The 8 Best Kids Drum Kits & Junior Drum Kits - 2020

When choosing a junior drum kit or kids drums kit, it’s a good idea to try and look past those toy drum sets that break, sound terrible and will potentially discourage your child from playing the drums! Ideally, you want to give your little ones, pre-teens or teenagers the best starting point – something that sounds good, will give them a good idea of how the drums should sound and a junior drum kit that will last many years of practice and can be used in rehearsals and those garage bands they‘re bound to start! Choosing a kids drum set doesn’t have to be difficult, in fact, it can be quite easy and you only really have to worry about the size and what budget you have when picking out a junior drum kit as there are some great options out there that will last your child through many years of playing. Here are our top 8 best kids drum kits we think will really help junior drummers learn how to play. We must say though, although we believe these are some of the best children's drum kits, that'll easily last them into the late teens and beyond - these ain't toys!

The TOURTECH TT-12SM Electronic Drum Kit with Mesh Snare is the ultimate starter drum kit pack and one of the best kids drum kits thanks to the low price, built-in learning features and wide range of sounds. At under £300, you get a complete 7-piece drum kit that can be folded down and unpacked with ease as well as a world of sounds that mimic the expressive qualities of an acoustic drum kit.

There are 250 high quality sounds built-in that you can assign to any of the drum pads as well as 20 preset drum kits and 10 user-defined kits, meaning you have a world of sounds at your disposal – ideal for budding drummers trying to find their sound.

This is easily one of the best kids drum kits as you also have dynamic real feel pads, which encourages a positive playing experience and reduces playing fatigue, so the student is more likely to keep playing – if you enjoy what you’re doing, you’ll stick at it! There’s a headphones output for silent practice and the fact you get everything you need to play straight out of the box. In this bundle, you also get a drum stool, sticks and headphones which means your child can start their musical journey straight away!

Shop a full range of TOURTECH drum kits HERE. 

The Mapex Mars 4-Piece Be Bop Shell Pack Driftwood is a fantastic drum set that easily qualifies as an incredible children’s drum kit thanks to the smaller size and the fact you get everything you need to start playing straight out of the box. This is perfect for when your children are just deciding on whether the drums are right for them, as it is priced well within a budget-friendly price bracket. This 5 piece kids drum set will give them a great first impression of the drums as it has been designed to provide a high-quality sound, feel and most of all an enjoyable playing experience! This kit made by one of the best drum manufacturers in the world, Pearl, includes 5 Shells including bass drum, two rack toms, a floor tom and a snare drum. All shells are made from 6-Ply Poplar so they're resonant and punchy. Best of all the kit comes with a 13" cymbal and 10" hi-hat cymbals as well as all the hardware, stands you need. PLUS you get a set of sticks and a drum stool - you're ready to go straight out of the box. The fact you get all the hardware you need and cymbals to get your little one started makes it one of the best kids drum kits around.

Learning to play drums can be noisy business and on occasion your neighbours may not appreciate your young one honing their skills into the night. This is where the electronic drum kit comes in handy and also makes one of the best kids drum kits for learning on. The cool thing about the Yamaha DTX432K Electronic Drum Kit is the fact that your child (or you! Don't pretend you're not going to have a go!) can practice in silence, utilising a set of headphones (or amp if you wish) and hear their drum sounds through them rather than the whole room/street/neighbourhood listening in. There's 10 different kit sounds loaded into the DTX402 Drum Module spanning a wide range of genres meaning your child can enjoy a full range of different musical styles and learn to play within each one. The space-saving design means the Yamaha DTX432K can be easily packed away but also looks really cool when set up anyway. In addition, the Yamaha DTX432K also features a Aux In jack which allows you to hook up your MP3 player, smartphone or tablet to play music through – great for jamming along to your favourite tracks.

 The Yamaha DD-75 Portable Tabletop Drum Kit is another extremely affordable electronic drum kit ideal for children and teenagers who want to learn to play drums. Again, the key feature with an electronic drum kit is the fact that you can practice without the noise of a regular acoustic kit when using headphones, making practice sessions more immersive. This makes the learning process so much easier as you can set it up on any flat surface! Although the Yamaha DD-75 Portable Tabletop Drum Kit is a great kit for adults who want to record or practise drums, it’s also one of the best kids drum kits thanks to its budget-friendly price tag, ease of use and huge amount of sounds built-in. You have 550 sounds to choose from as well as 75 kit presets – making it a great starting point and a fantastic way to get to grips with the different drum styles. However, it’s the 105 built-in songs that will have your child playing along and learning whilst having fun. This makes one of the best junior drum kits thanks to the fact it includes drum sticks, all required cables and the power supply to get you up and running straight out of the box.

 The Yamaha Rydeen 22" Drum Kit with Hardware and Cymbals pictured here in a Black Sparkle is actually a professional level kit at a budget-friendly price. The reason we think this is one of the best kids drums sets is the fact that they have the opportunity to learn and practice on a full-size kit that they won't have to update for a very long time. It's a great foundation kit that won't look out of place on the main stages of the world. You get a 22” bass drum, 10” and 12” rack toms, a 16” floor tom and a 14” snare drum along with a crash cymbal, ride cymbal and hi-hat as well as bass and hi-hat pedals - all you need to start drumming! This kit will easily provide your child with a solid foundation to learn on as well as a reliable gigging partner. Again, this is a professional level drum set that’s also one of the best kid’s drum kits – it’ll last a lifetime and provide them with years of enjoyment, and be used from the bedroom to the stage. Also available in Burgundy Sparkle.

 If you’re looking for a small, highly portable drum kit shell pack, then the Tama Club Jam Satin Blonde Drum Shell Pack is a great option. You get a full set of shells including 18" x 12" Bass Drum, 10" x 7" Rack Tom, 14" x 7" Floor Tom, and 13" x 5" Snare Drum - you just need to add cymbals, hi-hat and pedals. The budget-friendly price tag at just over £400 makes it very affordable, especially considering you get a respected, professional level kit. The entire kit can be adjusted thanks to the strong, adjustable hardware which means it can be angled higher or lower depending on the height needed. This kit makes a great partner that can be adjusted as your child grows. Fantastic junior drum kit that will easily transfer to the stage and studio when the time comes.

Finally, we have the TOURTECH TT-22M Electronic Drum Kit with Mesh Heads – an absolute powerhouse of sound designed for both beginner and professional players alike. This is one of the most powerful electronic kits of its kind and one of the best kids drum kits thanks to the space-saving design, the dedicated headphone output for silent practice and the 20 built-in play-along tracks that allow junior drummers (and adults too!) to learn and sharpen their skills. The TOURTECH TT-22M (the M stands for "Mesh Heads") is very budget-friendly, includes 26 preset drum kits spanning a range of genres, 15 user-defined drum kits presets as well as a metronome and performance recorder for listening back. It can also be collapsed easily for storage or transport. You also get everything you need in the box including connection cables, drum sticks, drum key, and power supply so you can get up and running quickly and start playing ASAP!  (You just need a drum stool and a pair of headphones) The high-quality pads with mesh heads provide a realistic feel so little ones, teenagers and drummers of all ages can learn in comfort and transfer their skills to an acoustic kit without any trouble. A fantastic kids drum set that is actually used by pro-level drummers too! Also available as a bundle. Shop our full range of TOURTECH drum kits.

Check out a full range of acoustic and electronic drums including options for kids over at PMT Online today or call into your local PMT store to speak to one of our experts about junior drum kits and drum sets for kids.