When buying a ukulele for your child, it is important to consider that the same considerations as buying one for an adult will not be taken. A ukulele is a great instrument for your kid whether or not they might want to learn to play the ukulele as an instrument, or are looking to progress to other stringed instruments such as guitar, bass, or even banjo! It is a great starting point for entering the world of music as they are easy to learn, small (meaning they are easier for smaller kids to play), and can make a great sound with many well known songs that your kid will know being relatively easy to pick up.
When making sure that you purchase the best ukulele for your child, you should consider many things such as the age of your child, whether or not they have any musical background or interest, and the sort of environment that they will be playing it in. For example, if your kid is three or four years old, you may wish to consider buying ukulele that is small and durable, and that stands up to the tests of a child – i.e. it is waterproof/water-resistant, is easy to clean, is not too large so that they can handle it easily, and is not too expensive in the likely event that an accident occurs and it is broken. If you are interested, read more on how to buy a ukulele for your kid.
To make sure you buy the best ukulele for your kid, you should inform yourself of the typical things that a ukulele has, the different sizes in which they are available, and the price ranges that they come in.
The ukulele is made in four different sizes; soprano, concert, tenor, and baritone. The soprano ukulele is the smallest of the bunch, and the baritone the largest and most like a classical guitar.
The soprano comes in at 51cm in size, and is the perfect choice for smaller children as the frets are close together, and everything on the instrument is easily within reach even for one with small hands, such as a toddler.
The concert measures 58 centimetres in length, and is has more of a guitar-like sound when compared to the traditional size and sound of the soprano. It is larger than the soprano and the frets are further apart, meaning that it may not be the absolute best choice for young children in terms of them being able to reach between the notes easily, but could make a great instrument for a slightly older child, at an age of eight or nine years old.
The tenor ukulele is the third of the family, and comes in a size 8 centimetres longer than the smaller concert. This is not a particularly popular size of ukulele since most choose the instrument for its unique sound, and this size sounds more like a guitar than the traditional soprano. But, this may be a good size if your kid is a little older, and has the view of progressing to a larger instrument such as guitar or bass guitar.
The baritone ukulele is in many respects not the best option for children, as it is largest in size and similar to a guitar.
The “Mahalo Smile” ukulele is an ideal example of a great kids ukulele. It is designed with children in mind, is small, has an appealing fun design, and comes at a great price of less that $45.