If you push it to much they might grow rebelious.(did I spell that right?) If you don`t push hard enough they won`t think it is important. Good luck!

I istarted playing thrviolin at 12and in under 2 years i am on book
4

i think that getting a very small violin, or one of the fake foam violins they have at sharmusic would be great she can play with it with your supervision the same way she plays on the piano and when she is big enough to actually hold the violin properly she can take lessons froma teacher who understands that her enjoyment and love for music comes first, i started violin at age 21, i love it i have a great teacher who customizes her lessons to fit me and how i learn, she also has students who look like they are about 3 i have never asked how old they are but from what i have seen durring the half hour lesson they draw and talk and play music and change things around to fit the attention span of the child, she talks with the perents about what to practice but she never gets upset with any student who didn`t practice, her goal is that her students will love music, and you can start that at any age and playing with the piano and a violin is great for that, though with a violin the child will need to be very supervised cuz they are much more fragil than a piano

I would wait awhile until you start teaching your children to play the violin. Maybe until 6 or 7 [like I did]. When they do start to learn get them a small violin and don`t spend to much money on the violins you buy them, because they will grow out of them soon.


Just a tip-If your children show that they don`t want to learn the violin then don`t force them to. I honestly think the only way you can master the violin is if you have fun with it, practice, have a good teacher, ect.

I would suggest starting them around the age of 3 or 4. If you want them to grasp the idea immediately, than start around 6.

But I would also suggest that you let your children pick their own instruments. *shrugs* At least they`ll be quite interested in that particular instrument and not forced to play it. For me, when you`re forced to play an instrument that you have no interest of, you don`t play as well. Meaning your concentration level and attitude towards that instrument is pretty low/bad. O__o

I`m also surprised that so many people are against children starting the violin early. Small children have such a huge capacity to learn and to grow, and music is an awesome way to nurture that potential.

My aunt is the director of a daycare, and my sister works in it and is currently studying early childhood education, so I have had the opportunity to be able to share my violin with young kids (mostly 3 year olds). I play fiddle tunes which they dance to (some of them like to sit cross-legged and clap the beat on their knees), and nursery rhymes for them to sing along with (They all love twinkle, no wonder Suzuki made it such a major part of their early studdies). They absolutely love music! They are very curious and observant. They ask questions and notice things,like "It was louder when you did that." - and I tell them that I was digging into the strings, or using all of my bow. They feel how soft my case is, and examine my violin when I take it out or put it away ("that`s where your chin goes, right?", "Those hairs are from a horse!", and "You don`t turn those black things `cuz then the strings come off.").

After I play I sometimes let them come up and try plucking the strings, or sliding their finger up and down the fingerbord while I play (to make a siren). Unfortunately, there`s usually 15-20 kids in the room, and so I can`t really let them all have a turn. I wish that I had about twenty little violins so that I could teach them all.

Music is very beneficial for young children, and the violin in particular. It helps develop coordination and muscle control, and balance and coordination just to name a few benefits. Children all mature differently though, and a certain amount of maturity is required to begin studying violin. Still, a love of music should be cultivated as early as possible, and children can `play around` with the violin (with supervision) in a non-formal way.

Good Luck! I second the recommendation of books like <i>Nurtured by Love</i>. Another good one is <i>Pre-school in the Suzuki Spirit</i>, and I can`t recall the title, but there`s one written by a Suzuki mom about the experiences of her first year (I think the subtitle is "how I survived my first thousand twinkles")

Oh, and one more thing - children don`t <i>have to</i> study piano before violin. Piano is great for theory, and is easier to get a tune out of, but with a good teacher there`s no reason why violin can`t or shouldn`t be their first instruments.

Whether you should have your child learn the violin, or any other instrument, should be up to the child, I think. If a child doesn`t want to learn an instrument then they`re probably not going to concentrate much on lessons. You should also have your child pick his/her own instrument. When I was young my parents tried to force me to play the piano, and I hated it to be blunt.. But when I got older, I tried the violin and knew it was the perfect instrument for me.

hhah i started when i was... 9!? lol i was a late starter =P... i think its ok to start around 5... like someone here already said... they need to be able to FOCUS during lessons and UNDERSTAND what the teacher is saying... maybe when you can teach them stuff and thye can understand and apply any knowledge you teach them you can put them in lessons... but really it depends on the kid. just watch for signs =)

Tom started this topic in Sept. of 03.. talking about 14 month children. I`d love to know what he decided!

I was part of a children`s jam at the FL state folk fest. last week. There were kids of all ages playing violin/fiddle... fiddle tunes. The youngest had a tiny, tiny fiddle and played the rhythm along with is bow on a couple of tunes. No one pushed him... he played as long as it was fun for him... and had a great time! I agree with the folks above who mentioned that the child should be enjoying it. Often it becomes part of what the family does. When children are very little... I feel that it`s best for parents to play also (Suzuki`s idea.)
I started in 2nd grade.. reading music... full size violin, etc. However... that was 100 years ago before they had little violins and before kids began playing by ear. It`s all good for the kids... if they enjoy it.
K
http://www.folkfiddle.com

start them now i hav friends how started at 4 and 5 it sounds like they should be in high school strings