Children are natural learners, able to absorb new information and practical skills much faster than adults can, so introducing youngsters to music is a great and very sensible idea. Of course, making music is fun, and to children it’s as much an adventure as it is a way of building their confidence, and improving their memory, focus and concentration skills. here we come up with the Best Ukulele for beginners or kids.
How to choose the right Ukulele for your kid
The ukulele may not be the first thing that comes to mind, but it is actually the perfect first musical instrument for kids. No wonder that it’s rapidly taking the place of the recorder as the instrument of choice in grade schools.
Ukuleles are:
- Affordable
- Small enough for children’s hands to manage them comfortably
- Easier to learn than many other instruments as they only have four strings, so even beginners will soon be playing basic tunes
Which are the best ukuleles for beginners or children?
Don’t worry if your knowledge of the ukulele world is close to zero, everything you need to know is covered here
Get the right size ukuleles
There are five different types to choose from, and the best for most children is the soprano. It’s a manageable size which will last them for years.
Don’t over-spend
If you look around you will find ukuleles in all price brackets, but spending at the top end of the scale is rarely necessary at this stage of learning. If a cheaper uke appeals just check independent reviews for insight into what previous buyers think, and make your decision from there.
One thing to avoid is buying a novelty or toy style ukulele. These are usually very cheap but they are not real instruments, so may well put a serious young learner off for good when they fail to do what is expected of a regular uke
Look for packages
This means you get the uke and all the extra bits and pieces, plus carry bag, in one purchase, saving both time and money buying everything separately.
However, it is a good idea to check the strings on the uke you buy as they are often quite basic. Investing in another set of good quality strings makes the uke easier to play and the sounds it produces are better.
Recommendations to choose the Best Ukulele for beginners or kids
Mahalo sells a nice, lightweight uke which comes with the basic accessories, while ADM has a shocking pink starter package which is great for fans of that color.
For a very reasonable price (around $30) you get the pink uke (made from a mix of basswood and linden), a clip-on tuner, neck strap, chord card, fingerboard sticker and carry case, and it has a decent warranty too.
Honsong makes a very popular rainbow patterned uke which comes with a plain black carry bag as standard. It’s cheap, fun to play, and a great first buy for younger children or those who you suspect may not keep up with the lessons!
Final Words
Picking the best ukulele for kids can be quite hard, but if you stick to what we’ve talked about in this article, you’ll be totally fine.