A friendly beginning for young guitar players
Kids Guitar!
A structured online guitar course for young beginners—built around a comfortable setup, clear first notes, familiar melodies, rhythms, riffs, and chords, plus patented child-friendly notation that helps children play songs they like in notes that make sense.
Young beginners welcome • Child-sized instruments • Guided course pathway
Explore Kids Guitar
A great first instrument
A child-sized guitar turns the fretboard into a hands-on musical map
Guitars come in smaller sizes, and the frets give every note a visible place. With an appropriate child-friendly setup, beginners can connect what they see, feel, and hear.
Smaller guitars for smaller players
A well-fitted guitar makes reaching the strings and frets more comfortable. Nylon strings or another teacher-recommended setup can also be kinder to new fingertips.
No breath-control barrier
Children can focus on listening, rhythm, coordination, and musical expression without first needing the lung capacity required by many band and orchestral wind instruments.
Frets make pitch visible
The fretboard is a built-in map. Children can see where notes change, repeat patterns, and begin connecting single-note melodies with chords and rhythm.
Play first • read more as they grow
We make playing and music reading easier for kids
Standard notation is a brilliant universal language—but it asks young beginners to decode many abstract layers while they are also learning how to hold a guitar, coordinate two hands, find strings and frets, and make music. The patented Exact Notes™ approach gives children a developmentally friendlier starting language using the string, fret, and finger numbers they already know how to read.
One clear action at a time
Exact Notes shows the string, fret, and finger number to use, so a child can focus on sound, movement, and the song instead of decoding several abstract symbols at once.
Quick wins build motivation
Recognizable melodies, rhythms, riffs, and chord patterns give children a reason to keep going. Progress feels immediate, musical, and worth repeating.
Standard notation grows with them
As playing becomes more comfortable, students add rhythm, staff reading, chord symbols, key signatures, sharps, flats, and other layers at a pace that fits their development.
A clear musical journey
From first sounds to confident playing
Each step adds one manageable layer, so progress feels musical instead of overwhelming.
1. Get comfortable
Set up a comfortable hold, identify the strings and frets, and learn how to make clear first notes.
2. Play real songs
Our easy-to-read notes for kids are especially designed for ages 5-12.
3. Add musical skills
Add chord shapes, smoother changes, stronger rhythm, listening, and early standard-notation skills.
4. Grow independently
Build a repertoire of songs, riffs, melodies, and chord patterns with increasing independence.
Want to try Kids Guitar first?
Meet the instruments, get one-on-one startup help, or tell us about your child so we can recommend a sensible first step before your family chooses the full Guitar pathway.
Free “Pick Your Instrument” sample class
Meet piano, violin, cello, guitar, and ukulele in one lively 30-minute class. Your child can see and hear how each instrument works, try a few musical ideas, and discover which one feels most exciting.
One-on-one startup session
Meet privately for help choosing a guitar, checking size and setup, finding the right starting point, and planning a confident first week for your child.
Placement + program guidance
Tell us your child’s age, experience, guitar access, learning needs, and goals. We’ll help you choose a sensible starting point and discuss course, live, or private support.
A structured week—not a pile of videos
Clear practice guidance between every course step
The course gives students a repeatable learning rhythm and families a clear answer to “What should we practice today?”
1. Learn
Watch a short, hands-on lesson and meet one manageable guitar idea, pattern, or song section.
2. Practice
Use the guided music and course directions for brief sessions that fit your child’s attention span and schedule.
3. Check the setup
Pause to notice posture, hand position, finger comfort, rhythm, and tone before small habits become frustrating ones.
4. Continue clearly
Celebrate progress, follow the next course step, and keep building confidence without guessing what comes next.
Flexible enrichment from home
Music that fits your family
Use Kids Guitar as a homeschool music course, an after-school enrichment program, or a structured companion to private study. Short lessons and flexible practice make it easier to work around family schedules, travel, different learning speeds, and the weeks when life simply gets busy.
Supportive for careful learners, fast-moving students, and everyone in between.
Built from decades of teaching
A method created for the students traditional notation often leaves behind
Zach Tolan has taught since 2002 and has led more than 60,000 lessons and classes. He is the inventor of the patented Exact Notes™ notation system, author of Kids Piano! Volumes 1–3, and a TEDx speaker.
The goal is simple: make the first steps clearer, keep the challenge at the right level, and help more children become confident, curious musicians.
Frequently asked questions
What age is Kids Guitar for?
Does my child need prior music experience?
Will my child still learn standard notation?
What instrument does my child need?
Can homeschool families use this as a music course?
Ready when your learner is
