When it comes to learning a musical instrument, learning to play the piano is without a doubt one of the most beneficial instruments to learn that will teach beginners the basics of musical theory.
Learning important aspects of music like octaves, scales, and chords are key to learning the piano and transfer over to any other musical instrument your child may learn in the future.
One of the many benefits of kids learning music on a piano is the keys are all laid out in a logical, linear fashion. This makes concepts easier to grasp than on the guitar where you would need to jump around to different frets on different strings to learn the same concepts. The next easiest instrument might be getting your child a ukulele.
Benefits of Learning Piano for Kids
If you’re still on the fence about if getting your kid a keyboard is a good idea, consider some of the great benefits for your child. Getting a keyboard for your child is one of the most cost-effective investments you can make for their early education.
- Increase IQ scores. Studies have shown that piano lessons have a strong effect of increasing a child’s IQ score. The skills learned in playing the keyboard carry over to other areas of development like mathematics, coordination, and spatial intelligence.
- It boosts self-esteem in your child. Learning to play the piano helps your child use feedback to better themselves and understand that they’re always capable of growing and learning from others. This will give them the self-confidence to tackle more challenging problems in life.
- It increases social skills. A study of over 200 children found that learning to play an instrument helped a child with several important life and social skills including anxiety management and emotional control.
As you can see, the potential benefits are vast. We’ve picked out some very affordable pianos for kids that will be sure to get your the best bang for your buck.
Picking out the Best Piano Keyboard
There’s a huge variety of pianos out there that can make deciding on one intimidating. Here are some of the most basic features you’ll consider when looking at pianos for your kid –
- Number of keys. There’s no need to go above 61 keys, and for younger kids it’s the less the better.
- Sound source. Many pianos designed for very young kids actually use tuned bars, like a xylophone, rather than strings like a real piano. This makes life easier for you as there’s no maintenance or tuning needed. Other options might be electronic, which could be great when you want to control the volume of the keyboard and is also maintenance-free.
Best Piano Keyboard for Toddlers to 4 Years Old
If you’re child is age 4 or younger, their first piano should be something very basic and fun. The goal at this age is to simply introduce them to the idea of playing the piano as a fun activity, so no lessons or training regiments are needed. That’s why we recommend this 30-key wooden toy Grand Piano, which comes with a matching wood bench.
The wood construction of this piano is very solid and can withstand years of a child banging away at the keys. It utilizes tuned bars behind the keys, so it won’t sound exactly like a real string piano but it won’t require any setup or tuning which is perfect for this age group.
Best Piano for Kids 5 to 11 Years Old
At this age range, your child is ready to take on music lessons and really develop an understanding of playing the keyboard. They don’t need to be overwhelmed though, so sticking with a smaller keyboard like this Casio SA-76 with 44 keys is a smart move. This keyboard has 100 different tones, 50 rhythms, and 10 songs to help keep your child interested and having fun.
This keyboard is very portable and includes a headphone output in case your kid wants to practice without disturbing others.
Best Piano Keyboard for Kids 12 and Older
Finally, once your kid starts to hit the teenage years they’re ready for a more serious instrument. We recommend this Yamaha EZ-220 keyboard bundle which has everything they need to continue to learn and grow as a pianist.
The 61 keys are touch sensitive, and can light-up to teach your kid to play with 100 built-in songs. It also has a USB output mode to connect to a PC to use with learning software of your choice. This Yamaha bundle comes with a stand, power cable, and headphones for silent practice.
If you’re looking for a portable keyboard like this, you can find an extremely large and detailed guide over at Gearank that should answer any remaining questions you have.
