Piano for your Kids

Information on piano for kids in South Africa

Is piano right for your kids?

If your kids are prepared to devote time to regular practice, not only will learning piano give them enjoyment, it will also:

• Strengthen their ability to focus attention
• Advance their geometric reasoning, reading fluency, and analytical skills by learning to decipher chords and notes
• Improve their manual dexterity
• Enhance their sense of rhythm and timing
• Increase their self-confidence, self-esteem and social poise

Research even shows that piano lessons can help students obtain higher results in maths exams!

Get your kids started!

You will need a piano. Prices vary widely with type, make, model, and retailer's mark-up. The main types are:

• Classical or acoustic
  • Grand piano
    • Better sound
    • The original and most appropriate for classical music
    • Expensive ($10,000-$150,000)
  • Upright
    • Uses less space
    • Perfect for jazz and modern music and in-house playing
    • Less expensive ($3,000-$30,000)
• Electronic
  • Keyboard
    • Small (usually 61 keys)
    • Portable but needs power source or batteries
    • Various sounds and rhythms
    • Can be bought for under $300
    • Fun for young children but not really suitable for learning academic piano
  • Digital piano
    • Can be in either upright or grand
    • Cheaper than classical (some models in some locations can be bought for less than $1000)
    • Sound chips and speakers can give not only an incredibly realistic piano sound but also hundreds of band and orchestral voices
    • Touch different to an acoustic
    • Perfect for modern creations by tuning multiple electronic sounds
    • Not really suitable for anyone hoping to someday perform on solo academic piano

Buying second-hand can be considerably cheaper, and a good used piano can sound, play, tune, and keep its value better than a new one. However, any prospective purchase needs to be thoroughly tested.

When buying a piano:

• Take someone with you who can play (ideally, a tuner)
• Listen for tone over the complete range
• Make sure the learner is comfortable with the touch
• In the case of used pianos, make sure every key works

It is also possible to rent pianos. Depending on model and location, renting a piano may cost $70-$110 a month.

It is possible to teach yourself piano. Your child will progress faster, however,if you enrol them in a Piano class or individual Piano lessons. To find a suitable academy, check the ActiveActivities Directory for piano schools and piano teachers. You will probably also need to buy music sheets.