The 11 Best Electronic Drum Sets for Kids (2023)
Electronic drum sets are a great way for kids to learn how to play drums while keeping the volume low.
While acoustic drum kits provide the best drumming experience, they are pretty noisy in many living situations. Electronic drum sets are quieter and come in different sizes, making them ideal for kids to play without disturbing neighbors or family members.
My top pick is the Alesis Debut Kit, a great electronic drum set with all the necessary accessories tailor-made for kids.
My budget pick is the Alesis CompactKit 4, a tabletop drum set for smaller kids to start playing and see if they have any interest in drumming.
Contents
- The Best Electronic Drum Sets for Kids (2023) – At A Glance
- 1. Alesis Debut Kit
- 2. Alesis CompactKit 4
- 3. Roland TD-1DMK
- 4. Alesis Nitro Mesh Kit
- 5. Pyle Pro Electronic Drum Kit
- 6. Alesis Turbo Mesh Kit
- 7. PAXCESS Roll-Up Drum
- 8. Roland TD-1K
- 9. Donner DED-70
- 10. Yamaha DD75
- 11. HXW SD51-2 Junior Kit
- Are Electronic Drums better than Acoustic Drums for kids?
- Do Electric Drums for kids come with educational tools?
- Should you opt for a full-sized Electronic Drum Kit for kids?
- What to look for in an Electronic Drum Set for kids when buying?
- Tips and advice for teaching and encouraging your child to play drums
- Conclusion
The Best Electronic Drum Sets for Kids (2023) – At A Glance
And now onto the full list:
1. Alesis Debut Kit
The Alesis Debut Kit is an all-in-one electric drum set with great mesh heads and all the necessary accessories you need. It is specifically made for kids from 5 to 10 years old to start their musical journey with an authentic-feeling drum set.
Pros
- Great value for the price
- Everything included in the package: sticks, stool, headphones
- Great mesh heads
- Sounds and feels like a real drum kit
Cons
- Small drum set, could be outgrown quickly
- The included headphones are decent at best
The kit features 4 authentic-feeling mesh drum pads and 3 rubber cymbals along with two pedals for electronic kick and hi-hat. The drum pads made of mesh instead of rubber increase the realism and offer a greater playing experience.
The drum set comes with a great accessory pack, including a stool, sticks, and headphones to start playing immediately. Plus, it features 10 different drum kits with around 120 sounds to play around with.
Another great feature is the AUX-in port, which allows you to play along with your favorite tracks. It also comes with 60 free, fun, and effective drum lessons along with 30 play-along tracks and exercises.
| Pads | 4x mesh drum pads, 3x rubber cymbals |
| Sounds | 10 Kits, 120 Sounds |
| Inputs-Outputs | 2 x 1/4” jack line output, 1/8“ stereo jack headphone output, 1/8“ stereo jack AUX input, USB-MIDI |
| Age Range | 5 – 10 |
The only major drawback of this drum kit is that it can be quite small for kids over 10 years old. So, it can be outgrown pretty quickly. However, if you want a great drum kit with high-quality sounds and construction for your children to start their drumming journey, Alesis Debut Kit is a great choice.
2. Alesis CompactKit 4
The Alesis CompactKit 4 is a highly affordable tabletop electronic drum kit with 4 velocity-sensitive electric drum pads, an LCD screen, and 70 different percussion voices. It is a highly cost-effective drum kit for kids to 10 years old to explore and see if they are into drumming.
Pros
- Cost-effective affordable beginner drum set
- Compact design
- Wide range of decent percussion voices
- LCD screen with music trainer feature and games
Cons
- Tabletop drum kit, not the most realistic experience
- Not the best-feeling pads
While the drum kit is more suitable for younger kids to sharpen their skills, get comfortable with the timing, and see if they like drums or not, it can always be used as a practice kit afterward. Although the feel is not that realistic with the tabletop design, it is fun to play along some tracks to begin drumming.
