When I was in 7 or 8, our class learned to read music and everyone got a flutaphone (plastic recorder). The next year, you could select an instrument, but I didn't want one. I started guitar lessons a few years later and did a little voice. My dad wanted me to learn the violin... But my parents never pushed. I though it was great to know how to read music, and I liked singing the best. Was always good about voice practice, though my voice sucks now.

My son thought it would be cool to play drums. Real drums, not just the toy ones (we have toy trumpet, drums, flute, guitar, e-guitar, keyboard... all rubbish, plastic etc but loud and fun, we have other kids over and they become a band ... all extremely musical of course).

So we enquired at JugendMusikSchule Winterthur and they offer a program where you try different instruments over a period of time for a fixed rate. Orientierung I think it was called. So we elected for drums 6 weeks, keyboard 4, Guitar 5 and flute (we cancelled before we got to the flute and they kindly gave us a refund; they understand that young kids can change their mind). He was 6/7 at this time. Well, he wanted to play drums. Just drums. They had to go in the cellar ... and he soon got fed up with that. He LOVED keyboard, and LOVED guitar. Drums were OK. We took a break, and now one year later he has specifically requested to learn guitar. He likes to sing at same time, and likes the portability, telling me he planned to take it with to play for friends and relatives. I firmly believe he is now ready. Let's see if it works.

I think you can start anytime...Depends how you do it. I wouldn't push, nor like the overambitious parents either, but it is easy to make a little kid interested in music. If you wait too long it might be intimidating, since older kids realize it takes a lot of work before you turn midly intermediate.

They start at 3 in our commune, it's a prep school, rhythm and beats, then move on to general music edu and picking up an instrument, I'm going to sign our kid in, she loves music. She wants to play piano and violin. We have had music on all the time, she is growing up with instruments, I have mezzo and other classical chanels on. When I was rehearsing for a symphony choir gigs she would sit on my lap, sing with me and pretend she could read the sheet music..It was hilarious. There are ways you can be subtle on guiding your child towards music without being pushy, as`long as you youself enjoy music. Whole family singing in the car or hiking helps too. If you can, harmonize to radio songs, sing to tunes one hears accidently, etc. If you get your child accustomed, it will not have the whole "omg I can hear myself sing/play/make noise/perform" inhibitions..Kids are so creative, it is too bad so many forget.

I started my kid when she was a few weeks old, with little tunes for kids, from different cultures, little dancing here and there, so she would put two and two together, I got CDs with different instruments, songs and rhythms, the Xmas carols, folks tunes, rhymes from all over, etc. It important to sing with your child so she sees you enjoy it, it's a team work. You can get little instruments, the ones for babies make less noice, but buckets and sticks will do, too. I also got gingle bells, different shakers, etc. Then she sees people playing instruments and wants to copy us, friends and family.

When kids want to copy, I think that's the earliest you can start with a real instrument. It helps having instruments laying around and allow your kid fiddling with it, since they are born.