Minimum age to play the ukulele?

6stringconvert

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Hey guys, after some advice...

What would you suggest is a sensible minimum age to introduce the ukukulele to a child?

My 15 month old little boy loves to watch me play, and he strums the strings when I let him...

Cheers, 6SC
 
If you've got a knockabout plastic uke (say a Dolphin) I don't see why you couldn't let him diddle with that one right now.
 
I think the right age is when the child wants too.
Music should be fun and not forced. How many of us were forced to take piano lessons and later stopped?
 
I think the right age is when the child wants too.
Music should be fun and not forced. How many of us were forced to take piano lessons and later stopped?

Hehe,....i think most parents would use the term "encouraged" to take piano lessons. :D
 
I started my kid at 3 months (He's 11 months now). I got him a Soprano Kala and he loves plucking the strings. He also likes the gigbag it's in. So yeah, 15 months, I'd say it's a fine time to start him. Just be patient because it will likely be a few months before he's thrashing on My Guitar Gently Weeps like Jake.
 
I think the right age is when the child wants too.
Music should be fun and not forced. How many of us were forced to take piano lessons and later stopped?

I was one of those "forced" to take piano lessons. I quit after about 2 years. But I tell you what, that basic knowledge is the bedrock upon which all else was built. If you're serious about your kid learning music, somewhere along the line a piano should be involved.
 
I think the right age is when the child wants too.
Music should be fun and not forced. How many of us were forced to take piano lessons and later stopped?
I sort of agree and disagree. I look at music like language. You start trying to teach them words as soon as they can form a syllable. It's not really a choice you give, it's just a part of life like talking, eating, walking... Many kids grow up in multi-lingual households and grow up learning more than one language. I look at music the same way. I expect my kid to learn to play a musical instrument just like I expect him to learn to write. He doesn't need to become a musician anymore than he needs to become a writer, but he still needs to learn to write.

Starting Piano lessons at 6 years old is pretty much the same thing as enrolling your kid in French classes. How many kids want to start learning French at that age?
 
My daughter was bought one at 6 months. No pressure. But just about for her to hold if I was playing. She's now 24 months and when we go out jamming with friends, if she is with us she always grabs it herself, then sits pretending to play along.

She gets better audience reaction than I do....!
 
Hmmmm..... you guys have got me thinking, looks like my 14 month old is well behind! Will have to give her Dolphin and see what she does! She loves listening to me play, I just haven't let her touch any of my ukes yet!
 
As any other addictive substance the 'ukulele must be kept away from minors. ;)
 
Playing with an ukulele and learning to play an ukulele are two totally different things. Even the great players didn't start learning until around age 4 or so. What are you after here? I am a believer in letting little kids be little kids.
 
I'd say the ukulele cannot and should not be tried and learned until your child is at least 40 years old. Better, would be 50. Until then, there is too much "draw" from heavy metal and guitars, followed by the girls that he'll get with the guitar. Subjecting him to the ukulele before his middle age will only sour him to the instrument...the boys will mock him incessantly for being a "clown", and the girls will think it represents the size of his willy and will never date him.

Honestly, until he's forty or so, you'd better just buy him a guitar. And the biggest, longest one you can find, at that.
 
The minimum age is 35
 
I'd say the ukulele cannot and should not be tried and learned until your child is at least 40 years old. Better, would be 50. Until then, there is too much "draw" from heavy metal and guitars, followed by the girls that he'll get with the guitar. Subjecting him to the ukulele before his middle age will only sour him to the instrument...the boys will mock him incessantly for being a "clown", and the girls will think it represents the size of his willy and will never date him.

Honestly, until he's forty or so, you'd better just buy him a guitar. And the biggest, longest one you can find, at that.

Better make that a 6 string Bass guitar!!!

Or he'll just end up hanging out with all the hipsters.
 
Great replies!

My son really enjoys his musical toys, I think he'd enjoy the uke. We have a piano, and my wife is awesome on it, Daddy plays the uke and guitar. Its all good.

Music is totally a language, and goes to the core of our humanity.

Cheers, 6SC
 
My daughter was bought one at 6 months. No pressure. But just about for her to hold if I was playing. She's now 24 months and when we go out jamming with friends, if she is with us she always grabs it herself, then sits pretending to play along.

She gets better audience reaction than I do....!

:agree: with this! I brought one for my now 7 year old goddaughter and have applied no pressure, she plays when she wants to, she was 6 when she got it and for a while she wanted to learn, then she stopped and now she plays when she wants to accompany herself on one of her mad songs. I've left it up to her with how much she wants to learn and when. She started learning recorder at school and will from there progress to guitar through her school and so I'm hoping that once the guitar starts she'll take more of a proper interest in the Ukulele.

She does love strumming along with me though and is always asking me to learn songs that she wants to hear...so I think, as others have said, a cheap dolphin would be good for him now, to get the feel of it, as long as it stays a "toy" for him until he wishes it not to be!
 
Hello Kitty uke at Toys r Us
 
My 2 year old daughter loves to use a pick on my mandolin (in its case). She just strums the open strings and sings a melody that doesnt sound like anything she is plucking. She is not attracted by my ukuleles........yet !
 
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