When is your child ready for formal music lessons and what do you do before then??

As an Early Childhood Music Specialist, a question that frequently comes across my path is "When do we start piano (or violin, or voice or guitar....) lessons?"  The school of thought that I ascribe to is that while there will always be some children who are ready for formal music instruction earlier in life, a good rule of thumb is around age 7 or 8.  More importantly than age, is to look at readiness signs.  
Does your child have BMC (Basic Music Competence)? Music Together, LLC http://musictogether.com/ describes this as "the ability to sing in tune and move with accurate rhythm."
Is your child reading?  One of the differences between informal music learning and formal music instruction is learning to "read" music.  This is a much simpler task if basic reading skills have been developed. 
Can your child sit and focus for at least 20 minutes for a lesson and/or to practice?
Are they interested??
If all of these readiness signs (and I'm sure there are more) are present, then your child may very well be ready for formal music instruction.  If they are not, that doesn't mean they have to remain in limbo until they are.  In fact, participating in Developmentally Appropriate music activities help to prepare them for this next step in music learning!
For children under age 5, Music Together, or other developmentally based music programs are an excellent choice.  What I mean by developmentally appropriate is that there is a recognition in the program that children learn at their own pace and through play.  A program that insists a 2 year old sit and "participate" for even a few minutes is not recognizing the 2 year olds are not wired to "sit!".  Mixed age programs allow children to absorb the musical information that is most relevant to where they are at developmentally in the way they are most ready to absorb it (i.e. visually, kinesthetically, aurally).
For children 5-7, often a tricky stretch where many some children are ready for formal instruction, but many are not, we now offer Music Together Big Kids® Classes

Music Together Big Kids® is a 60-minute class geared to the interests and abilities of 5-, 6-, and 7-year-olds. The program blends the elements of Music Together that parents and children love with new activities, skills, and challenges that are developmentally appropriate for this age group.

Big Kids classes lay the foundation for Basic Music Literacy, complementing music instruction in school or instrument lessons, and leading to a lifetime of joyful music-making. The curriculum includes solfège, solos and ensembles, folk dances, harmony singing, vocal development, and drumming. In a safe, fun environment, your child can experiment with new activities like conducting and improvisation, story songs, and game songs.

Parent attendance is welcome but not required. Each family receives a Big Kids songbook, CD, solfège cards, and HomePlay activities, so that the entire family can continue the fun and learning at home and parents can stay connected with what the child is learning in class.

To find out more about this great opportunity to continue your Big Kid's music learning, feel free to give me a call at 860-338-3038 or e-mail me at tcmusictogether@comcast.net.  

Friday Oct. 12th, we will be holding a FREE Big Kids Music Together Demonstration class at 4:00 at the Arts from the Heart Studio at 12 Main Street in Ellington.  Let me know if you'd like to join us!