Your little one keeps grabbing your guitar when you're trying to practice. Sound familiar?
That grabbing might be the best thing that's happened to your guitar playing in years! It's every dad's/grandparent's dream to teach their (grand)kids guitar.
Plus there's loads of research saying learning guitar is great from a cognitive, social, and literally every other point of view.
Most guitar teachers won't start formal lessons until kids are 8 or 9 years old. But curious 5 and 6-year-olds can absolutely get started with the right approach.
Here are 7 ways to turn your practice interruptions into your kids' first guitar lessons.
Contents
Lesson 1: Let Them Strum While You Fret
This is probably the easiest way to make music together instantly.
The kid can’t play chords yet. That's fine. You can do the hard part:
- You fret the chords to a simple song.
- Their job is to strum down, or down up, or however they like 🙂
That's it.
How to Do It
Pick a song they know. A song from a Disney movie like "Let It Go" works great, or a classic nursery rhyme if they are younger.
Tell them to strum with a simple, steady rhythm. Just down strums on the beat is best. 1, 2, 3, 4.
You change the chords, and they provide the rhythm. Suddenly, you’re playing a real song together.
They are making the music happen.
Here are the chords for 10 simple nursery rhymes, like "Old MacDonald," which only uses G, C, and D. Just have them strum four times for each chord. It will sound like music right away.
| E major | A major | B7 |
|---|---|---|
 |
 |
 |
Lesson 2: They Fret, You Pick
Now let's flip the roles.
This time, you handle the rhythm, and they handle the notes. But just one note at a time.
- Have your child press down on one fret on the high E string. It’s the thinnest string, so it’s easiest for small fingers. The 3rd and 5th frets are good places to start.
- You then pick that one string in an interesting rhythm. Don't just pick it randomly. Use a rhythm from a real strumming pattern you know. For example, if you know a pattern that goes Down, Down-Up, Up, Down-Up, try picking the single string with that exact same rhythm.
- After a few beats, have them move their finger to a different fret. Or even just play the open string. You keep the rhythm going.
This teaches them how moving their finger changes the sound, which is the basic idea behind all melody playing.
And just like the previous lesson, it gets them making music.
Lesson 3: Simple One-String Melodies
Now it’s time to put both hands to work, but we’re still keeping it simple. We’ll stick to just one string.
The goal is to teach them a recognizable melody. The song has to be something they know inside and out.
"Happy Birthday" is a perfect choice because almost everyone knows it. Other great options that use just one string include the main riffs from "Smoke On The Water" or "Iron Man".
Our friends from GuitarPlayground.com have a free kids guitar lesson on Iron Man with a backing track, check it out.
e|-------------------------------------------------------------------------|
B|-------------------------------------------------------------------------|
G|-------------------------------------------------------------------------|
D|-------------------------------------------------------------------------|
A|-------------------------------------------------------------------------|
E|-0-3-5---0-3-6-5---0-3-5-3-0---------------------------------------------|
Kids love feeling like they can play something famous.
Making It Work
Show them the fret numbers on one string. Don't worry about note names like G or A. Just say "put your finger on 3" or "now move to 5."
Depending on the song, you can get them to sing along while they play. You should sing along too. This connects the physical action of playing with the musical result they hear. It makes the notes feel less abstract.
Lesson 4: "Semi-Chords" for Smaller Hands
At some point, they will want to play chords. But full chords like G and C are a big stretch for small hands. This is where a lot of kids get discouraged and quit.
We can take a page from the ukulele playbook and simplify the chords. I call them "semi-chords." You’re basically playing a version of the chord that only uses three or four strings, ignoring the thickest bass strings.torontoartsacademy
This makes the shape much easier to hold. For a G chord, instead of a complex three-finger shape, they can just press their finger on the 3rd fret of the high E string and strum the top four strings. It's a one-finger G chord.
Full vs. Semi-Chords
Here's a comparison for some common chords. Have them try the semi-chord versions first. They are much more manageable.
| Chord | Standard Fingering (Simplified) | Semi-Chord (Easier) |
|---|---|---|
| G Major | 3 fingers on E, A, and e strings | 1 finger on the 3rd fret of the high E string (strum top 3 strings) |
| C Major | 3 fingers across 3 frets | 1 finger on the 1st fret of the B string (strum top 3 strings) |
| E Minor | 2 fingers on the A and D strings | This one is already easy, but can be simplified to one D string note (and strum 4 strings) |
The goal isn’t perfect sound. The goal is to get them playing something that sounds like a chord without the frustration. They can learn the full versions later when their hands are bigger and stronger.
