Children & singing lessons - how early to start?

It is wonderful that parents want to encourage their little one's voice and their enjoyment of music!

When it comes to this topic, I want to highlight that I am approaching it with a unique perspective. I started my professional life as I school teacher after graduating from university. Along with my degree in primary school teaching, I also undertook specialist studies and earned a special qualification in early education (ie children 0-8 years old).

For most young children (0-6 years old) one-on-one technical singing lessons may be a little premature. Here’s what I recommend.

Provide child-friendly opportunities to engage with music and singing at home.

Children’s songs and children’s artists are a great first start for learning and singing along to songs. Encourage their attempts to sing and use their voice. Provide opportunity to play improvised instruments, for example playing beats and rhythms on an old box or a saucepan. Copying simple rhythmic patterns (accordingly suitable to their developmental stage) and simple sung melodies depending on their interest and abilities.

Low-cost and free group sessions

Apart from providing opportunities at home to play and sing, in this stage of development, group musical experiences can be invaluable. Singing and exploring rhythm, rhyme, beat, timing and musicality in with others can be a brilliant way to start your young child to music-making. 

These groups foster fun and engagement with music and musical concepts in ways that are less intense, and more cooperative, all of which children find very engaging, encouraging and motivational.There are a number of options out there. For instance, in Toowoomba there are numerous groups being run called “Mainly Music”. There are other groups as well, and there are also activities run through the local library. An online search for music activities for your child’s age group should yield you some results - anything from free to very low cost.

As a child matures, decisions can then be made about where and how to funnel any particular interest or natural talent a child may have where a parent may decide to invest in one-on-one lessons either for singing or learning an instrument.

Good on you, dear parent, for encouraging your child's enjoyment of and development in music education.