Musical gifts for children: ideas by age

The best musical gift for a child is one that suits his or her age and size, that sounds tuned and that will really be used. For the smaller ones, simple and secure percussion tools; from 6 to 7 years old, a first instrument to study his or her measure and at any age, classes that give meaning to anything else.

Here's an age idea, how to distinguish a toy from a real instrument and the most common mistakes with giving away music, especially in December, while between naves and villancas everyone wants a panda.

To sum up

From 0 to 2 years old: simple percussion instruments with no small pieces and many family songs.
A toy instrument serves to explore and if the child will have to have his or her class, he or she will have to have a matching and maintenance.
The string instruments are bought to suit the child, but they are "great for his or her survival."
To give classes gives use to any instrument and it's a gift that grows with the child.
Before giving up a drummer or trumpet, talk with the family: noise also includes.

How to choose a musical gift that will be used

Before you look at glass pines, answer four questions:

How old and how old's the child? A tool that's too big or too heavy frustrates and gets lost.
What do you care about? If she sings all day, if she hits any surface or if she looks at the school's band: these clues are worth more than any list.
Where does she live? In an apartment, a very strong instrument can end up hidden.
Who's with him? An instrument with no one to teach or anime usually remains in the closet.

If the gift's for another family's child, ask parents first. A tool is a commitment of space, noise and time, and they know if there's already one waiting at home or if the child's been asking for another for months.

Ideas of musical gifts by age

Age-oriented ideas
Edad	Gift ideas	Please note
0 to 2 years	Egg marac, stewards, hand drum with soft patch, books with songs.	Without small pieces that can be swallowed, and with materials that are resilient and easy to clear.
3 to 5 years	A tuned metal phone, panda, keys, maracas, a small drum, music initiation classes.	He looks for pleasant and refined sounds and at this age it's more important to explore than "to learn an instrument."
6 to 8 years	A good quality sweet flute, keyboard with regular size keys, guitar 1 / 2 or 3 / 4 with nylon strings, violin of its size.	It was a common age for the first formal instrument and should be accompanied by classes.
9 to 12 years	The instrument requested by the child, of its size, with more accessories: atril, tuner, methonomer, and song maker.	The gangs and his own tastes appear and ask him earlier.
Adolescentes	Electrical guitar with small amplifier, drill mike, electronic battery, class of style they like.	A surprising gift that doesn't suit his music usually remains hidden.

For the little ones, in [baby music]](/blog/musica-para-bebes-estimulacion-musical-de-0-a-2-anos) Find how to use these instruments at home. And if you doubt what instrument suits, read what instrument to choose for your child.

A toy instrument or an actual instrument?

Toy instruments have their place: for a child of two or three years old, a color xylophone or a plastic guitarist are a way to explore sound. The problem appears when the child will have been taught and the instrument cannot be refined.

Differences between a toy instrument and a studio instrument
Aspecto	Toy instrument	Research instrument
Filling	Many times out of tune and with no way to put it back up.	The tuning and maintenance of the tuning.
Size	Generic, sometimes with keys or miniature scattering.	Reactual or age-broken measures.
What's his use?	Explore, play, make noise with pleasure.	Learning and practice at home.
Duration	Corta.	Years with basic care.

A trick before you buy

If you are giving a metal phone or a xylphone, check that the bars have the name of the notes and check them with the [online tuning machine]](/herramientas/afinador) If Do's bar doesn't mark Do, it keeps looking. With guitars and keyboards, avoid those with impossible strings or smaller keys than those of a piano: an ear and hands get used to what they play.

Gather Music Classes

A nonclass instrument looks like a ball without a court. To give classes uses to what's already at home and it's a gift that grows with the child: the teacher sets his or her rhythm and repertoire at his or her age and his or her tastes.

Do it tangible. A handmade card with an instrument name, wrapped with some pits, a flute or a pentagram notebook.
Choose the format with the family. The classes can be at home in and around Bogotá, or virtual from any town.
Think about continuity. A single class is an experience and several weeks after that they have been shown to have been advanced.
Just leave it open if you're not sure. For young children, [musical initiation] classes](/clases/iniciacion-musical) they have been forced to choose an instrument as yet.

The value of the classes depends on the format, duration and frequency. If you want to give them away, write us through WhatsApp and we'll tell you what options are available.

Small gifts for the child that already plays

If your child's already studying an instrument, his or her accessories are useful and more economical gifts. Ask his or her teacher first about what's necessary:

Sweet flute: A best quality flute with the digitation requested by the school, a case and a song maker. Learn how to choose it at how to choose a sweet flute.
Guitar: Replacement ropes of his type, a clamp tuner, a cebilla, a padded cover.
Piano or keyboard: a adjustable bench, closed hearing aids, a piece book of his level.
Violin: Colophonia, a practice satico, a microfiber cloth to clear the ropes.
Percussion: new baccas, a pad of practice, hearing protectors for musicians.
For any instrument: A folding atril, a pentatramado notebook or tickets to a concert.

Common mistakes while giving an instrument

To buy a guitar or a violin "big for its duration": an instrument that isn't of its bad measure, sounds bad and discourages.
To choose the cheapest without revising if it can be tuned and an instrument that sounds bad convinced the child that "it's bad for music."
To give an acoustic battery without consulting with his family or thinking about his neighbours.
To give an instrument without a class or practice plan.
To choose what you would have been interested to play and not what's been called to care about the child.
Buy a small key keyboard for a child to study [piano]](/clases/piano): suitable with a regular and, if possible, touch sensitive key.

If the gift's been bought and isn't of the right measure, don't worry: ask at the tent about a change or ask the teacher at first class to review it. A string or bridge setting often makes it touchable.

Frequently asked questions

What instrument can I give to a 3-year-old?

Simple and resilient percussion tools: maracas, panda, keys, a small drum or a tuned metal phone. At that age, the important thing is to explore sounds, to sing and to move with music, to avoid learning technical.

Is it a good idea to give a keyboard to a child?

Yes, as long as it has regular and, ideally, touch sensitive keys. Toy keyboards with small keys serve to play but have no role to play but to study piano.

Can you give virtual music classes to a child from another town?

Yes. Virtual classes allow them to study from anywhere with a teacher. He coordinates with his family his schedule, instrument and who will accompany his child during his class.

What's a musical gift for a teenager?

What works best is to ask him. Many teens value more an accessory to his instrument, a mic to be recorded or class of the style that they love that a new instrument they did not choose.