That depends on your child. Have they been asking to play an instrument? If taking lessons is your idea and not your child's, then it probably won't work out.

It is best to expose children to music not through music lessons but by taking them to music concerts, festivals that have music, listening to CD's, watching videos about the different instruments, etc. Most children get interested in playing an instrument when they have friends that play something or see other kids perform at school talent shows.

The answer to this depends on 1) is your child asking for lessons? and 2) do you have the time and energy to commit to this? Children are capable of different things at different ages. Younger children have less fine motor skills and very short attention spans. Older children have more coordination and have developed increased attention spans from attending school on a daily basis.

Taking lessons at a very young age requires more time and patience from the adult who will work with the child practicing at home. If taking lessons at 5 years old doesn't work out, remember, you can always try again at 6 or 7. You'll be amazed at how much more coordinated and focused they are in just a year or two.
It is very difficult for teenagers to start an instrument due to the increase demands of school and social activities. If you and your child decide to take lessons, both of you have to make sure lessons fit in your busy schedules!

If you are an adult looking to take lessons, you will find that it is not "too late" to learn the violin. Good music instruction breaks down the complexity of playing an instrument into small, achievable steps. This is the key to success at any age!

That depends on the level of the students. Beginners have less material to cover and shorter attention spans, so 5-10 minutes is normal. The practice session will increase in time as the student has more material and develops a longer attention span.

It is best to practice a little bit every day versus playing an hour once a week. The goal of practicing is to create habits that become automatic. How did your child learn how to talk, walk, even hold a cup? It was done on a daily basis where you tried, tried again, with much encouragement and enthusiasm. If you use this approach to practicing, you will have excellent results!

Violins come in different sizes (1/16, 1/10, 1/8, 1/4, 1/2, 3/4, 4/4-Full Size) for the different sizes/ages of children.
It is best to rent a violin for 3 reasons:
1. If the student decides to quit after 2 weeks.
2. Children have growth spurts and need a larger instrument.
3. Children can drop/bang their instrument causing costly repairs. Rental violins have insurance coverage included in the rental fee that will cover repair costs.

Most parents wait until their child needs a full size violin (4/4) before buying an instrument.

Read more on the instruments page.