I’ve played the violin since age 9 and am thinking of getting my 3 year old an inexpensive violin to experiment with. She loves mine and loves touching it, exploring it and her sticky hands make me afraid 
I see her as more of a cello gal (OK, I’ve always wanted to play the cello. I’m projecting), but she wants a violin. Any ideas on where I can get one. Online?
Amazon.com sells 1/32-sized violins. They cost $90 to $130.
I was looking because my MIL is already pushing me to teach the baby violin (he’s not even born yet!)
1/32 should be the right size for a 3 year old. They have a lot more choices in the 1/16 size though.
Fantastic advice! Thank you!!!
Your MIL is so funny
Hello, This company in Virginia, USA (Angelico Violins) has violins in 1/32 and 1/64 size. The smallest size didn’t come with “fine tuners” and it’s my understanding that the company is looking to buy some, maybe from Japan. www.AngelicoViolins.com
I also bought the book – They’re rarely too young and never too old to Twinkle.
from Johnson String company in Newton Centre, Massachusetts. Other companies carry this book but they were offering a good price that day when I was looking.
Also I encourage you to go on Youtube, search for " Pre-twinkle" or “Twinkle Suzuki Violin” – Find the ones you like best and then watch them with your child. There may also be a Suzuki violin school in your area.
Thanks. Skippy Mardon
I always told my old violin students to rent first. Violin shops frequently rent out small sized violins. This way your risk is small. Our local one has a rent-to-own plan. Maybe yours does as well…
Hi! I have a daughter who is a petite asian-american like her parents. I bought her a 1/16 violin from a vendor on ebay for $49 (included taxes and shipping)! I did one of those “Make an offer” deals on ebay and got them to come down on the price a few dollars. She was 3 1/2 years old when we purchased it. She still fits it now–she just turned 4 a few days ago. I don’t think any violin that small is going to sound that good–they’re all a little screechy because of their size, the length of the strings, the aptitude of the violinist, etc. I’ve been happy with the quality of it. She’s ecstatic because she has a violin she can call her own. It’s all fun at this age!
We got a violin for our two-year old on e-bay, and we have been very pleased with it. It was $55 after shipping.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=180430504395
I made a video of him playing it, as well as a picture of it, that you can see here:
http://www.professional-mothering.com/violin-for-toddlers.html
you can purchase it from www.synwin.com.sg
synwin is a safer & lower on cost for start out for child & my very first violin is from Synwin too when I was merely 2years old. My son, Herald is 17 months & am thinking should I guide him the rope or sent him to wolfgang at united square. will update once I’ve found more about the school.
I am new to this website and I am enjoying it immensely. The violin question was right down my alley so I couldn’t resist.
When my 1st daughter was 2 and 1/2 years she was extremely musical for that age. We are talking 30 years ago! I saw
a program on the Phil Donahew show about the Suzuki violin program. I saw all of these 2-5 year-olds playing beautiful music on the stage. I had never heard of Suzuki before that. Right then I decided that I want my daughter to play the
violin. I tried to find the program in our area and it was full at the university. But there were openings in the city 15 miles south of us. I signed up and the rest is history. I have 4 daughters (all went through Suzuki). The oldest has her own string studio and has been playing with the local symphony. The last 4 years she has played with Trans-Siberian Orchestra, just to name one of dozens of gigs she has played with. My 2nd daughter also has a studio teaching cello. She recently auditioned with the symphony and made it (1 of 3 out of 30). She just got hired with the university to be cello professor and she’s just 29 years old. She has played with Trans-Siberian for 6 years. Daughter #1 has 2 daughters (3 and 5). I’m a young grandma for my age :-). The 3 yr-old is taking violin and the 5 yr-old is taking cello (her auntie is her teacher). I said all of this to encourage all of you to “go with it”! In my wildest dreams I never would have guessed this to be possible. Time has passed so quickly. Don’t give up. Make a commitment and stick with it no matter what. (Also daughters #3 and #4 are violinists and pianists.) And, by the way, our oldest started with a 1/16 size and she was in it for a long time.
That’s very encouraging Pianoannie. Pity there aren’t any good Suzuki violin teachers in Hong Kong, otherwise I would have started my daughter on it!
hey, i found out they use suzuki method for 3 year old at parson music. have u check that out?
REally? I will call them tomorrow to check. Thanks for letting me know!
When my daughter was 14 months old we got her a 1/32 violin for Christmas because she absolutely loved watching my mother play her violin and couldn’t keep her hands off of Grandma’s violin. She has been bowing Grandma’s violin since she was a baby and now that she has her own violin, she puts the pine sap on the bow by herself, plucks the strings, and also bows it by herself. It still is a little big for her to properly hold it, but every morning–and I mean every morning–she wakes up, goes potty, and immediately after that runs to Grandma’s room (and wake Grandma up) to request we take out all three violins in the house for her morning violin lesson. She is still only 15 months old but she makes me realize that’s really not too early to start.
nanayaya,
did you check out the parson music?
So how much did you buy the violin for your son? I just realised - your son and mine are the same age!!! Am exploring violin classes for him too.