The compact design makes the kit quite portable, and the LCD screen is great for easier navigation through different drum kits. Also, the kit has a music coach feature and some games for kids to have more fun while learning to play.
| Pads | 4 velocity-sensitive electric drum pads |
| Sounds | 70 percussion voices and 10 effect voices |
| Inputs-Outputs | 1 x 1/8“ stereo headphone output |
| Age Range | 2 – 10 |
Overall, this Alesis Compact kit is a great starter for most kids to play drums. While it can be played by any kid from 2 to 10 years old as the first drum set, the kit should be replaced with a full kit after some time if the kids want to get serious with drumming.
3. Roland TD-1DMK
The Roland TD-1DMK is a premium quality electronic drum set for kids with five great-feeling dual-layer mesh pads and three cymbal pads, including a hi-hat, along with a kick pad, and 15 virtual drum kits. The kit is ideal if you want a higher-level beginner drum kit for your kid to start with.
Pros
- Great-feeling dual-layer all-mesh pads
- Full kit with hi-hat and kick
- Solid construction
- Metronome, coach function, and backing tracks
- Adjustable height
Cons
- Pricey
- No accessories included
While Roland TD-1DMK does not have the features of high-end professional electronic kits, it has premium-level features, amazing sounds, and a good playing response, especially for beginners and kid drummers.
It comes with the TD-1 drum module, which generates pretty good drum sounds. Plus, it has extra features for beginners to train with, such as a built-in metronome, coach function, and backing tracks. With the adjustable height, the kit is suitable for kids to play, but I recommend this one for kids older than 7 years old to really get the most out of the kit.
| Pads | 5 x dual-layer mesh drum pads, 3 x cymbal pads |
| Sounds | 15 virtual drum kits |
| Inputs-Outputs | 1 x DB-25 module trigger input, 1 x 1/8″ (mix in) module analog input, 1 x 1/8″ (headphones) output, 1 x USB Type B |
| Age Range | 7+ |
The lack of accessories like a stool, sticks, and headphones are the drawbacks of the package. However, if you want an almost pro-quality electronic drum set, Roland TD-1DMK is hard to beat for the offered price.
4. Alesis Nitro Mesh Kit
The Alesis Nitro Mesh Kit is a great full-kit kids’ drum set with great features and a wide range of percussion sounds for the offered price. It comes with an 8″ dual-zone mesh snare drum pad, three 8″ mesh tom pads, a kick pad tower, and three 10″ cymbals, along with more than 350 percussion sounds.
Pros
- Great value for the price
- Full kit with 4 toms, a kick, and 3 cymbals
- Wide range of percussion sounds
- Quiet and great-feeling mesh drum heads
- Feature-packed design
Cons
- Lacks some accessories
- A bit pricey
The kit comes with a bass drum pedal, hi-hat pedal, 4-post aluminum rack, drumsticks, and cable snake but lacks a stool, and headphones, which is the only drawback of the kit. The pads feel good; the sounds are more than enough for beginners, and a wide range of connectivity options increases the versatility.
Even though the price tag is somewhat large for a ‘kid’ drum set, the value-for-price ratio is unprecedented. You get a versatile e-drum kit that can always be used as a practice kit even when your kid outgrows it.
| Pads | 4 x mesh drum pads, 3 x cymbal pads, 1 x kick pad |
| Sounds | 40 kits, 385 total sounds |
| Inputs-Outputs | 2 x 1/4″ (Tom 4, Crash 2), 1 x DB-25 module trigger input, 1 x 1/8″ AUX-in, 2 x 1/4″ (left, right) module analog output, 1 x 1/8″ headphones, USB Type-B, MIDI in-out |
| Age Range | 7+ |
The kit is suitable for most children over 7 years old to begin their drumming journey. If you want a full-kit electronic drum set with decent features for your kid, the Alesis Nitro Mesh Kit is a relatively affordable and quality option.