Lesson 5: The "Rhythm Buddy" Game
Music is two things: notes and rhythm. We’ve focused a lot on notes, but rhythm is just as important. And you can teach it without even playing a single note.
Turn the guitar into a drum.
Have the child hold the guitar and gently tap out a rhythm on the muted strings. You can make it a call-and-response game. You tap a rhythm, and they copy it.
- Start simple. Just a steady "thump, thump, thump, thump."
- Then make it more complex.
- Think of the rhythm to "We Will Rock You." Thump thump, CLAP. Thump thump, CLAP. They can do that on the guitar body or strings.
There are no "wrong notes", it’s just about feeling the beat.
Lesson 6: The Guitar Story Method
Kids learn through stories and imagination. So why not turn the guitar into a story? This is a bit of a weird one, but it works.
Instead of talking about strings and frets, give them names and personalities.
Maybe the thick E string is a grumpy giant, and the thin E string is a tiny bird. The frets are stepping stones across a river. To play a note, you have to help the bird hop from one stone to another.
You can create a story around a simple song. For "Mary Had a Little Lamb," each note is a step Mary takes to get to school. This narrative helps them remember the sequence of notes. It gives context to what would otherwise be a random assortment of finger movements.
e|-----4----2----0----2----4----4----4----2----2----2----4----7----7---------| B|---------------------------------------------------------------------------| G|---------------------------------------------------------------------------| D|---------------------------------------------------------------------------| A|---------------------------------------------------------------------------| E|---------------------------------------------------------------------------| e|----4----2----0----2----4----4----4----4----2----2----4----2----0----------| B|---------------------------------------------------------------------------| G|---------------------------------------------------------------------------| D|---------------------------------------------------------------------------| A|---------------------------------------------------------------------------| E|---------------------------------------------------------------------------| e|--0----4----2----0----2----4----4----4----2----2----2----4----7----7-------| B|---------------------------------------------------------------------------| G|---------------------------------------------------------------------------| D|---------------------------------------------------------------------------| A|---------------------------------------------------------------------------| E|---------------------------------------------------------------------------| e|----4----2----0----2----4----4----4----4----2----2----4----2----0----------| B|---------------------------------------------------------------------------| G|---------------------------------------------------------------------------| D|---------------------------------------------------------------------------| A|---------------------------------------------------------------------------| E|---------------------------------------------------------------------------|
This method connects the logical side of playing music with the creative, imaginative side of a child's brain. It’s more engaging than just saying "play the 3rd fret then the 1st fret."
Lesson 7: Focus on the "Fun"-damentals
The technical stuff is only half the battle. If you want a child to stick with the guitar, the environment and mindset are just as important as the lessons.
Get the Right Gear
First, make sure they have the right size guitar.
An adult-sized dreadnought is way too big for a 7-year-old. Their arm can’t even get around it properly. This makes playing physically uncomfortable and difficult. Look for a half-size or three-quarter-size guitar.
GuitarPlayground has a good guide on choosing the right size guitar for a child. The right instrument makes a huge difference.
The Yamaha JR-1 is great for most kids.
Build a Practice Habit, Not a Chore
Don't force them to practice for an hour a day. That will just build resentment and they'll get bored quickly. A general rule is to practice for two to four times your child's age in minutes. So for an 8-year-old, 16-32 minutes is plenty.
Praise the effort, not just the result. Carol Dweck's book "Mindset" talks about this a lot. Instead of saying "you played that perfectly," say "I love how you kept trying even when that chord was tricky." This builds resilience.
Many kids quit because they have a bad experience with a teacher who is too harsh, boring, or overwhelming. They start to think that learning guitar is just not for them.
Your job is to be their biggest cheerleader. Encourage them, but don’t push. Let them choose some of the songs. Let them be silly.
If they are not having fun, they will not continue.
It's as simple as that.
You might just succeed where others would fail, and give a gift that lasts a lifetime.
