There is evidence that the order and predictability of music by Mozart, Bach and Haydn are easy for very young children to enjoy. When your child is around age three, let her explore a keyboard, listening with her as the notes rise and fall in pitch. Sing a note as it is played, and plunk out simple tunes. Dancing, skipping and banging on a wastebasket are also advisable. Suzuki training on strings and keyboard can begin as early as three.
Most children can learn to play a recorder and pick out tunes on a piano at around six.
But even if your child isn't the next Mozart, he will develop a fine sense of pitch and learn to carry a tune and love music. In my family the perfect pitch skipped from my mother to my daughter, missing me. But that didn't stop me from making a living as a lounge singer for a while or from belting out some pretty good show tunes in the shower. My daughter, with her scary dog hearing and perfect pitch, can tell me when I've drifted even slightly out of tune, but I remind her that we can't all be perfect. Click for more options or for help .