Art Classes and Music Lessons for Kids
Updated · By Edulist · 6 sources
How to choose art Classes and Music Lessons for Kids
- Decide between enrichment and a course
Free drawing videos are great for fun and confidence. A curriculum like ARTistic Pursuits, with 18 or 36 lessons per book, gives a sequence of skills and art history you can count as a course.
- Start piano with the ear for young kids
Hoffman Academy's method starts with listening, singing and movement before notation, which suits ages 5 to 8. Older kids may prefer note-reading apps like Piano Marvel.
- Check the instrument and device
Piano apps like Simply Piano and flowkey listen through the microphone or a MIDI cable on an acoustic or digital piano. Make sure your device and keyboard work before paying.
- Budget for supplies
ARTistic Pursuits sells matching art supply sets separately. A basic kit of good pencils, paper, watercolors and oil pastels covers most elementary art.
- Know when to add a live teacher
Apps and videos can't correct posture or hand position in person. Many families start with an app or video course, then add a local or live online teacher once a child is committed.
Art and music at home: what works
Art and music are some of the easiest subjects to teach at home and some of the most often skipped. A few short sessions a week is enough to build real skill. The trick is choosing a format your family will keep up: a free video when you need low effort, a curriculum when you want progress, an app when kids need daily practice with feedback.
Art and music programs compared
| Program | Subject | Ages or grades | Format | Price (Oct 2026) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ARTistic Pursuits | Art and art history | Pre-K–12 | Books with video lessons | About $59 per book; $79 with lifetime streaming |
| Art for Kids Hub | Drawing, painting, crafts | Pre-K–6 | Free videos; paid ad-free membership | Free; $64.99 a year ad-free |
| Hoffman Academy | Piano | K–8 | Video lessons, ear-first method | Free lessons; Premium 12 months $239 |
| Piano Marvel | Piano and sight-reading | Grade 2–adult | App with method lessons | Free plan; Premium $129.99 a year |
| Simply Piano | Piano | Grade 1–adult | App with real-time feedback | Free first course; Premium $119.99 a year (App Store) |
| Music Together | Early childhood music | Birth–age 5; Rhythm Kids to grade 2 | Weekly family classes | Set by local center |
Yousician covers guitar, bass, piano, ukulele and singing, and flowkey teaches piano songs with video of a pianist's hands. For apps only, see music learning apps or our ranked best piano apps for kids.
A sample art and music week
- Art (one or two sessions): a 30–60 minute ARTistic Pursuits lesson, or a 15-minute Art for Kids Hub drawing followed by free time.
- Music (four or five short sessions): 15–25 minutes of piano practice, most days. Short and frequent beats long and rare.
- Once a week: listen to a composer or look at one painting together and talk about it.
Can scholarships or ESAs pay for art and music?
Some ESA programs allow fine arts curriculum, music lessons or approved instructors, and some exclude them. Hoffman Academy sells fixed-term memberships for ESA, scholarship and charter purchases. Each program decides. See what ESA funds can be used for, then save your picks to your wishlist.
Featured art Classes and Music Lessons for Kids
Hand-picked from the grid above because they fit this page well.
Best-of lists and guides
Sources
Questions
What age should kids start piano lessons?
Many kids start between 5 and 8. Hoffman Academy's lessons begin in kindergarten, while app-based programs like Piano Marvel and Simply Piano fit kids who can read a bit and focus for 10–20 minutes.
Can kids learn piano from an app?
Apps can teach notes, rhythm and songs well, and the best ones listen and give real-time feedback. They can't watch hand position or posture, so many families add an occasional live lesson to catch bad habits early.
Do homeschoolers need an art curriculum?
Not always. Many families do art through free video lessons, nature journaling and museum visits. A curriculum helps if you want a clear sequence of skills or need fine arts credit in high school.
Save it. Get it funded.
Save products free, then apply once for the scholarships that can pay.