A child must be able to comfortably hold a clarinet and reach all of the keys before he is ready to play. If your child is keen to learn the clarinet but isn't yet big enough to hold a Bb clarinet, you could start him off with a smaller model, such as a C or Eb clarinet. However, some professional clarinet teachers would recommend waiting until he’s grown a bit. In the meantime, you might introduce him to the recorder, a low-cost plastic woodwind instrument that resembles a clarinet.You can also find clarinets with reduced keywork. These are designed with younger players in mind. Many young clarinetists may also benefit from using a sling until they can comfortably and correctly hold the instrument.