5-year-old boys are basically sponges. They have the uncanny ability to learn anything, are starting to argue back and make sense (unacceptable), and need new horizons to test their newfound talents. Enter: musical instruments. In one study from Arts Ed Search, the results claimed:

On average, students who learned a musical instrument scored significantly higher than other children on a test of cognitive skills. The average for music students was more than twice that of students who participated in sports.

Adolescents with music training were found to be more open and conscientious than other; this does not translate to agreeableness.

In other words, it’s worth it to get your kid interested in music ASAP! It’s good for their brain, helps them develop, and gives them a potential hobby and career path for later in life.


Learning an instrument nowadays doesn’t even need a teacher in person (although that always helps). With a beginner instrument and a few minutes on YouTube each day, your boy can learn pretty much whatever he wants to.

We’ve put together some of the best beginner musical instruments for your kids. Check them out below!

KidKraft Lil’ Symphony Guitar

KidKraft Lil' Symphony Guitar

KidKraft Lil' Symphony Guitar

Learning the guitar is an incredible tool for kids to learn for life. It leads to the ability to express themselves and gives them a valuable life skill! For 5-year-olds, however, a full-sized guitar is pretty much off the table. It’s probably the same size as they are! A junior guitar is perfectly designed for little kids with little hands. The KidsKraft junior guitar is a great started for a budding guitar player! It features six guitar strings, meaning they aren’t just for show and fake strumming, they can actually be played. It comes pre-assembled and is made of plastic and composite wood, helping it to be more durable, especially in the care of a kid.

Casio SA-76 44 Key Mini Keyboard

Casio SA-76 44 Key Mini Keyboard

Casio SA-76 44 Key Mini Keyboard

Piano is always a great option to consider when putting your little one in lessons. It’s great to help them understand the theory behind music, is simple to pick up, and offers tons of future expression and learning potential through electronic options like producing! In order to get started on that journey, however, you’re going to need a good keyboard for kids. The Casio 44 key mini-keyboard is a solid option. This keyboard features 44 mini-keys and offers over 100 tone options when playing! Its onboard memory also features 50 rhythms to play along with and 10 integrated songs to learn. For a kid who is starting to get serious and start taking lessons, this a a good option.

RemoKids Percussion Floor Tom Drum

RemoKids Percussion Floor Tom Drum

RemoKids Percussion Floor Tom Drum

Drums are probably the most approachable of the instruments that kids can start learning. Most other instruments require fine motor skills (guitar, for example) or the ability to start reading music. As all parents know, that just isn’t possible for all 5-year-olds. If your boy isn’t quite ready (or wanting) to pick up another instrument, check out the Remo Percussion Drum! You can start your kid down the path of drumming with nothing but a floor drum and two sticks, just like this one offers. This floor tom can be hit for hours and is super fun to listen to and play with. What makes this drum so special is you can add to it as your little one grows in ability. This floor tom is part of the Remo Percussion Collection and makes a great standalone drum or a start to the collection.

Mendini by Cecilio 13 inch 3-Piece Junior Drum Set

Mendini by Cecilio 13 inch 3-Piece Junior Drum Set

Mendini by Cecilio 13 inch 3-Piece Junior Drum Set

Ok, it’s time to officially bite the bullet and invest in a junior drum kit. You have noticed that your 5-year-old is actually hitting his kiddie drum in rhythm with the music, and he has some talent waiting to be pulled out. The Mendini drum kit is a great way to accomplish that goal while ensuring your kid has a ton of fun. This “junior” kit is designed for kids but has all the capabilities of larger sets, making it perfect for a learning drummer who wants to really try his hand. This kit features a kick drum and pedal, a mounted tom, a mounted snare, and a cymbal. This version is metallic blue, but it comes in lots of other color options!

Nino Percussion Kids’ Sleigh Bells

Nino Percussion Kids’ Sleigh Bells

Nino Percussion Kids’ Sleigh Bells

This next instrument has a more specific use. The Nino Sleigh Bell is an awesome option with some specific uses. Obviously, you aren’t going to have your kids take sleigh bell lessons, but this cheap option is perfect few circumstances. Not every family does this, but Christmas Caroling is a tradition for many people! If you are having trouble getting your kid to sing or learn the music, just slap one of these in their hand and tell them to ring along! Another common use is for class band performances or recitals. Right around this age is when schools start holding little performances for parents to come and see. Often, they aren’t highly organized, and it’s a free-for-all for what instrument your kids “play”.

Bontempi – Saxophone

Bontempi - Saxophone

Bontempi - Saxophone

Have a future band-kid on your hands? Or maybe you just want your kid to be the smoothest dude to ever walk the halls of his school? The sax is for him. You can’t help but look awesome playing the saxophone, and it is better to get them started on an instrument like this sooner rather than later. This is a great toy-instrument that is sure to give your kid a head-start when they upgrade later on. You join a school band as early as middle school, and it’s always good to get an advantage early. This instrument is made of plastic, ensuring it lasts long and keeps the price down!

Harmonica

Harmonica

Harmonica

There is something nostalgic about a harmonica. They are super easy to play and can establish an easy-going musical understanding for your kids in the future. If you can breathe, you can play the harmonica! This harmonica is perfect for any kids 3 and up (when your kid isn’t playing it, you can try your own hand at it) and promises years of fun. It’s five inches long, making it an easy instrument to hold and play. It’s made of a metal shell with a plastic interior, ensuring it’s durable and designed to last the tough use of a kid for years to come.

Snoky Fun Toys Microphone for Kids

Snoky Fun Toys Microphone for Kids

Snoky Fun Toys Microphone for Kids

We all wanted to be a rockstar when we were kids. For most of us, a hairbrush was all we needed to become the star of our own concert. Now, with toys like the Snoky Microhone for Kids, your kids won’t have to pretend to sing into a microphone, they can do it for real! This microphone is made of an aluminum alloy, ensuring it lasts. One of the coolest features we’ve seen, this toy can be hooked up to computers and smartphones with a USB cable and used to sing karaoke! If you have a singer on your hands, this is a good way to encourage them in their talent while letting them have a lot of fun.

Bontempi Toy Trumpet Horn for Kids

Bontempi Toy Trumpet Horn for Kids

Bontempi Toy Trumpet Horn for Kids

Like the saxophone we’ve already listed, there is something “smooth” about someone who plays a brass instrument. If you know you will be putting your child in band when they get older or simply want to encourage a natural talent they have, the Bontempi Trumpet is a good choice. Each key on the trumpet is color-coded and plays a specific note. With the color association, your child will start learning note identification as they have fun playing around the house. This toy is a metallic silver color and looks like the real deal, leaving little up to your imagiantion when they decide to provide you with a “home concert”!

QoQoba Electronic Drum Set for Kids

QoQoba Electronic Drum Set for Kids

QoQoba Electronic Drum Set for Kids

Digital interfacing isn’t something that always comes with junior instruments, but the QoQoba drum set breaks that mold. This is a full electronic drum kit that comes with a snare, three toms, a crash, a ride, a hi-hat, and five different timbres to change how they sound. It also comes with two foot pedals and is perfect for developing rhythm. The best feature of the kit is the fact that it can act as a MIDI and interface with a speaker (home concerts incoming) or used in conjunction with recording softwares. You can play different online games while recording their music to smartphones, tablets, and computers.

Dan Wiener
Hey there! I'm Dan, the founder behind Kids Love WHAT. I started this blog as a way to document all of the things that my 4 kids love: crafting, science experiments, good food, fun games and of course lots of toys! When I'm not busy chasing them all around, you can find me scouring the web to find the next best thing to keep them busy and out of my hair!