Parent article: Guitar Lessons for Kids
By the time a child reaches their seventh birthday, motor skills are well-developed, they're becoming better problem solvers, and are even starting to develop longer attention spans. This is the age where I usually recommend parents start their child on an instrument.
It's early enough to give them a lot of time if they stick with it, yet late enough that many of the developmental hurdles of earlier years are being cleared.
In this article, we're going to look at guitar lessons for 7-year old kids by picking specific courses from online guitar programs we've reviewed and trust.
Keep in mind:
These recommendations are what we consider most broadly applicable and ideal for this specific age, but could also apply to a wide range of age groups. We'll start with a table that gives you a quick list of the courses, then review each one individually.
Best Guitar Lessons for 7 Year Olds (our top 4 picks)
These recommendations are made based on what we believe are the best options for kids near seven years old. Guitar Tricks is one of our partners, and they help support our site. However, the other three programs listed are not partners, but are just great options that we recommend anyway. Signing up for a Guitar Tricks membership or even a free trial helps support our site and keep our content going. Thank you.
PROGRAM | DETAILS | RATING | TRY |
|---|---|---|---|
 | Guitar Tricks
| 92.8 | |
 | Guitargate
| 87.7 | |
 | Justinguitar
| 85.1 | |
 | Yousician
| 72.3 |
My son - seven years old at the time - working on the Guitar Tricks Fundamentals 1 course on the iPad.
1. Guitar Tricks Fundamentals 1 and 2
The Guitar Tricks interface is well-designed on all devices.
Guitar Tricks has two primary beginner courses that make up the Fundamentals series. The first course is a great option for kids of all ages, and an especially comfortable spot for 7-year olds to start learning.
We've reviewed each course on its own, which you can access here:
- Guitar Tricks Fundamentals 1 Review
- Guitar Tricks Fundamentals 2 (direct link to course)
Going through both courses is doable for 7-year old child, even if they just take it in 20-30 minute chunks every other night. The videos are shorter, usually between two and seven minutes in length, which is helpful for limited attention spans.
This is the course my son started going through (in the iPad picture above) and he does well with the video length.
Plus, on the Guitar Tricks iPad app, he can just tap "NEXT" when he's ready to keep going.
It's a surprisingly self-automated process - and he's only six.
Why It's Great for Kids
- Absolute basics covered
- Lots of song application
- Patient instruction from Lisa McCormick (Guitar Tricks instructor)
IDEAL FOR: Beginner lessons, organization, and learning songs
CONTENT
92
EDUCATION
90
ORGANIZATION
98
SONGS
99
THE PROS
THE CONS
2. Guitargate
A big advantage of Michael Palmisano's course is how accessible he makes himself to Guitargate students.
One of the most powerful advantages that Guitargate has over other programs is that its creator and teacher, Michael Palmisano, will give you personalized feedback and an element of coaching within your membership.
This can be extremely helpful for kids, especially if you think the child is more of a social learner and benefits from direct feedback.
The courses are still video based, but there's also a feedback system that allows Michael to help you and work through technical issues or questions you might have. While there's a lot of the content that focuses on music theory and in-depth topics, Michael's teaching method and ability to communicate are very good.
It's also cheaper at just $10 a month for a full membership.
I should also mention that the course is sponsored by PRS guitars, which might not mean much to your kids, but it's a good thing if you know anything about the electric guitar market.
Read the full review: Guitargate
Why It's Great for Kids
- Feedback-oriented program
- Michael's teaching method and approach are excellent
- Plenty of beginner content
IDEAL FOR: Personal feedback directly from Michael
CONTENT
76
EDUCATION
93
ORGANIZATION
90
SONGS
n/a
THE PROS
THE CONS
3. Justinguitar (Justin Sandercoe)
Not only is Justin Sandercoe's content free, but it's properly organized into modules and courses that are easy to navigate.
