The Best Drum Set for Kids

Drumming is one of the oldest instruments known to humankind. We have excavated drums thousands of years old from archaeological sites, and they represent the instrument in some form in virtually every civilization throughout history. Then, it’s no surprise that people of all ages have an innate urge to make music with their hands. Even babies do it–just give them a wooden spoon and a pot and watch them go!

There are many ways in which children can benefit from exploring the world of drumming. Not only can they develop musical ability, but there are also benefits to their gross and fine motor development. If you’ve got a toddler or young child at home who shows a strong interest in drumming and you’re interested in upgrading them from the cooking pot kit, you’ve come to the right place. 

Our list of drum sets for kids includes basic info you should know before you purchase a set of drums: a buyers guide, FAQ, how acoustic and electric drums work, how drumming contributes to your child’s development, what makes a drum set suitable for beginners, the best place to set up your drums and selecting the best-sized drums.

How Do Acoustic Drums and Electric Drums Work?

Acoustic drums are one of the oldest musical instruments in the world. Hit it with your hand, and it makes a noise. But what exactly is happening? When you hit the drum with a drumstick or your hand, the drum head begins to vibrate, which creates the sound. You can change the sound slightly by changing the frequency at which the drum head vibrates, by changing the tension of the drum head, the material it is made out of, or what it is struck with. Straightforward enough!

Electronic drums, on the other hand, are a different story. An electronic drum kit has two main parts: ‘triggers’ and the ‘brain’. The trigger pads are the bit of the drum kit that you play. Most electronic drum kits will have trigger pads set up in roughly the same configuration as an acoustic drum kit, with bass, snare, and tom drums, along with a cymbal or two. The pads are covered with rubber or mesh. When they are hit with a drumstick, they transmit a signal to the ‘brain’.

The brain is the module that is responsible for sound production. Think of it as a synthesizer where all of the drum sounds come from when the transducer modules are struck. Most electronic drum sets will come with a few different preset kits – whether you’re playing along with a jazz song or a rock track, you can choose the kit sounds that would suit the song best.

How Can a Drum Set Contribute to a Child’s Development?

There is a surprisingly wide range of benefits drumming can contribute to child development! First of all, the obvious: musical skills and a sense of rhythm. They learn to multi-task and coordinate their hands with their feet, fine-tuning their fine and gross motor skills.

Doing one thing with your feet and another with your hands is something even adults can struggle with! They also learn how to focus when learning a new skill, and, if they play in a band, work together with others. 

Playing the drums is beneficial for the brain, as well. Making music is typically associated with the right side of the brain, the creative side. But drumming also stimulates the left side of the brain, which is associated with math, logic, and learning sequences.

Learning How to Play

Are lessons needed? The answer is – it depends. The biggest factor is age. Although there are exceptions, music teachers often suggest that students wait until age 6 or 7. Before then, children can lack the focus needed during the lessons and the internal drive to practice regularly. If you’re not sure about paying for classes, you can always try out YouTube and see how it goes. 

There are some beneficial channels out there offering lessons showing basic techniques. However, with online lessons, there’s no opportunity to have feedback from another person who knows what they’re doing, which is invaluable when learning. 

If you have a child over the age of 7 who is serious about learning how to play the drums, lessons can be important – and your ears might appreciate listening to an actual song instead of random crashing, too!

Parents might want to consider the song’s content when finding songs for kids to learn to play along with. A few pieces that are great for beginners to learn and don’t have any explicit lyrics are Billie Jean by Michael Jackson, Happy by Pharrell Williams, Shake It Off by Taylor Swift, Eye of the Tiger by Survivor, and Radioactive by Imagine Dragons.

Our Selection of the 10 Best Drum Sets for Kids

Electric Drum Sets for Kids

What Makes a Drum Set Suitable for a Beginner?

There are a few things to look for that set apart a beginner’s drum set from an intermediate or professional kit. First of all, you’ll probably notice that the price is much lower. That’s because of a difference in the quality of the materials used. 

Beginner sets will use a cheaper wood, such as poplar or basswood instead of maple or birch, and less expensive hardware. That’s ok because your child isn’t going to be using the drums with the same frequency or intensity as Meg White or John Bonham did.

You’ll also notice a difference in size – not just the size of the drums – the ones on our list are all junior-sized, suitable for kids, but also the number of drums included in the set. Many beginner sets include only three drums, but intermediate kits will typically have at least five drums. 

Beginner sets are lower priced so that more people can be introduced to the instrument, but if your child is taken with the drums and wants to pursue it, there may be an intermediate set that can withstand harder playing in your future. 

When it comes to the size of the drums, look to see if the kit is adjustable. Kids grow faster than you think they will, so if you can adjust the height of the seat, the cymbals, and the drums, you can get more years out of a junior-sized set.

What Are the Different Drums Included in the Set?

Like the ones on our list below, beginner drum sets for children typically come in either 3- or 5-piece kits. Typically, drums included are a bass, snare, and tom (sometimes just a floor tom, others include mounted toms as well), plus cymbals – either a hi-hat cymbal, a crash cymbal, or both.

The snare drum is the most frequently played drum, and in a kit, it is usually positioned between the drummer’s legs so you can play it with both hands. Snare wires on the underside of the drum make a distinctive snare sound. The bass drum is the big one that sits upright on the floor, and it is played with a foot pedal. 

It’s also sometimes called the kick drum and makes a low, thumping beat. The floor tom is the second-biggest drum and is supported off the floor by four legs. It has a deep sound like a bass drum. The high toms on beginner drum kits are often mounted on the bass drum and add some diversity of tone to your drum kit.

Now for the cymbals! A beginner drum kit can come with one or both of these types. The first is the hi-hat, which comprises two cymbals that crash together when operated with a foot pedal. 

You’ll often use them to keep up a beat and keep a band playing together at the right tempo. The crash cymbal is probably the most fun and iconic part of the drum kit and does exactly what the name says – provides a big crash at emphatic moments! Parents might cover their ears, but kids will love it. 

What is the Best Place to Set Up Your Drums?

The best place to set up your drum kit will be different for everyone. Drum kits can take up a lot of room, particularly acoustic drums. Some electronic drum kits can fold up and put away when not in use, so if you don’t have the floor space to leave a drum kit set up, electronic may be the best option for you. 

If you’re lucky enough to have a rec room or a family room, that can be an ideal space to keep the drums set up for easy access, as long as there are no younger siblings in the house who might find it irresistible to try out their brother or sister’s drums! If your child has enough space in their bedroom, that could be a great spot to keep the drums out of sight of anyone who might be tempted to have a go.  

Selecting the Best-Sized Drums

Here are two things to consider: your child’s current age and size and the kit’s ability to grow with your child. Measure your child’s height and the height of a chair or stool they can sit on with their feet comfortably resting on the floor. You’ll want to make sure that the stool, or throne, that comes with the set can adjust low enough so your child can operate the foot pedals for the hi-hat cymbal and bass drum. 

This is especially important if you’re buying a set for a very young child. Look at the recommended age range from the manufacturer as well. Some junior sets are made for young kids – ages roughly 3 to 10 – while others are made for older kids and preteens – around 7 to 15 – so consider that. For example, if you’re buying for a seven-year-old who wants to learn and you think it could become a long-term interest, it would be more economical to buy the set for bigger kids so that they can grow into the set.

Frequently Asked Questions