5. Pyle Pro Electronic Drum Kit
The Pyle Pro Electronic Drum Kit is a feature-packed tabletop drum kit with a compact design for younger children to start hitting and playing drums. It features 7 drum pads along with a two-foot controller for kick and hi-hat controls.
Pros
- Affordable
- Wide range of percussion sounds
- Compact design
- Feature-packed with metronome and record functions
Cons
- Tabletop drum kit, not the most realistic experience
- Will probably be outgrown fast
The kit impresses with its wide range of percussion sounds as it features 55 preset plus 10 custom preloaded drum kits and more than 300 percussion sounds. It also has metronome and record-play functions with an LED screen for navigation.
While this compact kit does not offer the most realistic experience, it is a great way for kids to start drumming and having fun. The only major drawback is that it will likely be outgrown pretty fast.
| Pads | 7 drum pads |
| Sounds | 55 preset plus 10 custom preloaded drum kits, 300+ sounds |
| Inputs-Outputs | 1 x 1/8″ AUX-in, 1 x 1/8″ headphones, 1 x 1/8” foot controller input, USB Type-B |
| Age Range | 2 – 5 |
This kit would be perfect for kids around the two to five-year-old range, as it can be a great introduction to drumming with its different sounds, compact design, and easy-to-use system.
6. Alesis Turbo Mesh Kit
The Alesis Turbo Mesh Kit is considered one of the best kids’ electronic drum sets, thanks to its handy features, all mesh pads, and realistic sounds.
Pros
- Great value for the price
- Full kit with 4 toms and 3 cymbals
- Handy features like a metronome, drum coach, and free lessons
- Good-feeling, low-noise, all-mesh pads
- USB connection
Cons
- Not as versatile and feature-packed as the Nitro model
- Only 10 drum kits
- Kick pedal instead of kick tower
The full kit features an 8″ single-zone mesh snare, three 10″ mesh toms, a 10″ crash, ride, and hi-hat cymbal pads, along with 10 built-in drum kit voices and 120 sounds in total.
The kit has all you need to get started, as the accessory pack includes drumsticks, a rack stand, a hi-hat foot controller, a kick controller pedal, and cables. Plus, the drum module has a metronome, a drum coach, and 30 backing tracks to jam with along with free lessons from Melodics to learn playing.
| Pads | 4 x drum pads, 3 x cymbal pads |
| Sounds | 10 Presets, 5 General MIDI drum kits, 120 sounds |
| Inputs-Outputs | 1 x DB-25 module trigger input, 1 x 1/8″ AUX-in, 2 x 1/4″ TS (L/mono, R), 1 x 1/8″ TRS headphones, USB Type-B |
| Age Range | 7+ |
While the features and the sound quality are not as fancy as the higher model Nitro, the Alesis Turbo Mesh Kit is a great drum kit for children to learn to play drums.
7. PAXCESS Roll-Up Drum
The PAXCESS Roll-Up Drum is a highly affordable, portable roll-up drum set for kids to imitate the drumming experience. It features 7 drum pads for 3 toms, a ride, hi-hat, crash, and snare, along with two foot pedals for kick and hi-hat. There are 5 timbres and a built-in speaker to play drums with the pads.
Pros
- Highly affordable
- Very compact and portable
- Has built-in speaker
- Works with rechargeable battery power, 10 hours of playtime
- Comes with a great accessory package
Cons
- Not the most authentic drum sounds
- Not a very realistic drumming experience
- Outgrown pretty fast
Although it does not provide a realistic sound or playing experience, the PAXCESS Roll-Up Drum is a great kit for younger children to play with and get familiar with drumming. It uses battery power and offers 10 hours of playtime and a headphone port for a quieter playing experience.
