Picking the Best keyboard for kids
Kids piano is meant to accommodate smaller hands and is designed to be entertaining. They come with numerous helpful features that are aimed at developing your child’s passion for music. In a nutshell, the best keyboard for kids is meant to teach your child how to correctly position his or her finger while at the same time, providing an exciting playing experience. The kids keyboard comes with myriads of essential features that will help your child learn the musical instrument effectively. The fact is every piano claims to offer unique features that will help your child. However, it is your responsibility to understand and recognize the necessary features that will be helpful to your kids. Before deciding to buy the product, you should study the functionalities, specifications, and take note of the accessories. In our review, we have included what we considered important and provided you with enough information that will influence your buying decision. In essence, you must take note of the essential element as well as the features that will be of tremendous advantage to your kid. Here are some of the factors to consider making your buying decision:
Age
Age is an essential factor you need to consider when buying a kids piano. As you can see, virtually all the keyboards for kids come with age specification. This is important because it has a lot to do with the size and the features that come with the musical instrument. For instance, you will discover from our review that the Yamaha EZ220 keyboard bundle is meant for teenagers within the ages of 14 and 15, while the Casio SA-76 Mini keyboard Bundle is for children between the ages of five and seven.
Child’s hand size
The hand size of the kid is also an important feature to consider.
The width of the keys of this musical instrument is designed to accommodate small hands, thereby enhancing its playability. The piano comes in different sizes and specifications, so you should take the size of your child’s hand into consideration when buying this musical instrument.
Child’s motivation level
The level of a child’s motivation will also determine the type of piano you will buy. If you are trying to develop your child’s interest in music, you can choose an exciting and interactive musical instrument for them. A perfect example of the product in this category is the eMedia My Piano Starter Pack. It comes with an animated keyboard that will motivate your child to learn and develop their playing skills.
Experience level
Another factor that will determine the product that you will buy is the experience level of your kid. Are you buying them their first keyboard or you are considering an upgrade? If you aim at introducing your toddler to music, an excellent pick for you from our list will be the Amy and Benton Toy Piano for Baby and Toddler. It is light in weight and comes with only 24 keys. Apart from that, it comes with several baby-friendly features.
Furthermore, you can also consider the Meowsic Toy piano. As your child grows in age and experience, you can go for the more advanced product. For instance, if you have a child between the ages of eight and thirteen, you can pick the RockJam RJ761. The Yamaha EZ220 is designed for teenagers between the ages of fourteen and fifteen.
Keyboard
The number of keys on the keyboard varies. It could range from 25 to about 88. A standard keyboard comes with 88 keys. You need a minimal number of keys if your child is small, and you are just introducing them to a keyboard. Getting them a keyboard with many keys at this stage might be confusing to them.
You should also note that the number of keys is dependent on the user’s experience and the type of music that will be played on the musical instrument. If you are buying the first keyboard for your baby or toddler, it is advisable to concentrate on learning the music and stick to pianos with fewer keys.
Dimension
The kids keyboard comes in different sizes and shapes. The dimension of the product comes according to age specification. Kids piano that is meant for babies and toddlers comes in a smaller dimension. Take a look at the size of Amy and Benton, as well as Meowsic Toy Piano; you will see that they are comparatively lower to the Hamzer Portable Electronic Keyboard and RockJam RJ761. The dimension is a critical factor that enhances the playability of the musical instrument. The Schoenhut is a perfect example here; it comes with 30 keys.
Weight
The weight has to do with the heaviness or lightness of the musical instrument. It might look unimportant, but it is a critical factor to consider as far as kid’s piano is concerned. Your child should be able to carry its toy without any hassle, therefore look for a keyboard that is light in weight. Weight might not be of paramount importance when buying a more advanced piano, but you need to look into when getting this product for your baby or toddler. For instance, the weight of Meowsic Toy Piano and Amy & Benton Toy Piano is 1.8 and 1.55 pounds, respectively. While that of RockJam RJ761 and Yamaha EZ220 keyboard Bundle is 12 and 9.7 pounds, respectively.
Warranty
You can consider models that come with a warranty if you want assurance in case anything happens to the product during use. We have keyboards that come with warranty and those that don’t. Some models offer aftercare for the product; you can look for those brands. Most models provide a warranty within one year.
Power
Your musical instrument can be powered into two major ways: through a battery or adapter. You need to check if the product that you intend to buy comes with an adapter. If you have an adequate energy supply, you should take advantage of this by getting a product that comes with an adapter. However, you could also consider the battery option, especially for the safety of kids.
Teaching modes
An important feature that you should consider when buying a piano for your kid is the teaching modes. If you are of the opinion that this feature will be of tremendous advantage to your child, you should consider models that encourage a more organized keyboard lesson. A perfect example of this is the eMedia My Piano Starter Pack. It comes over 100 software-based lessons. You could also consider that Yamaha EZ220 keyboard that comes with a fingering guide. Teaching mode is a helpful feature that helps the kids to learn faster. If you want your child to learn more quickly, you should go for a keyboard that comes with teaching modes.
Extra Features (Number of songs, rhythms, and sounds)
These are essential features that you must look for when buying a piano for your child. The advantage of having varieties of sounds, songs, and rhythm is that it enables them to learn faster and also motivate them to explore their musical creativeness. So, it is not out of place to select a piano that comes with numerous demo sounds, songs, and instrument voices. A product in this category is the Yamaha EZ220 Keyboard Bundle. We also have the RockJam RJ761, Casio SA-76, among others. These features enable your child to have fun while learning the musical instrument.
Prices
One of the main determinants of the type of product to buy is the price. The cost of the piano increases with the kind of functionalities. Apart from that, the price also differs according to brands and models. Another factor that determines the price is the level of player that it is intended for. The piano meant for children and toddlers comes at a relatively lower price when compared to the more advanced ones. Therefore, you must be prepared to spend more if you are buying a more advanced piano for your teenager or child that is above the age of 9.
