Find Room for Music in Your Child's Activities

When we consider the many good things we can involve our kids in, we most often consider sports and dance.  While the local parks and recreation department offers a variety of classes for kids including dance, art, self defense and sports, music is quietly absent from the list.  Music contributes so significantly to a child’s learning of language, pattern, sound recognition and cooperation that though I didn’t grow up with an instrument, I am sure I want my kids to. 

While on a family trip for my son’s birthday to Winthrop, we walked past two young boys -- one playing a guitar and the other a fiddle, cases open on the sidewalk and filled with appreciative donations.  Months later, my son was still asking if he could play fiddle.  My search engine query came up empty for fiddle classes and results were meager even for violin.   I perused local music store websites to see what might have been missed by my search-engine efforts. 

 offers an extensive list of instructors for various instruments including violin, cello, band instruments, piano and vocal.   The beginning age depends on the instrument and instructor, though violin students may begin at 7 years old.  They offer  for infants to 6-year-olds, which provides a fun, broad introduction to music.  

Since our search was for instrument instruction for a 5-year-old, I continued with the  website and found an instructor referral link.  As I scrolled down, hoping for a local violin teacher that would take a 5-year old who wanted to play fiddle, I saw it – Cajun Fiddle!  I called to ask hesitantly if she would consider taking a 5-year-old and she assured me she has students that began at two.  Then I hesitantly asked about cost, since music lessons and instruments can be expensive.  At $15 for a half-hour lesson, her rates are incredibly reasonable, and she found a right-sized instrument for a price that worked as my son’s Santa gift. 

Robyn Silva is a member of a Cajun band called Jam on My Muffin.  She lives in Edgewood where her music studio is behind her home and overlooks pastureland.  The studio has a vintage, down-home appeal that matches the style of music she loves, plays and teaches.  I would have never guessed the many experiences available to her fiddle students.  Sometimes they perform for those being served by the soup kitchen at the church across the street.  During the recent Celtic Festival in Puyallup, Silva’s students performed at the café one of her students owns downtown.  There is even a summer fiddle camp in Port Townsend.  When I realized that it is in the rain shadow of the Cascades, and would likely be warmer and sunnier than the rest of the state, I checked into a family vacation opportunity, only to find that for the fiddle camp week, lodging was already booked up -- maybe next year.

While we were fortunate to have an early indication of a strong interest in a specific instrument from my son, exposing our kids to family-friendly local live music, or asking them what they think of the drums being played at church, can help a parent figure what kind of music might interest their child.  Attending Kindermusik classes with your child could allow you and the instructor to identify your child's interests, as well as potential strengths early on, and cultivate them.

Besides finding your child’s music interest, there is also the task of finding the right instructor.  The studio teachers and instructor referrals from local music shops proved valuable to our search.  An option I never explored fully since I found our right fit with Silva was asking around about high school band students that might have the skill and interest to teach beginning lessons to a child.  Perhaps someone in your church worship band plays an instrument and would be interested and available.  Google is extensive for research, but you will be surprised what you can find when you tap local resources.  I was.