Drum Lessons for Kids: Why drums are a great instrument to get kids started

Posted On May 26th, 2025 by Brian Zimmerman

I’m a big fan of starting kids on drums. I’m a bit biased because I started on drums, but there’s a lot of good reasons to do so. Here are three of the best:

1. Drums are high energy instruments

Drums are high energy instruments, and kids have a lot of energy! No student has ever turned down my offer of “Here’s some drumsticks, do you want to try?” If you’re child is bouncing off the walls, drums can be a great way for them to channel their energy into something expressive and productive. It can also hone their wild energy into a focused discipline. A two for one deal.

2. Drums teach rhythm better than any other instrument.

Some parents shy away drums because they don’t involve melody or harmony. This is true, as the notation move horizontally with rhytym (quarter notes, 8th notes, ect) but but not vertically with pitch (A, B flat, F, ect.) While this is a limitation, it allows the student to focus on one thing. Rhtyhm. Too often we toss way too many things at a young student. Reading, rhythm, tone, chords, ect. Drums are a great way to narrow the focus and highlight one area of music which is rhythm. And here’s the best part: rhythm can be applied to any other instrument. Do they want to move to guitar? That’s fine, understanding rhythm will help them with learning the guitar. Want to play piano? They now have the hand coordination to play complex rhythms, which will speed up the process of learning the instrument.

3. Drums are the easiest instrument to start – and that’ a good thing.

Easy to start doesn’t mean easy to master. It just means that picking up sticks allows students to begin making music right away. Many instrument are hard to hold, or even get a sound out of. Take violin for example. It’s incredibly difficult to even hold the instrument, and kids (and adults!) are often worried that they might drop the instrument – Or trumpet, where having the wrong embouchure (mouth shape) means getting a bad sound or no sound at all. This can be frustrating for the student and immediately turn them off from music  the minute they pick up (or drop) the instrument. I’m not saying DON’T start your kids with these instruments, but understand these instruments often have a higher bar to entry.

Drums are different. They only involves picking up sticks. This is crucial, as the best way to get good anything is building confidence confident and feeling competent. Drums give kids an early win, and that’s the biggest predictor to whether or not they will stick with an instrument.

The Lasting Benefits of Drum Lessons

Even if your child doesn’t become a rockstar, drum lessons can offer:

Improved coordination and timing

Better focus and listening skills

Discipline and goal-setting

Confidence through performance

An outlet for energy and emotion

–Rhythm is the foundation of music—and can be applied to any other instrument , and even activities like dancing! It also builds focus and discipline which are crucial in so many aspects of our lives. Don’t’ write off drums. They are an excellent way to build a child’s love of music.