Kid Guitars
Archive for May, 2011
My son wants another guitar. It seems like yesterday that we bought him a toy guitar for his third birthday and I must admit that he has really outgrown it. Now he says he wants a “real” guitar! I think he looks at our next door neighbor who plays lead guitar in a local band and has received a lot of accolades. He is now old enough to learn on an actual ‘playable’ guitar so my hesitant husband and I will start looking at some beginner childrens guitars.
For the most part our kids have grown up with music so it’s no surprise that they’ve all shown an interest in it. I am not going to stand in their way and will support them in any way I can. After all I played the piano for many years and my husband forgets the ‘guitar lovin days’ of his youth. Actually my husband just told me that he bookmarked a website for me to see that has discount kids guitars! Well ok!
Many kids today express an interest in learning to play guitar but what age should they start? First, is your child big enough to hold an acoustic guitar comfortably? Acoustic guitars for kids come in several sizes. The smallest playable guitar that you can buy is a ¼ size guitar. This kids guitar is made for children between the ages of 4-6 whose height is approximately 3ft 3inches – 3ft 9inches. The next size guitar is a half size for kids 5-8 years whose height is 3ft 10inches- 4ft 5inches. The ¾ size kids guitar is designed for kids 4ft 6inches- 4ft 11inches and the full size kids guitar is for children 5ft and over.
After you have established the proper sized guitar, it is extremely important to know whether your child’s fingers are strong enough to properly hold the strings. It is also a good idea that children use a kids acoustic guitar that has nylon strings. Kids acoustic guitars that have steel strings are too hard for soft hands. Finally make sure that your child has the necessary commitment and enthusiasm. Playing guitar can be a great hobby for your child as long as you do your homework.