Print out this sheet of children's guitar chords (gif). Tape it up on a wall near a small guitar and watch your child improve his or her guitar playing.
Young children can learn to read guitar tabs and remember finger placements, but often have trouble getting their fingers to comfortably fit around the guitar neck and reach the strings. Children's guitar chords, also known as small-hand or simplified chords, can make the difference between giving up in frustration, staying a beginner, and advancing in talent.
When reading the children's guitar chord chart, note that "N" stands for nut or zero fret. The "o" means to play that string. The "x" means don't play that string.
Simplified for Beginners and Advanced Guitar Players
Children's chords are not necessarily beginner's chords. Small-hand, simplified children's chords allow children to reach advanced levels of play with comfortable chord fingerings.
Andrew Webber recommends several simple guitar chords for small children, beginning with the most simple to more advanced but still simple enough and useful for children. Webber includes instructions, images, and videos.
- Very simple chords for small children: simple G major, simple G7, simple C.
- Simple chords: A major (two versions), D major, E major.
- Beginner chords: C major (two versions), G major.
- Simple minor chords: A minor, D minor, and E minor.
Webber recommends using a child-size guitar to help children advance to more complicated chords.
Simplified Chords, Chord Progressions, and Sequences for Beginners
In an article on learning simplified guitar chords, Debarshi Kanjilal noted that not all guitar chords are complicated. Many popular chords are relatively simple to make (i.e., A, G, C, D, F and E). The E chord requires only two fingers. It's the switching between chords that can get complicated and send a guitarist looking for simplified versions of chords.
Rachel Shirley offers instruction on simple chord sequences for beginners. She noted that many songs contain just a few simple chords. She recommends that beginners first learn four important simple chords: E minor, A minor, G major and D major.
Young children with small hands can advance in talent with the help of small-hand simplified guitar chords and a child-size guitar. Simplified chords aren't just for beginners, but for anyone with small hands.
Sources:
Lehrman, Daniel. "Guitar Chords for Children and People with Small Hands." GuitarPlayersCenter.com, June 17, 2008.
Webber, Andrew. "Simple Guitar Chords for Beginners." HubPages.com. Retrieved June 9, 2011.
Sara McGrath - Sara is a veteran homeschool mom of three, Usborne consultant, and the author of Unschooling: A Lifestyle of Learning.
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