Life starts to change for a parent when their child begins to take more of an interest in things. Music and instruments are a great interest for a child to have. Many children get their first taste in music at school but many also start younger than that. A musical instrument that is growing in popularity is the drums. If your toddler looks as if they’re taking to bashing drums and enjoying it, consider these factors before rushing out the music store to buy them their first drum set. Where should they start, toy drums or real drums? What are the cost implications and what is the next step up from a toy drum set?
It doesn’t need to be expensive when buying a kids first drum set. If they are still young enough a toy drum set is going to be the best option. That was you won’t be throwing money down the drain if they lose interest. If they enjoy playing the drums and it looks as though they may have a good hobby there, you can always move up to the next stage. You can pick up a little kids drum set from around $15; not too much to spend on something that may not pan out.
If you are looking to buy a drum set for your child make sure it is something they are likely to stick with, unless money is no object for you. Generally the next step up from a toy drum set is going to be something that resembles the real thing. These are likely to cost from $100 upwards. Get some advice from someone who knows to make sure you get the best for what you can afford. These drum sets look like the real thing, sound like the real thing and will last longer than a toy drum set. They are able to be tuned and should come with a stool to sit on. The main difference is that there are less drums but the basics are there for a child’s first set.
You could also consider an electronic drum set for kids. Electronic drums can either be used from a table top or some come free standing. They can range from a toddler’s toy to something more authentic. At the lower end of the range you can expect to pay around $45 but at the higher end of the market you’ll be looking at $200 – $500. There are advantages to electronic drums sets that include the ability to use headphones keep the sound private, they can be used with other musical equipment that provide backing tracks or other drumming lessons. The sound can be amplified or reduced to suit. Essentially they are used in the same way; pads are hit with a stick to produce an electronic noise that is programmed to sound like a real drum.
The takeaway from this article is this: if your young child looks as if they would enjoy playing a drum set think about the available options first. Consider a toy drum set that is cheaper to buy, just in case the hobby or interest doesn’t work out. If it does you can move up to the next option. If it doesn’t you will not have lost out. If you go for the next step up shop around for the best quality drum set you can afford to buy. A kids drum set above $150 or so will represent decent value for money and last a long time. It will sound authentic and could be the beginning of something special.