During the course of elementary and secondary school education, most children have the opportunity to be exposed to playing a musical instrument of some type. If you are interested in promoting a well rounded education for your child, you probably will face the decision of choosing or helping a child to choose an instrument that they would like to play.

* One of the most important factors you should keep in mind when choosing a musical instrument for the child is the personality of the child. Most youngsters have definite preferences for likes and dislikes, but they may need some guidance about appropriateness of a particular instrument. If your child is not able to focus for lengthy periods of time, you may want to choose a less complicated instrument to begin with. It's important that the child is able to have success in playing very early in the learning process in order to provide incentive to continue.

* Another factor to consider when selecting your child's musical instrument is the size of the instrument. Many musical instruments come in various sizes so that a small child can use a learner instrument. However, some children have small hands so that a piano may not be the instrument of choice. A child may not have the physical strength to lift and play an instrument such as a tuba and almost certainly can't extend a slide trombone to full length. At the same time, a flute is a small instrument, but your youngster may not feel he wants to play the flute.

* The amount of natural musical ability your child possesses is another thing to take into consideration when choosing an instrument. An instrument that requires precise tuning may be difficult to learn when a child cannot distinguish whether it's in tune or not. Another factor that enters into success in playing a musical instrument is the sense of rhythm that the child has. If they are unable to clap or tap a simple rhythm, a set of drums may not be a good choice for an instrument.

* Whether or not a teacher is available to teach your child the fundamentals of the musical instrument will make a difference in the selection of the instrument. Even if a teacher can manage the basic fundamentals, you will want to ensure that the teacher has the knowledge of the instrument chosen by your child so that there is there is proper playing technique taught. It is very difficult to unlearn poor playing habits, no matter what instrument is involved.

* Obviously, some musical instruments cost more than others so this may impact your choice of the best way to provide a musical education for the youngster.

Children have a number of reasons for selecting an instrument of interest. They may be choosing because they like the sound, because a friend or hero plays the same interest or because they have easy access to a particular instrument. The above tips will help you to make a good decision for your child.