Most children who appear to be tone deaf are mislabeled. With the proper training by a professional vocal coach, children can learn to sing in key.
Children should be enrolled in voice lessons when they are able to read at a basic level and when they are mature enough to follow directions. This will vary. Some children are ready at age 4, others may not be ready until age 7.
Children need to undergo tonal development, the capability to discern and identify different sounds. This is achieved by simply asking them, "What sound is this?" Learning the difference between a high pitch and a low pitch is also a crucial step in voice training. Playing various animals noises such as high pitched kitten meows and low pitched cow moos is a fun method for children to develop their ear.
The length of a voice lesson depends on the child's attention span. Voice lessons range from 30 minutes to an hour. Parents should consult the voice coach and decide which time frame best meets their child's needs.