily manageable for them. As these instruments are gaining increasing popularity on the market, they are becoming more widely available and with lower price tags to accommodate individuals of almost every kind of budget.
When it comes to learning ukulele, there are countless free video tutorials online that you can pick up and then pass on to your kids. You can also find plenty of songs to get them into the instrument at easyukulelesongs.com. In short, this is the perfect instrument for your little one to start off with!
Recorder
If your kid is more interested in wind than strings, you might want to consider a recorder instead. Now, chances are you’ve played one of these at some point or another in your life – most likely when you were little yourself! The recorder is a woodwind instrument belonging to the flute family, so if your little one takes to it, there’s some serious room for progression onwards and upwards.
However, recorders themselves are extremely low cost and can be found in most music stores or even toy stores nowadays. Most recorders will also come with a child-friendly music manual that will teach your kid what parts they need to press down while blowing to produce the right sounds.
These are just two of the easiest instruments to learn for kids on the market that might interest your little one, but they’re popular for a reason. They’re cheap and cheerful and will get your child involved in creating music!
