At what age do you start music lessons?

DD is very young still but she has a love for music. What age would be appropriate to start lessons, such as the piano? I want her to like it (I HATED it as a child), so I don't want to be pushy.

Re: At what age do you start music lessons?

7 is a common age. It's really all about their attention span, and how much they're willing to put the work in. Some kids can start as early as 4 or 5. And most important, as you know from your experience, the interest and love for it has to be there. My sister and I took lessons- I stuck with it, she didn't. It came down to who enjoyed it the most, really, and who it came naturally to. A lot of kids don't put the work in because it doesn't come all that naturally. And a good teacher is important- one that motivates and keeps it interesting!

I will say though, I'm a music teacher (I don't teach privately, just in the elementary schools) and I have 2nd graders who kick my azz at piano. I didn't want to play the scales or the classical stuff, I just wanted to play songs on the radio. That's my big regret.

Good luck!!

ETA: I'm sure you know this already since you took lessons, but if they start early, a child needs to have some pre-reading skills, like tracking from left to right, and recognizing patterns.

Message edited 9/25/2011 9:25:59 AM.