guitars/lessons for young kids?

[sevenyearsdown]

Is there an age that you guys can recommend that is appropriate to start teaching young kids bass or guitar? My niece has always been fascinated with my playing, and she has been asking for a real guitar for a couple of years. She's gonna be 8 this summer, but I have no idea if she is big enough to even handle a short scale or receive lessons at that age. She continues to tell me guitar, not keyboard though which some others have recommended I get her. She's hell bent on a guitar, or a bass. Everything I play with strings on it she calls a guitar - even my double bass (she calls it uncle Jay's really big guitar).

So do you guys have any recommendations or advice on this subject? I'm willing to take her to lessons each week.

[MalcolmAmos]

Attention span is the key. Second grade attention span - put this question to a second grade teacher.

I have worked with middle school children and I can tell you they wake up in a new World every day, I'm sure second graders do also.

[DB10]

I was trying to figure out the answer to this last year, as both my kids were itching to pick up instruments. Couldn't convince either of them to start with keys, even though I think that would have been best. Figured it didn't make sense to push something on them, so got them what they wanted (guitar and drums).
Most guitar teachers and things I read tended to average out around 8 years old. So my son got his 3/4 size Squier guitar just before his 8th birthday and started lessons. Attention span isn't really his issue, finger strength is another consideration. It's been going pretty well for him, and he is progressing, although he doesn't practice as much as he should.

Now my 5 year old got started with drums, and he loves it, practices daily, and is really getting it.

So part of it just depends on the kid.

[robboy]

I've been teaching kids guitar,bass, and piano for many years and I've found that guitar is hard for most kids under the age of 7 or 8. Their hands just don't seem to have the strength and dexterity needed to move along at a pace that keeps them interested prior to 7 or 8. Also parents understandably don't want to spend too much if the kid isn't to stick with playing so they buy them a $99 dollar acoustic that nobody can play and set them up for failure. If your gonna give them an instrument get them something decent that is very playable. Really, piano is the best thing to start them on because it's very easy to teach at an early age and they can get the basics of music quite well at that age. It's much easier to play and understand with reasonable results than guitar. Just my observation.