I like Justinguitar.com for kids for a couple of reasons. First, Justin Sandercoe's teaching style and his content are very beginner and kid friendly. In fact, I would argue that the beginner section of his site is the strongest hand it has to play and - in some cases - is even competitive with the big box online guitar websites.
Second, it's completely free. Sandercoe doesn't even require an email address to use his content, though you can sign up with one if you want to use the program tracker.
For a 7-year old that might just want to try to learn a little bit of guitar and the parent who doesn't want to commit to the paid program, Justinguitar should be one of your first stops.
He even has everything broken down into really well-organized courses and modules.
This dude deserves major kudos for all the work he has done.
Read the full review: Justinguitar
Why It's Great for Kids
- Sandercoe's teaching style is very kid-friendly
- Everything is completely free
- Organization is exceptionally good
IDEAL FOR: Free and great teaching style from Sandercoe
CONTENT
82
EDUCATION
82
ORGANIZATION
92
SONGS
85
THE PROS
THE CONS
4. Yousician
The video game-style interface of Yousician is fun and addictive to play.
If you want to get a fuller picture of how I feel about this program, checkout my Yousician review. While it's on the cusp of what we recommend confidently, it has some value in the context of a 7-year old's learning path.
Basically it's useful and fun for kids as a practice companion, because it actually makes you want to play and practice more.
The video game-style interface and the addictive gameplay make it fun and challenging to learn new patterns and concepts.
From an educational perspective, however, it doesn't have the organization and the care that you get from a person, even a person that has been pre-recorded. In that regard, you're relying heavily on the game without any kind of personal teaching or interaction. There's no real "lesson" material in the strictest sense of the word.
Still, it has value as a practice tool and can certainly be a fun, supplemental resource.
Read the full review: Yousician's Guitar Program
Why It's Great for Kids
- Fun and motivating way to learn
- Helps you practice more
- Colorful and engaging interface
IDEAL FOR: Free and great teaching style from Sandercoe
CONTENT
76
EDUCATION
68
ORGANIZATION
75
SONGS
72
THE PROS
THE CONS
Acoustic or electric guitars?
Most people sort of "default" to the acoustic guitar when their kids start playing, just because it's perceived as the simplest solution. Though I would argue that electric guitars, especially the smaller ones, should get consideration because they're smaller, easier to hold, and the strings are easier to press down and play.
Learning on an acoustic guitar is typically much simpler for a child around seven years old.
Even if you don't want an amplifier at first, your child can still play the guitar unplugged and hear enough to start practicing. My advice is that either one can be a good fit, just try and make sure you get something smaller to suit the height of your child.
Checkout our acoustic guitar sizes for 7-year olds article for more info.
Should I pay for guitar lessons for a 7 year old?
Another difficult question is knowing whether or not to pay for guitar lessons when your child is still only seven.
Will they stay interested in it?
Should I wait until they get older?
Keep in mind, most of the resources I've listed (not sure about Yousician) have a free trial or are completely free to use. The Guitar Tricks free trial is 14 days and Justinguitar is completely free.
My recommendation would be to first use one (or both) of the free trial or Justin Sandercoe's site. Then, if all goes well and the interest of your child holds, you can re-up with a paid option, either with Guitar Tricks, Guitargate, or something else. A lot of people feel like 7 years old is really young, but I (Bobby) started playing at 9, and never stopped.
Use the free stuff, then go from there.
Conclusion
It's hard to know how your child will react to guitar lessons, especially in terms of staying interested.
Though I believe these four options will give your kids the best and highest-value programs to work with, which should help encourage them to stick with the guitar. Check them out for yourself and see what you think would be the best fit.
Sometimes, even the instructor's personality can make a difference, so just take our advice with a grain of salt and consider your own situation.
Your Questions and Comments
And if you still have questions about getting your 7 year old guitar lessons, feel free to drop them in the comments section below and we'll do our best to help out. Good luck!
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Written by GC Editorial on Lessons and Info
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