Best piano keyboards for kids: A parent’s guide

When you think of piano, the first image that pops into the head of most of us is a big grand piano on a stage. Many of us grew up with a family member or friend having a piano at their home.

That said, we love the flexibility of playing piano on a keyboard instead of an acoustic piano. Digital keyboards take up less space, are less expensive, can be tailored to fit a student’s skillset and age through weight of the keys depending on finger strength, and can be played at different volumes (or even through headphones!). Picking a keyboard, however, can be a daunting task. Based on our experience teaching on keyboards for over a decade, we have put together a list of our recommendations for different levels and budgets.

Note: We receive no commission for these recommendations.

Things to look for in a keyboard

Digital keyboards come jam-packed with different bells and whistles, but our selections focus on their similarities to the piano. These initial suggestions are for our students who are age 8+, or who are in the intermediate category.

• 88 keys
• Weighted keys
• Great sound!

Overall pick for best piano keyboard: Yamaha DGX670

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Model: Yamaha DGX670

Price: ~$750 + $150 for stand

Why we like it:

This keyboard is amazing! It is one of the best sounding pianos on the market. One of the biggest perks of the DGX 670 is that it allows for lots of customization, not just in sound, but also in the weight of the keys. For our younger or beginner level students, you can reduce the weight of the keys, making it easier to play. Vice versa, for our higher level students, you can make the keys heavier to mimic an acoustic piano.

Recommended accessories:

Compatible stand

Premium piano keyboard: Yamaha YDP S55

Model: Yamaha YDP S55

Price: $1,600

Why we like it:

This keyboard is very similar to the DGX670, however most of the difference comes into the feeling of the keys and the cosmetics of the keyboard. The material of the keys match more closely to that of an acoustic piano, and replaces many of the plastic cosmetic parts with real wood. However, the sound of the DGX in our opinion is still superior.

Recommended accessories:

None – comes with everything you need

Budget-Friendly Keyboard: Yamaha P45

Model: Yamaha P45

Price: $400, $500 with stand

Why we like it:

The P45 is a great starting keyboard! It is full sized, has a decent feel to it and sounds good! For many students learning piano, the P45 can last them for about 18-24 months until they reach the higher intermediate categories. However, at that point, you’ll need to upgrade to a nicer model such as the DGX! 

Recommended accessories:
Compatible stand

Entry level keyboard: RockJam 61 Key

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Model: RockJam 61 Key

Price: ~$100

Why we like it:

This is a great start for our little ones! Students age 5 and under can begin their musical journey on the RockJam. It is a fun, smaller sized keyboard with lots of different sounds for the students to explore. This keyboard doesn’t have weighted keys, making it an excellent way for our younger students with small fingers to be able to learn piano and practice without having their hands hurt due to heavy keys. Once students graduate from the elementary category, this keyboard will need to get updated. And that serves as a great benchmark and reward for our younger students when they graduate from the elementary category and move on to the big models such as the DGX! 

Recommended accessories:

None – comes with everything you need

If you don’t want to invest in a new keyboard, many stores like Guitar Center sell them used. Local music shops and Facebook Marketplace can also be great resources to find barely used keyboards. Remember: unlike Payam Music students, most piano students quit within the first year! Their loss is your gain for an awesome used keyboard.

Don’t get me wrong: we love acoustic pianos, too! And you can actually pick up one for a decent price at an estate sale or if someone is moving. That said, you can’t go wrong with a keyboard. Best of luck! We can’t wait to hear you play.

(i’d like to include a portion on acoustic pianos as well. Maybe start off with saying this about the acoustic pianos first? I’ll write a little transition at the end of it)

Acoustic pianos - uprights and grands

Pros and cons of acoustic pianos

As much as we love keyboards, there’s no denying that acoustic pianos are absolutely amazing. If purchased correctly, they feel great, they sound great, and they look great. However, to get the same level as offered in the high end keyboards, most students are looking to spend in the $5,000+ range. We understand that this is a huge financial investment, especially for many families that are just starting to begin their piano journey. In addition, the space required for an acoustic piano and the maintenance required to keep it in tip-top shape can be a deal breaker.. 

That said, even if the financial and space requirements are okay, one of the biggest restrictions they have is their sound. While they sound amazing, there is no volume adjuster. This means most of the time you’ll be restricted to where and when you can play, and how passionately and loud you can play, because it can be a noise disturbance to others in your home and to your neighbors.

With high end keyboards, they can give you most of the same benefits as an entry level acoustic upright, but with extra perks - more affordable, less space required, no maintenance, and most importantly, the ability to adjust the volume and be able to play whenever you like!