Learning to play a musical instrument has documented benefits for children and adults. It improves cognitive function and increases memory and focus. When you learn to play an instrument as a child, the benefits last for a lifetime, making you less likely to develop age-related cognitive issues as an adult.
You have many options when selecting an instrument for your child to learn to play. There are several reasons why the flute could be a perfect choice.
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It’s Not as Hard as You Think
If your child has a passion for a particular instrument, you will do well to support that choice if possible. If not, parents should look at the difficulty level of various instruments. Choosing an instrument that is too difficult to learn or play has the potential to discourage your child.
The flute is considered to be a moderately difficult instrument. It is not as easy as the ukulele and not nearly as difficult as the violin. It is the easiest woodwind instrument by far. There is a wide selection of easy flute sheet music to choose from that will give your child the satisfaction of playing real songs early on.
Easy Flute Sheet Music Abounds
While your child will undoubtedly spend time learning such childhood favorites as “Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star”, there is some easy flute sheet music that may surprise you, including these:
- Beethoven’s “Theme from Ode to Joy”
- “Au Clair de la Lune”.
- Pachelbel’s “Canon in D”
It’s the Perfect Size
While the cello is a beautiful instrument, it’s not the easiest one for a child to carry around. A disassembled flute fits neatly in a small case and is easily portable for even small children. The case will fit in a standard backpack, making transport from home to school and then to lessons simple.
The Flute is Easy To Care For
All instruments require some maintenance, but the flute is easier to care for than most. Unlike most woodwind instruments, the flute does not use a reed, and it is easy to disassemble, clean, and maintain with these simple steps:
- Remove the head and foot joints from the body.
- Wipe down the exterior with a soft cloth.
- Remove moisture from the interior with a soft cloth and cleaning rod.
- Store the disassembled flute in its case.
- Have your flute professionally serviced once a year.
The flute is less sensitive to humidity and temperature than many other instruments, making storage requirements less stringent as well.
It’s Musically Versatile
The flute is a musically versatile instrument. While many think of it as a classical instrument, there are many pieces of easy flute sheet music in genres like jazz and folk. As one of the oldest instruments, the flute holds a place in many pieces of world music as well. This is a great way to expose children to other cultures and diversify their musical repertoire.
Easy Flute Sheet Music Online
You can find several pieces of easy flute sheet music at Musicnotes online. Musicnotes has an extensive collection of beginner pieces for the aspiring flutist, as well as more complex pieces for your child to play as his or her skill grows. Musicnotes even has a convenient app to give your children access to their sheet music on the go.
