I've posted this question in the parents section as well.

My youngest is 4 and he's told me that he's going to learn the violin. I know that it's only the ramblings of a little 'un, but I'd like to encourage him if I can. We all play strings and quite a few people in the family are musical. I'm not a pushy parent, and I was wondering if age 5 would be too young for him to start. Should I wait until he's older or encourage him now. He has a good ear for music (can sing in tune) and keep to a beat, so he may have some ability.

I've asked my viola teacher and she takes them from age 5, but I don't want him to be put off by starting too soon. How do you get them to practise at that age etc.?

What are people's thoughts on this? I started flute at age 12 and I feel that it was too late. I never got to do much with it. My luthier's daughter started violin at age 4!

I'm not a teacher now and am not a violin expert but I think music can be started at any age.

My Dad taught me to read music before I started school (3/4 years old) by using flash-cards and counting games... and a simple penny-whistle. I could read music before words and was always tinkering with the instruments in the house; I was playing recorder before I started primary school. I started violin at six and hated it because I had a terrible teacher. Unfortunately my parents were too naive to find me a better teacher so I refused to play it and fell in love with the piano instead and had a happy music-busy childhood. I've gone back to violin as an adult and absolutely love it.

My nieces are four and a half (twins) and one of them would be fine to introduce an intrument like the violin (I would buy her one tomorrow if her parents were supportive) but the other is too immature and self-obsessed and not a child I would give an instrument to. I suppose it depends on the child, and the teacher. A good teacher makes music fun regardless of age and the key to good practice skills are an awareness of self-development.

I would introduce the basics now if he's keen - good luck for a musical future

Yes, I agree... treating it as 'play' at that age (rather than 'learning') is the key thing, I think...

4 is fine, my sister started then, lots of my violin friends did. It's easier to learn when younger apparently because of how the body grows and forms once you've started learning technique. Weird huh?

I started when I was 5 - primarily to give my brain something else to occupy itself with as the schoolwork wasn't taxing enough for me. There was a class of 6 initially - 4 gave up within the first year, but they didn't really enjoy it. Personally, I loved it - and found it easier starting the violin then than the piano when I was 11.

It might take a while to get past the scraping stage, but if it's a musical family they'll probably feel very proud to join everyone in string playing!

Good point here that at age 4 group lessons might be more fun than individual lessons, as orchestras probably wont be an option !

I was 10 when I took up the violin and it never held me back. I also have professional orchestral playing colleagues who were of a similar age when they started the violin.

The right age to start any instrument is the age at which the child is ready and can assimilate the physical and mental actions required to play.

Potential on an instrument is not necessarily down to an early start. Natural ability plus a lot of hard work also comes into it. An older child with a natural talent will learn faster because this is also combined with a longer attention span and greater physical stamina for practice. A very young child with little or no natural ability for a particular instrument won't make huge strides in progress, even by the time they are 10 or 11.

Is your viola teacher naturally good with little ones? if so, suggest that, to start with your son might just be able to have , say, 10 minutes at the end of your lesson, really just as a fun introduction. If that works, you will probably find you can build it up gradually and keep it fun for your son. In the early stages, lots of fun and repetetion are vital to help him build up his skills and confidence. Plan, from the start, to spend a LITTLE time playing with him EVERY DAY so that it becomes something you can enjoy doing together.

Depending where you are, there might be a good Suzuki group which you and your son could join - this could be a good choice especially if he is naturally a group learner (which many children are at that age)

Thanks for everybody's replies. My viola teacher also teaches violin to junior school children, but she said that she prefers to teach the older ones when I asked her her preferences.