Shopping for gifts this year doesn’t need to be a headache at least not for the musically-inclined person on your list. If you know an adult or child with an interest in music, whether they are enrolled in music lessons or not, there are a number of gift options to choose from that will help nurture their interest and talent for music. Based on their age groups, here are some great options.
Tiny Tots
Between these ages, musical talent and interest may be just barely budding. Most kids at this age are not ready for full blown music lessons. For the most part, this is an age bracket where you can really nourish an aptitude for and interest in music with some simple gifts.
Hand drums. Bongos, doumbek and other hand-held drums are great instruments for a kid to beat on and get a sense of rhythm, which is an important fundamental of music.
Ukulele. Ukuleles are inexpensive, sturdy little stringed instruments that can withstand an older preschooler’s handling. It gives them a chance to play with a stringed instrument without the panic factor of them holding a $300 guitar.
Sing-a-longs. Sing-a-longs take the music to the next level by encouraging young ones to join in, giving them some rudimentary vocal skills that they can later perfect in singing lessons.
School Age
Whether or not your youngster is already taking music lessons, they might show a great aptitude and love of music that you want to encourage and foster. For this age bracket, there are some really great options to get them using that creative energy.
Music lessons. Taking music lessons in Toronto, kids can have their pick of anything from piano to bouzouki at a structured music school. Many kids in this age bracket will have their eye on a specific instrument. Getting a child enrolled in singing or guitar lessons is a vote of confidence from you, and a chance for them to try out their interests and develop new skills.
Simple instruments. For kids who are interested in music but not committed, simple instruments like hand drums, ukuleles or recorders can encourage them to continue to explore their musical interests.
Teens
Teenagers are forming their personalities and interests begin to solidify. They are more able to take care of things than younger kids and are often more responsible. This makes the teen bracket ideal for more meaningful gifts.
Music group classes. Forming friendships and working with other musicians is a key concept during the teen years, as having a supportive peer group helps to solidify the teenager’s forming identity. When that identity is related to music, your teenager will have plenty of inspiration to go around. Group classes that perform also provides incentives and prevents burnout, which are both needed in this age bracket.
What they want. If your child has his heart set on a digital piano and it’s in the budget, there is no better way to inspire his musical talent. This age group is starting to focus on the things they really want to pursue. Paying attention to the instruments they are most interested in goes a long way.
Music Players and Songs. Portable music players might annoy some parents when they are in the ears all day long, but when they provide inspiration, it’s a bit of another story. For teenagers developing their own interests, an iTunes gift card is a great stocking stuffer.
Adults
Shopping for musically-inclined adults might be a little trickier, depending on their level of interest. One big challenge for adults is the amount of time they can devote to music. However, there are a number of gifts you can buy to keep adult musicians rockin’.
Accessories. Violin strings, tuners, pics, and similar accessories are always great stocking stuffers for avid musicians. It helps to see what types of strings or pics the musician prefers, as many a musician are particular about this sort of thing.
A night off. Sometimes, the best gift you can give an adult is a night off from their responsibilities. That might be free babysitting, an agreement worked out between partners, or something else that gives an adult the freedom to enjoy music.
Music Lessons. If your partner fondly recalls the bass lessons he took as a kid and never followed through on, why not give him or her a second chance? We have a number of adult students who just needed extra encouragement to get back to music.
Gifts that inspire a person’s natural talents and interests are not as difficult as they may seem, and they can span a wide spectrum of budgets and levels of involvement. Adults and kids of all ages love to be surprised by the gifts they weren’t expecting but still cater to their passions.
Contact us or stop by Elite Music Academy at 822 Danforth in Toronto, ON for more great gift ideas!