The major setback to this roll-up kit is that kids will likely outgrow it pretty fast, meaning that you will have to upgrade soon after.
| Pads | 7 roll-up drum pads |
| Sounds | 5 timbres |
| Inputs-Outputs | 1 x 1/8″ TRS headphones output, 2 x 1/8″ MP3, pedal input, USB/DC5V Type-C |
| Age Range | 2-5 |
For the price, there is little to expect from this roll-up drum set besides being a half toy and half musical instrument for children around 2 to 5 years old. This is a great choice if you want your kids to warm themselves up with drumming before having a full drum kit.
8. Roland TD-1K
The Roland TD-1K is a great entry-level drum kit for kids as well as adults with its feature-packed and ergonomic design. The electronic drum kit has 3 cymbal pads, kick and hi-hat pedals, a snare pad, and 3 tom pads, along with 15 virtual drum voices.
Pros
- A feature-packed drum kit that supports essential acoustic drum techniques
- Built-in coach function, metronome, and recorder
- Low-noise practice sessions
- Adjustable height
- Decent drum kit voices
Cons
- Rubber pads are not the best
- Average pedal quality
- Pricey
The kit allows for quiet practice sessions with rubber pads, and the adjustable height makes it great for kids from 5 to 10 years old, as well as teenagers. The sound module is good for an entry-level virtual drum, offering pretty decent cymbal voices.
This kit is a good choice despite the hefty price tag because it can always be used as a practice kit afterward or even for adults.
| Pads | 4 x Drum Pads, 3 x Cymbal Pads |
| Sounds | 15 drum kit voices |
| Inputs-Outputs | 1/8″ Stereo module analog input, 1/8″ Stereo module analog output, USB Type-B |
| Age Range | 7+ |
Another great feature is the coach function which offers great exercises for beginners. Plus, the kit supports essential acoustic drum techniques, including cymbal choke and advanced hi-hat playing, which is great for beginners.
9. Donner DED-70
The Donner DED-70 is a full drum kit created especially for kids to start playing drums. It features highly adjustable height and angle along with 4 drum pads and 3 cymbal pads, as well as pedals for hi-hat and kick. Plus, the kit comes with great accessories, including drumsticks, drum throne, and headphones to get you started immediately.
Pros
- Great value for the price
- Simplistic design to play without a hassle
- Works with an adapter or power bank
- Adjustable height and angle
Cons
- Not the best feeling pads
- Does not have many features
The kit features 12 virtual drum kit voices and 68 sounds with decent quality. Also, it comes with 10 backing songs to play with. Besides, it allows for quiet practice sessions with headphones, and it can work with a power bank as well as an adapter.
| Pads | 4 x Drum Pads, 3 x Cymbal Pads |
| Sounds | 12 drum kits, 68 sounds |
| Inputs-Outputs | 1 x 1/8″ TRS headphones output |
| Age Range | 7+ |
Although this is a simple drum kit and does not have the high-quality parts and features like other ones on the list, it has everything to get your kid started and is a great device for the price offered.
10. Yamaha DD75
The Yamaha DD75 is known for its high-quality drum sounds based on Motif synth and DTXTREME III architecture. The highly portable tabletop drum kit features 8 touch-sensitive pads, two foot-pedals, and more than 550 HD percussion sounds to play with.
Pros
- Great range of high-quality drum and percussion sounds
- Highly portable design
- Works with batteries or adapter
- Comes with two foot pedals and drumsticks
- Recorder function and MIDI connectivity
Cons
- Not the most authentic feeling pads
- Tabletop design
- Power supply sold separately
- Pricey for a tabletop
The tabletop design allows for high portability, and the kit works with batteries as well as with a power adapter when you want, increasing its portability. Although the pads and the tabletop design do not provide the most authentic acoustic drum set experience, the sounds compensate for that.
| Pads | 8 x touch-sensitive pads |
| Sounds | 75 preset and 10 user kits, 570 drum voices in total |
| Inputs-Outputs | 2 x 1/4″ (kick, hi-hat) module trigger inputs, 1 x 1/8″ AUX-in, 1 x 1/4″ (headphones/output), MIDI in-out |
| Age Range | 2-10 |
The kit is suitable for younger children as well as teenagers but can be outgrown quite easily if the kid gets interested in playing drums. Then a full-drum kit would be a better choice. However, the Yamaha DD75 is a great choice for a first drum kit with its wide range of premium-quality sounds.
