Guitar is often the first instrument kids dream of playing. If you’re a music educator or therapist, you’ve likely seen firsthand how drawn children are to its versatility and the idea of strumming along to their favorite songs. However, effectively teaching guitar to children, especially beginners, requires a specific approach. Many methods fall short of being truly child-centered and engaging, leaving a gap in accessible and fun guitar education for young learners.
On the Music For Kiddos Podcast, experienced educator and guitar instructor Jenna Hardy Pedersen shared valuable insights on this very topic. In this episode, Jenna discusses practical tips for successfully introducing kids to the guitar and delves into the creation of the “Guitar For Kids” curriculum – a program designed for success-based guitar learning in children.
Jenna’s motivation for developing “Guitar For Kids” stems from a noticeable absence in the market. As she explains, “I would look for different approaches for teaching the guitar and I never found anything. You can find countless incredible piano methods, a wealth of options, but nothing comparable exists for the guitar, which is really surprising.” This lack of resources highlighted the need for a dedicated, kid-friendly guitar methodology.
Key Tips for Introducing Kid Guitar
Jenna offers two fundamental tips to set young guitarists up for success:
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Right-Sized Instruments: Start children with a 3/4 or even a 1/2 size classical guitar. Smaller instruments are crucial for comfortable playing and preventing frustration for small hands and bodies. This ensures physical ease, making the learning process more enjoyable from the outset.
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Chord-Based Learning from the Start: Immediately introduce chords. This allows children to create recognizable music from the songs they already love. Instead of being bogged down by single notes and complex notation initially, they experience the rewarding feeling of playing familiar sounds.
But how can children with small hands manage chords? Jenna recommends starting with “mini chords.” These simplified chord shapes use just the first three or four strings of the guitar, making them physically accessible for beginners while still producing harmonically rich and recognizable sounds. This approach allows kids to quickly play songs that resonate with them, fostering motivation and a sense of accomplishment.
You can discover even more of Jenna’s expert advice on teaching Kid Guitar by listening to episode 19 of the Music For Kiddos Podcast. Tune in to gain deeper insights into developmentally appropriate strategies and learn more about how the “Guitar For Kids” curriculum can empower young musicians!
Want a sneak peek into the “Guitar For Kids” curriculum? Explore the program to see how it can transform your approach to teaching guitar to kids.
