That sounds like an obvious answer. But every kid is different.
You are about to make an investment on musical equipment, and either lessons or some kind of guitar course. Guitars aren't like band instruments which you can rent, then return. So, understandably, you want to be as sure as you can about it.
You can never be totally sure if your child will stick with it. Playing a real guitar is nothing at all like playing "Guitar Hero", but if your child does happen to play that game, and enjoys it, and spends a lot of time with it, that shows focus ability.
Anything that your child does that shows a "stick-to-it-ness" (I just made that word up) shows your child has the ability to focus.
But you know how kids are. There are no guarantees.
Another thing to look at is if your child has friends who play guitar, or any other instrument for that matter. This creates a kind of positive peer pressure for your child.
But age? I've met some 5 year-old's that were more "mature" than some 9 year-olds I've met. Mozart was a musical prodigy by the age of 3 and was learning the harpsichord and the violin.
The bottom line is that you know your child better than anyone else. As long as you understand that there is no way to predict whether or not your child will stick with it.
James Emery Vigh is an independent film maker and author of guitar courses for kids and adults. His current project uses animation AMD live footage to teach the guitar to kids.
