P is for Piano Part Two: What kind of piano for my Tot?

  Keyboard with Full Size Keys      

Electronic keyboards, acoustic pianos, even toy pianos, here are answers to the many questions that come up about buying a piano.  My own recommendations,, based on my experience as a piano player, a piano teacher, and a musical parent, can be found throughout this article

 Electronic Keyboards: Portable and Affordable

If you already have one, then by all means put that keyboard on the floor and have some quality kid time exploring the keyboard…its’ many sounds, the highs and lows, all things that will excite your child to want to do more. 

 And if you do not have a keyboard, what are the reasons to get one for your child? Cost, space, and move-ability are the three main reasons to buy an electronic keyboard instead of an acoustic piano.  Here is an article, from Piano and Synth Magazine, titled “My First Keyboard: Buying a child’s first electronic keyboard instrument” that is very helpful.   

 Do you like to shop at Costco?  They carry a Yamaha 88 full-size grand keyboard.  To learn more about the model they carry and others, here is a link to a website that compares Yamaha’s Portable Grand Keyboards,

 Acoustic Pianos:  Price and Quality

I love my turn of the century Ivers and Pond upright grand and personally prefer an acoustic piano over an electronic keyboard.

 Price:  Can you buy an acoustic piano for under $100?  Sometimes they’re even free! There were 2 ads on Seattle Craigslist in the last 2 days for free pianos  - the key is you have to move them and they are extremely heavy.   

 Quality: What makes a good acoustic piano?  This article is FULL of useful information if you are shopping for an acoustic piano and includes a list of piano brands according to quality.

 What about Toy Pianos? There are some real cuties out there.  Red, white, rainbow colors, miniature grands, fun sounds…all very attractive to the young child. Here is what I have to say about toy pianos: the good, the bad and the ugly…

The good: They are inexpensive! And easy to play, especially if your child is using gross motor and not so much fine motor.  In other words, they use their whole hand instead of individual fingers for most tasks.  These are most appropriate for the newborn to 3 year old. Easy to play and make music will mean they will want to make more music.  This is good.

 The bad: The keys… you know, those black and white things they push to make music.  The size of the keys of toy pianos is often not the same size as a real piano or keyboard. So when you switch to a piano with full size keys, your child may have difficulty, frustration, and will not be as likely to like playing the piano. 

 There are companies that make toy pianos with FULL size keys!  Schoenhut pianos come in a wide selection of styles and colors and are a great option for a toddler size piano.  And at Harmony Pianos, find a child’s size grand with bench I really like. It is usually $199 and they are selling now for nearly cost at $84.

 The ugly: There is no ugly! If you want to excite your child early about piano and music in general, toy pianos can be very useful. 

 My recommendation:  88 full size keys

All in all, in my mind, the best option for your child is to have a piano with 88 full-size keys (and I prefer an acoustic piano for many reasons).   This will allow them to learn full-size key muscle memory from the get-go, and enjoy exploring the full range of lows and highs this magnificent instrument offers.

 Coming soon!  P is for Piano PART THREE:  How to learn piano