my daughter, the music-sensitive 3 year old

[wilser]

So, the other day I'm taking my little one to preschool and while we're waiting on the kiss and ride lane we're talking about random 3 year old stuff when she suddenly stops me and asks me to turn up the stereo. Steely Dan's "bad sneakers" was playing, not a particularly toddler friendly song, but she remained quietly listening to it. A true rarity seeing this kid sitting quietly.

So about a week later I'm sitting on the living room watching my "two against nature" concert DVD and the band starts playing "bad sneakers". The kid runs out of her room to me yelling "daddy, daddy! that's the same song from your car!".

Not only that! she was humming lines from Rush's "Xanadu" this weekend which I played once or twice while fiddling on an acoustic guitar. And she was in tune!

I want her to take music lessons as soon as she can to take advantage of her interest in music but what would be the right age? What would be the right instrument? I'm thinking piano maybe, but her hands are so tiny!

[T.O.Bass]

Don't worry about tiny hands on piano. One of my ex-girlfriends started playing piano at the age of three, now at 24 she has her ARCT. It's doable.

[SteveC]

Encourage and support and provide opportunities, but please don't be one of "those" parents that forces it on her and accidentally ruin a great love of music.

My 2 year old shows great aptitude as well. Being a music teacher I hear the questions all the tim e about starting violin, etc. I don't plan on doing anything yet. She's 2. I really feel kids are forced to grow up way to fast.

Nothing wrong with letter her enjoy music right now without sitting her at a piano.

[Deacon_Blues]

Sounds like you have a really musical daughter. Congrats.

I bet the small hands will be a slight problem, but not a problem big enough to prevent her from playing simple melodies on the piano. There's a lot of other things to learn before the hand size starts to be an issue, if it ever becomes a major one. She will grow...

EDIT: While I agree with Steve above I don't think there is a problem with having her sitting at the piano once in a while as long as you don't force her to play and advance. She's still a very young child.

[Selta]

Just put a piano or keyboard in the room and tell her that she can mash on it at anytime she wants. Perhaps have a couple of books around so she can try to learn on her own when she gets beyond bashing keys . After awhile of that, perhaps look into a teacher/teaching her?

<-- non parent, btw.

[T-Bird]

Hi.

That must feel really cool.

Originally Posted by SteveC

Encourage and support and provide opportunities, but please don't be one of "those" parents that forces it on her and accidentally ruin a great love of music.

My 2 year old shows great aptitude as well. Being a music teacher I hear the questions all the tim e about starting violin, etc. I don't plan on doing anything yet. She's 2. I really feel kids are forced to grow up way to fast.

Nothing wrong with letter her enjoy music right now without sitting her at a piano.

+1

I'm one of those kids who was forced to play piano at a young age. Not that young though, but I wanted to play guitar, not some lame piano.

For years and years I didn't play any keys, and now when I'd like to I can't, no matter how hard I try .

When ever I'm in a music store, and a parent comes in tooting how talented and exellent piano player their rugrat is, I casually tell them "Yeah, when I was young, I was forced to play piano too, I became a bassplayer". Usually the rugrat sports a big grin and the parent just stares not knowing what to say. Aah.., fond memories .

Just my 0.02€
Sam

[L-A]

Yup. Don't press anything yet. If she has interest in it, she will ask. It's better to answer the questions until she knows what she wants.

You generally can't push the art into someone.

[Mr. Pickles]

Just listening to music with her is a learning experience. She will soak up everything you listen to. She will also pick up on your enthusiasm.

Provide her with opportunities to exlpore instruments without pressure (i.e. I have a box of percussion instruments within my daughter's reach, and I'll often find her digging through it).

Toy instruments are also key as are finding quality children's recordings. You may not like listening to The Wiggles, or watching Hannah Montana, but your daughter may love it!

Children's books also provide a gateway to exploring rhythm and rhyme. Anything by Dr. Seuss!

There are some cool kids bands that tour such as Dan Zanes. I went to a show with my daughter when she was two, and she danced the whole time.

Hope this helps!