11. HXW SD51-2 Junior Kit
The HXW SD51-2 Junior Kit is a simplistic drum kit designed for children ages 5 to 15. The kit consists of 4 drum pads, 3 cymbal pads, dual foot pedals for kick and hi-hat, and a decent drum module with 251 built-in percussion voices.
Pros
- Adjustable height and angle
- Good range of percussion sounds
- Decent feeling mesh and rubber pads
- Sturdy iron racks
- Metronome, record, and MIDI functions
Cons
- Not the highest quality drum sounds
- The pedal design could be better
The set does not have many fancy features but has all the essentials with decent quality mesh and rubber pads as well as a metronome, record, and MIDI functions, along with 15 songs from different genres to play along with.
The height and angles of the pads are adjustable, making the kit flexible for children of different ages to start learning immediately.
| Pads | 4 x Drum Pads, 3 x Cymbal Pads |
| Sounds | 25 drum kits, 251 percussion sounds |
| Inputs-Outputs | 1 x 1/8″ AUX-in, 1 x 1/8″ (headphones/output), USB-MIDI port |
| Age Range | 5-15 |
In short, the HXW SD51-2 Junior Kit features a great value for the price offered for juniors to start playing drums without their families breaking the bank.
Are Electronic Drums better than Acoustic Drums for kids?
Electronic drums are more portable, compact, versatile, and, most importantly, quieter than acoustic drums, making them much more suitable for children to start learning to play drums. Plus, they are much more affordable and accessible if kids do not enjoy playing.
Do Electric Drums for kids come with educational tools?
Most entry-level electric drum kits come with coaching features such as lessons, games, and other educational material on playing techniques to help beginners learn to play drums faster and easier.
Should you opt for a full-sized Electronic Drum Kit for kids?
Depending on the age and size of children and their interests in playing, the size of a suitable drum kit may vary. For children below 7 years old, tabletop, roll-up, or junior-size drum kits are more suitable. For kids, over 7 years old, adjustable full-size electronic drum kits would be better.
What to look for in an Electronic Drum Set for kids when buying?
Things to consider when buying an electronic drum set for kids are the model, size, quality of the pads and sounds, and price. The right kit would highly depend on your budget, the size, and age of your kids, and their interest in playing.
Depending on your kid’s age and size, you can choose a tabletop or roll-up drum or a full drum kit. Usually, I recommend full kits for kids above 7 years old, but it depends on the size and body of the kid, and naturally, their interest.
Tips and advice for teaching and encouraging your child to play drums
Playing any musical instrument is beneficial for children for many different reasons, and percussion instruments are no different. From easier socialization and emotional development to developing motor skills and cognitive elements, you’ll enrich your child’s life if they start playing the drums.
Still, learning to play an instrument is a long and winding road upon which you might come across some barriers. This text is meant for parents, as well as for rookie drum instructors, to show them what tips and advice they can use to encourage children to play drums.
1. Simple rhythmic practice
One of the most common mistakes parents make is forcing their children to do something to meet their parents’ desires. If you try to apply this tactic to drumming, your child could easily lose motivation and abandon this instrument. Drumming requires a specific set of teaching skills.
For starters, a child could start their drumming practice with simple rhythms, without drums. You can use rattles, tambourines, or the maraca, and choose a song along with which you’ll be playing these instruments. The rattles don’t have to be commercial ones. You can simply fill a plastic bottle with rice or small stones.
Children usually like to play with toy drum sets, where you get a plastic snare and two sticks. Although this might be a bit intensive for your ears, it’s a great way to let your children play, as well as to see if they have a talent for drumming in the first place.
