What's the best age to start piano lessons?

Summary: 5-7 Years Old

The short answer is your child should be between 5 and 7 years old when they start piano lessons. There's never any harm in starting piano lessons later than seven years old or sooner than five years old but we think this is the optimal age range to begin piano lessons.

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Starting before 7 helps brain development for life

According to This Article from Psychology Today, taking music lessons before the age of 7 enhances brain function for the remainder of a person's life. The article lists three brain benefits quoted below: 

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1. Musicians have an enhanced ability to integrate sensory information from hearing, touch, and sight.
2. The age at which musical training begins affects brain anatomy as an adult; beginning training before the age of seven has the greatest impact.
3. Brain circuits involved in musical improvisation are shaped by systematic training, leading to less reliance on working and more extensive connectivity within the brain.

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Your child should know their ABC's

It's good for them to know their ABC's before taking lessons because the notes of the piano are named after the letters of the alphabet. The first note on the far left of the piano is an "A" and the keys move in sequences of 7 tones from A through G. As long as the child can recite and read the first seven letters of the alphabet, they're likely ready to begin piano lessons.

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They should enjoy listening to music before learning music

We've found that children who listen to music habitually before enrolling for piano lessons have a shorter learning curve. Music is mostly intuitive so students who enjoy listening, singing along, and bobbing to the rhythm of a song are more likely to understand the concepts presented to them.