For many children, their first foray into the world of being a musician is through piano lessons. Lots of parents took piano lessons as a child and, now that they have kids of their own, want their children to do the same. However, you likely don’t really remember much from your very first lessons all those years ago. Because of this, you might not know exactly how to prepare your child for this new experience; one that they might be scared or nervous about. So to help ensure that they’re first time sitting at a piano goes well for them, here are three tips for preparing your child for their first piano lesson.

Make Sure Your Child Can Read A Little

Piano is an instrument that children can start on from a very young age. Once your child expresses interest in the piano or wants to learn how to play it, you can generally start with the lessons. Additionally, it’s very helpful if your child has the ability to sit still and focus for at least fifteen minutes so that the instruction can be effective. Along with this, Sara Mullett, a contributor to LetsPlayKidsMusic.com, recommends that you only start piano lessons after your child has already learned how to read, at least a little. By doing this, you’ll help your child to not be overwhelmed with learning too much at one time and potentially intimidating them out of their interest inof learning to play the piano.

Come With The Right Supplies

At the very beginning of your child’s piano lessons, there usually won’t be many supplies that you have to bring along with you. Until their piano teacher sees what their natural abilities are, you won’t yet know what books to get for their practice. However, according to Kelly Leprohon, a contributor to LessonFace.com, it’s always a good idea to have your child bring a pencil and some small sticky notes so they can annotate in whatever book they’ll be using. These tools will help your child remember what they learned in class and quickly navigate to the sections of their book that they need to work on.

Dress Comfortably And Be Well Groomed

On the day of your child’s first piano lesson, there are some things physically that you can help with to ensure that your child is well prepared and comfortable during their lesson. According to PianoPower.org, you should encourage your child to wear comfortable clothes and shoes while playing the piano, at least during their practices. Additionally, you should help your child keep their fingernails trimmed so they don’t get in the way or cause them harm during their lessons.

If your child will be taking their first piano lesson soon, consider using the tips mentioned above to help them prepare for this exciting day.