The end goal here is to teach your children to follow the rhythm with a certain rhythmic instrument but through amusing activities. You shouldn’t overload them with a metronome from the start.
What’s also important is to play the songs your children like, and not the ones that you like. That’s the best way not only for them to try and play different rhythms but to inspire them to fall in love with drumming as well.
2. Drum kits for young learners
You’re going to hear different opinions on the right age to start playing drums. Most children at the age of seven should be able to take up drumming as their hobby.
This doesn’t mean that you can’t start working with your child at a younger age. The aforementioned games and simple drumming exercises are a good start. If you discover that your child is both talented in drumming and enjoys this activity, you can offer them to start playing a real drum kit, adapted for a young age.
For instance, you can opt for one of the ready-made toy drum sets. They come with all sorts of drumming elements, where children can not only express their creativity but also show their ability to play drums.
One of the most efficient ways for kids to learn the components of a drum kit is to let them use the one with colored elements. Children often learn in an associative way, which is a more efficient tactic to memorize things. That’s why learning to play drums with the use of such a drum set will help them memorize the elements faster.
Furthermore, if your kid has already reached the age of 7 or is extremely interested in drumming, you can go for a full-scale, five-piece junior set. It will include the snare, the bass drum, the tom-toms (rack toms), the hi-hat cymbal, and the crash cymbal (no ride cymbals). Sometimes a third tom-tom drum is added to the regular two pieces.
3. Best methods for steady progress
Whatever a parent or a drum instructor does, it’s important to keep children amused and entertained while they’re learning or taking drum lessons.
Sometimes parents get carried away by the progress their child makes at the beginning and start dreaming about a drumming career for their beloved descendant. While being ambitious isn’t bad, don’t ever transfer your own dreams onto your child. So, the most important method for steady progress with young drumming learners is to let them play as they’re learning.
What’s also important is to make children feel like subjects in the entire learning process, rather than objects. In line with that, you can suggest to them to choose the color they find suitable for every element of the drum set. The drum sets for toddlers usually come in color, but you can let your older toddler or a preschooler associate each element with a different color. Rather than coloring the elements, you can help them color a few pieces of paper and stick them onto the elements.
When it comes to drum instructors, they can also use colors to highlight notes for drum-learning children. For instance, if the snare drum is colored green, you should draw a small green circle above the snare note and follow suit for every single element in the score. The same pattern can be followed when you’re highlighting the hand patterns for young learners. You can learn more about these color schemes in the guide on the Drummer Cafe website.
4. Continuous encouragement and support
You can sometimes hear parents saying that their children are quitters. This is even more common when it comes to playing a musical instrument. The truth is that parents are simply washing their hands with their responsibility for their children’s progress.
While we’ve said that forcing your kids to play drums if they don’t want to is wrong, it’s also bad to ignore their progress. No matter how good they are at drumming, it’s important to encourage them daily. If you motivate them to play their drums every day and praise their skills, they’ll be more than happy to repeat the same action the next day, on and on.
You can also inspire them to practice drumming by setting your own example. For instance, you can ask them to show you what they’ve learned that day and join them in their drumming session. No matter if you’re just hitting the tambourine or rattling along with a song, your child will be delighted that they’re playing music with their parents.
Further, don’t ever miss a public performance your child has. When they sit on their drum throne, it’s you that they’ll be looking for in the audience. If possible, bring along as many relatives and friends as possible to show your full support for your child’s effort.
Conclusion
Learning to play drums is a great idea for kids as it helps them develop their musical skills and technique at a young age. Luckily there are many great electronic drum models on the market today which can provide a quiet yet decent drumming experience for your children.
The right electronic drum set model depends on your kids’ age, size, and overall interest, as well as your budget.
My top recommended e-drum set is the Alesis Debut Kit, a great electronic drum set with all the necessary accessories tailor-made for kids.
My second recommended e-drum set is the Alesis CompactKit 4, a tabletop drum set for smaller kids to start playing and see if they have any interest in drumming.
