Well, your niece asked if she could try it in advance, so thatās already a good thing. I learned it the hard way that no matter whose instrument you see lying around, you just donāt pick it up and start messing around with it without asking first. It has nothing to do with the price or the quality, itās just basic politeness.
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Just let her strum. You hold it (Iām sure itās too big anyway)
You can finger different notes. Teach her to strum gently
This way she gets to play and it never leaves your hands. Make sure you put it away when not using it. (Donāt leave it around) especially if itās acoustic!!!
Hope this helps. Merry Christmas
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Estel, how long are your arms? If it was me, I would put her on my lap with the guitar somewhat on hers. Play a chord and let her feel the vibrations. Then let her strum a bit. She will be delighted, and your guitar will be safe.
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Maybe buy her a ukulele instead of a cheap guitar?
Much more friendly to 6 year old fingers, I would think.
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This song is always popular with the kids, I get them to make animal noises at the appropriate place. Itās also great as a beginner tune as itās only A and E and if you finger the A chord the way Justin teaches in the beginner lessons, you have an anchor finger.
Easy guitar version
[A]Row, row, [A]row your boat
[A]Gently down the [A]stream
[A]Merrily, merrily, [A]merrily, merrily
[E]Life is but a [A]dream
[A]Row, row, [A]row your boat
[A]Gently up the [A]creek
[A]If you see a [A]little mouse
[E]Donāt forget to [A]squeak!
[A]Row, row, [A]row your boat
[A]Gently down the [A]stream
[A]If you see a [A]crocodile
[E]Donāt forget to [A]scream!
[A]Row, row, [A]row your boat
[A]Gently to the [A]shore
[A]If you see a [A]tiger there
[E]Donāt forget to [A]roar!
If the children I play this to are enthusiastic I improvise with extra verses like Row row row your boat gently to the park, if you see a puppy there donāt forget to bark!
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@Estel I was going to say pretty much the same thing. As a father to two curious boys, Iāve been there myself. I just sat my kids on a sofa and handed them the guitar. Itās going to be way too big for them, theyāll not be able to do anything even remotely sounding like music (at 6yo), so expect a bunch of noise when they strum the thing. And theyāll loose interest in a about 2-3minutes most likely. In my experience they just really want to try holding the thing and see if they can make some noise.
There is practically zero percent chance of them being able to damage the instrument that way.
Donāt buy anything special for them, donāt worry about pick sizes/thickness etc - it will not matter.
And I cherish to this day the pictures and video clips I now got of my very happy kids, strumming like crazy with huge smiles on their faces. (And now, quite some years later, one of my sons is actually playing the guitar and I get to teach him classic rock songs. Good times!!)
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Oh wow, you guys rock! 
Sorry for the late replies, I spent my precious little free time (aside from finishing gifts for my family) with my guitar. Iām sure you know the feeling 
@Jamolay Perfect list, thank you! And Iāll do my best not to give her too much sugar 
@stitch Such a beauty! But all three are gorgeous! And if I ever get over my fear of flying, Iāll take you up on that - though I might not be beginner anymore then 
@DonnatheDead Ahh you got me there. Recording is still not easy for me. Funnily enough, I know it takes a bit getting used to. I never liked my voice but a few years of reading poems for my friends and sending them the recording (or now recording the reading of an entire book for my niece), Iām somehow okay with it. I do sometimes record the audio, but stillā¦ Itās hard to hit āsendā. Any advice on how to get over that aside from ājust do itā?
@tony Thank you very much! Iāll also ask my sister if this after school course will show them the Ukulele as well. If not, Iāll ask a friend who plays if sheāll bring her instrument one day.
As for the song: Thanks a lot! Iāll have a look if I find the German version, so she can sing along, but I think thereās one. (Iām also trying to play āSilent Nightā along with Justinās app as thereās a German version as well and she probably knows it by heart.)
@sclay Haha, yes, in lotās of ways Iām anything but ānormalā so thank you - that helps (In German thereās the expression of āhaving a birdā if youāre not normal (āhat einen Vogelā), which is funny because I grew up with a parrot.)
Well, the thing really is cash. Iām currently trying to get my own business off the ground and moneyās very tight at the moment. Thatās part of that makes me nervous, because if something happens to the guitar, I might not even be able to afford fixing it and as the guitarās essential for my mental healthā¦ Not an ideal situation.
If my business takes off well much as I hope it will, I plan on waiting for my nieceās decision on which instrument she wants to play - and then get her her own instrument. The after school course where she can try out lots of instruments at the moment will continue next school year and then every child can borrow the one they choose. If she chooses guitar I know how itāll make a difference to own the instrument and to actually like it. So hopefully, Iāll be able to chip in and help her get one she wants to hold and play all the time. (Even if it takes even longer for me to get my dream electric guitarā¦ The things I do for that girlā¦)
Anyways: If something breaks, Iāll remember your story Thanks again and happy xmas to you too!
@ChasetheDream Not long, unfortunately. And ahem being a woman, space between my arms and my guitar is also an issue if my niece is on my lap. 
I can try, but itās probably best to either have her sit next to me or to have her stand in front of me. We have a chair without a back, so she can go around me. Itās not comfy, but hey - better than nothing.
@Tbushell Thatās what I tried to explain to my sister: The steel strings of an acoustic made for adults might not be the ideal starting point to get my niece into guitarā¦ but she wouldnāt listen. Iāll explain to my niece that itās an instrument made for an adult and that the ones for kids are made for their bodies (and hopefully the strings are easier to push down as wellā¦). And of course Iāll tell her that it stops hurting after a short while.
Ukulele will be an option as well, but weāre not trying to by her an instrument at the moment (sheās got after school classes where the kids try out lots of instruments until they decide on one - if interested at all). Iāll keep it in mind, though, thanks!
@Kasper Thank you as well - especially for the reminder that someone should take pictures of us, when I show her the guitar. Even if she doesnāt choose the guitar as her instrument (for now or at all), itāll be a nice reminder of time spent together.
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