[Muusers]

let her choose the instrument. if there's a music school around, ask them if they have open days. that's how i chose my first instrument

[wilser]

thanks for all the great recommendations guys. it sounds like should let her be a kid for now as expecting her to remain focused on lessons might be pushing it for her at the time.

the most amazing day was when she sat with me for 2 straight hours watching the Farm Aid concert a few months ago. I mean, this is not a kid that will stay put even while eating. It's all yapping and yapping and jumping around all day long, non-stop. Unless she's watching a concert with me.

We have satellite radio on the family vehicle and when sirius was still just sirius the Kid's Stuff channel had a pretty predictable programming schedule and she knew all the songs. Her favorite was Debbie Debiberry (sp?) which had some pretty nice new grooves on classical children's songs.

[fo shizzle]

Get her started on piano lessons. They will be age-appropriate and keys and reading treble and bass clef open up EVERYTHING for kids.

I oldest is 12 and started piano when she was 7. She loves the piano, she plays flute in the band at school, and is learning guitar via chord charts on the internet.

[artistanbul]

let her be for a now, then gradually start getting angry at her for spending too much time with music, and tell how you know better.

just to make sure she ends up as a musician :-P

[disenchant]

Just encourage her love of music. Get her a small keyboard and let her play around with it.

Start formal lessons later. And use the rule of one minute per year of age for practice/lessons. If she's 3, then she should do no more than 3 minutes of piano at a time (you can do it several times a day).

After seeing a 5 year old play perfect Mozart using this method (5 minutes of practice 3 times a day) and LOVING it, I know it's the way to go!

[IAmTheDood]

encourage her. my daughter's almost 7.. I tried to push her to start violin at age 4 .. took her to 1 lesson and she didn't want to do it so I held off. She started tinkering around on a keyboard at home and asked if she wanted lessons and she said yes.

She did lessons for about 3 months but didn't want to do them anymore, didn't want to practice, just mess around on the piano so I stopped for now.. I plan to have her take more later on but not just yet.. don't want to push her to do it.

I was one who started at 6 years old as well, always forced to do it. . wish I kept it up.

[wilser]

I was also forced to take piano lessons in my pre-teen years, but I wanted to go to little league. Oddly enough, when I was around 12 I started hating sports and loving music more. Now I wish I had kept the piano lessons instead live and learn.

[disenchant]

Originally Posted by IAmTheDood

encourage her. my daughter's almost 7.. I tried to push her to start violin at age 4 .. took her to 1 lesson and she didn't want to do it so I held off. She started tinkering around on a keyboard at home and asked if she wanted lessons and she said yes.

She did lessons for about 3 months but didn't want to do them anymore, didn't want to practice, just mess around on the piano so I stopped for now.. I plan to have her take more later on but not just yet.. don't want to push her to do it.

I was one who started at 6 years old as well, always forced to do it. . wish I kept it up.

It's so easy for kids who are FORCED to do it to hate it and then regret it later!

That's why I love the one minute per age rule. You set a timer for 7 minutes and that's all she has to do. She could even do 3 minutes then break then 4 minutes. I guess you can even do 1 minute 7 times and get a GREAT result! It keeps the instrument fun.

[DudeistMonk]

I like the box O'percussion idea....another option is to buy "yourself" a keyboard and "let" her use it. Make it seem like one of daddy's music toys so she won't feel any pressure and then offer to show her some things(or get lessons) if/when she shows interest.

[spade2you]

Originally Posted by artistanbul

let her be for a now, then gradually start getting angry at her for spending too much time with music, and tell how you know better.

just to make sure she ends up as a musician :-P

Ahhhh, good 'ol reverse psychology. I dunno, virtually all of my friends who took music as a kid don't do squat with it today. A lot of my friends who picked up guitar, bass, drums, keys later in life seem more likely to be playing today.

[scorpionldr]

i find it fascinating that the "virtuoso" specialty students at my high school class mostly went on to become something like engineering majors. a horrid waste, in my opinion...

[Mark Wilson]

Steely Dan eh?!
Kid Charlemange!!!

Anyway, get her into piano lessons. Piano is the best foundation to start on IMO.