These are all links to Long & McQuade, who generally stock good quality instruments.  Better yet, get something from your local music store. My first instrument choice for teaching music would be the piano, or melodica (a very portable, expressive version of the piano- maybe my favorite instrument;) because a. the piano was my first instrument and what I am most proficient on and b. the notes are all right there in front  of you to see, unlike on the neck of a guitar or ukulele.  The glockenspiel and xylophone are ideal instruments for younger students (pre grade 4) to learn on, although good quality ones are quite expensive. 

        Ukuleles seem okay for around grade 4 and above, but can definitely cause a lot of finger frustration.  If you own a ukulele, a small tuner is a must, and you do need to tune your ukulele each time you play it. The baritone uke is tuned like the highest sounding (skinniest) four strings of a guitar, so the chord shapes you learn transfer easily to a guitar.  Although I find baritone (and even alto- the 2nd largest) ukes to be too large for most kids in grade 4.  Believe it or not, the recorder can actually sound quite beautiful if one learns to play it properly.  Quarantune recorders welcome! My program will involve a lot of rhythm activities (speaking/moving/playing etc.) because I believe rhythm is everything-  if someone has/develops a good sense of rhythm, it will be a lot easier for them to pick up any instrument and learn how to play it.

 

I hope some of this is helpful to somebody!  Let me know if you have any questions!