If there’s one thing you have your kids learn how to do, it should be how to play an instrument. Learning how to play an instrument activates so many different areas of the brain, making it a must for all kids. You can even join them in learning and make it a whole family event.
Benefits of Learning an Instrument
There are so many reasons why kids especially should learn how to play an instrument:
- Increases memory capacity
- Betters perseverance
- Boosts coordination
- Improves mathematical ability
- And more
It’s also fun, a great way for kids to learn how to express themselves, and as they get older, it’s just going to be a hit at parties – or wherever your kids want to hang out.
Now, all of these benefits can be experienced by learning and getting good at any instrument, but the guitar is probably the best option out there. Why? Simple. It’s easy to carry around, set up, and play if you get an acoustic. It’s also used in most modern songs today, so your kids can learn to play their favorite songs and jam out.
What You Need to Teach Your Kids Guitar
The other big benefit is that you can start teaching kids guitar with very little. What you will need, for example, is an acoustic guitar that’s the right size for your kid (this might be a ¾ sized guitar, for example). You’ll also want to get some picks, a guitar tuner, and guitar tab sheet music.
Guitar tabs are a simplified version of traditional sheet music and are widely seen as the go-to way to learn how to play songs quickly. The best part for kids, of course, is that they can usually find guitar tabs for their favorite songs and musicians. Keeping kids committed to learning can be challenging, so sticking with what they love while learning something new is essential.
How to Teach Your Kids Guitar
Now, the best way for your kid to learn how to play guitar is actually with a professional teacher, but if the cost is holding you back, then don’t worry. YouTube is a great teacher. Once you find one that you like, you’ll want to start learning in this order:
- Learn finger and hand positioning
- Start with basic, open chords like D, C, or G
- Introduce chord charts (ideally ones with clear finger placements)
- Introduce strumming patterns
- Play simple, basic songs
- Practice, practice, practice
- Start with closed chords
While you should learn everything that you need to know from online videos and resources, here are a few tips to help you and your kid start playing guitar the right way:
- Adopt correct posture: feet flat on the floor, guitar resting on the thigh, back straight
- Adopt the correct hand position: curved fingertips along the fretboard
- Start small, as it takes time to build muscles and callouses in the fingers
Playing guitar with your kids or helping them learn on their own is a great compromise if you can’t put them into formal guitar lessons just yet. If they click with it, however, then you may just find there isn’t much for you to do at all, and they’ll use all the available resources to throw themselves entirely into their new hobby.
