Drums for kids: which one to buy for their age

From 3 to 6, a snare, a cajon or a kids drum kit with a 12" bass drum; from 6 to 10, a 25-30 cm snare, a drum or a cajon and, if they reach the pedals, a 16" junior kit or a compact electronic kit; from 10 upwards, a beginner electronic kit or an 18" acoustic kit.

Below you will find a chart with the instrument and size for each age, how to check it fits, whether electronic or acoustic suits you best, and what else they need to get started: stool, sticks, headphones and hearing protection.

Which instrument should you buy for a child’s age?

This is a rough guide: the child’s height matters more than their age.

How do you know if it fits?

• Seated: thighs parallel to the floor or sloping slightly down, and feet flat on the floor or the pedals, with the knee at about 90°.
• Pedals: they need to reach the kick and hi-hat pedals without stretching their leg or sliding off the stool. If they cannot, that kit is still too big: look for one with a smaller bass drum or start with a snare or a cajon.
• Snare or drum: the head at waist height, with arms relaxed and elbows close to the body.
• Cajon: sitting on top, their feet should rest on the floor.

The product pages of the drum kits do not give the minimum height of the pads or pedal, so the best test is just that: sit them down and see if they reach. If in doubt, bring them to our shop in Mairena del Aljarafe and we will try it.

Electronic or acoustic for a child?

How much noise does it make?

An acoustic drum kit is very loud in a flat. With an electronic kit they play through headphones and you only hear the sticks and the pedal. Some, such as the Yamaha DTX402K, have a kick pad designed not to pass noise or vibration through to the floor. You will find them in electronic drums for kids.

How much space does it take up?

Beginner electronic kits are compact: the Yamaha DTX402K is described as «ultra-compact» and the Nux DM-210 takes up about 1.5 m², according to its product page. A snare or a cajon fits in any corner.

What about an acoustic kit in their size?

If you have the space and noise is not a problem (a house, a ground-floor flat, a garage), a junior acoustic kit is a real drum kit scaled down: shells, heads, metal cymbals and a pedal, just like an adult one. The size is set by the bass drum: 12" for the youngest, 16" up to 10-12 years old and 18" from then on. The ones we recommend come with cymbals, pedal and stool, so you do not need to buy anything else to get started. Right now we supply them to order: the delivery time is on each product page. You will find them all in drum kits for children and junior drum kits.

Will it grow with them?

A beginner electronic kit will still be useful when they are an adult, because it is the same one an older beginner buys. A junior acoustic kit, until they outgrow the bass drum and stands; an 18" one, such as the Mapex Comet Jazz, when they are older too. A kids snare or cajon, for a few years. If you want an acoustic kit for an older child, the Tama Club-Jam LJK48S is a genuine compact kit, but it is sold without cymbals or stands, so the total goes up quite a bit.

What should you buy for a child aged 3 to 6?

At this age what matters is that they play with rhythm. A light kids snare or a kids marching drum they can wear on a strap, or a junior cajon to sit on, is the most practical choice. If you want a drum kit, make it one in their size, with a small bass drum.

With any of them, sticks in their size: Vic Firth Kidsticks are designed for children aged 3 to 8, shorter and thinner than standard sticks.

And for a child aged 6 to 10?

They can now handle a larger snare or drum and, if they reach the pedals, a drum kit: a junior acoustic kit with a 16" bass drum, or a compact electronic one.

And from age 10 upwards?

At this age they can handle a beginner electronic kit, the same one an adult beginner would buy, or a compact acoustic kit with an 18" bass drum. To see more electronic kits and compare them, have a look at our guide to the best electronic drum kits for beginners and how to choose an electronic drum kit.

The whole selection compared

What else do they need to get started?

An adjustable stool

It is the thing most often forgotten and the one that makes the most difference: on an adult stool a child cannot reach the pedals properly. For a drum kit, a junior stool: the Basix Junior Stool (33 to 44 cm) or the Jinbao 1101E (38 to 44 cm) for the youngest, and the Jinbao T1B (48 to 59 cm) for older children.

Junior sticks

Shorter and lighter than standard, so their wrists do not get tired: Vic Firth Kidsticks (ages 3 to 8) or Promark Junior TXJRW, a shorter 7A, for older children. For marching drums, the Gonalca 2010, 34 cm long. To understand stick sizes, we explain them in how to choose drumsticks.

Headphones

With an electronic kit they are essential. A simple pair such as the Oqan QHP10, with an adjustable headband, is fine to start. Note that the product page does not mention a volume limit, so an adult should set the module volume.

Hearing protection

With a snare, a marching drum or an acoustic kit, a child’s ears suffer. Alpine Muffy Junior ear defenders are designed for children aged 5 to 16 and cut noise by up to 25 dB, according to the product page (also in green). For the pocket, Alpine Pluggies Kids earplugs. There are more in ear protection.

Frequently asked questions

If you would like help choosing, tell us their age and height:

• Phone: +34 954 907 226
• WhatsApp: +34 672 655 950
• E-mail: info@tamtampercusion.com
• And at our shop in Mairena del Aljarafe, Seville, where you can try everything.