Drums for 5 Year Old??

You can find "electric drums" that you can adjust the volume on or have him use head phones. Also, at home, he will likely start off using pads instead of actual drums. It's the rhythm he's trying to learn, unlike many other instruments where the tone is what they are trying to learn.

My son, has a natural rhythm for drums and is good. Even from when he was 4 years old.
We have those electric drums.
My son has drumsticks too, he will drum on anything. And he makes up his own songs. Not just "noise." He can play by ear... when hearing songs. He likes rock n' roll. Me too.

ANY musical instrument, will make "noise."
Drums or not.
And if they take lessons, yes, practicing.

My kids take piano. Even if they play nicely, it is sounds in the house.
But its okay.

IF you want your child, to learn music... and an instrument & your child likes it, and is interested in it, then there WILL be, "noise."
Even if that is a whistle.

My sister played drums and never had a set at home - she practiced on a drum pad. We didn't have electronic drums then. I looked to see if you could still get a drum pad like sis had and found this: http://www.guitarcenter.com/Kaces-Grafix-Practice-Pad-490...

Good luck!
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Another vote for electronic drums and headphones.

My BIL's little brother was ALWAYS making noise when he was a kid, and drumming on things. It drove the family and his teachers crazy. He begged for drums, so his parents started him out with the electronic drumpad. What a great investment! He learned very quickly, stuck with it, and is now a music teacher at their family-owned preschools.

He did eventually graduate to a full regular drum set, as well as the guitar, and some brass instruments, but by that time his skills had developed enough that it was really a treat for his parents to hear it.

My dad is a drummer too--wish I would have picked up his sense of rhythm! My dad plays in the basement (not soundproofed) and it IS very loud. Depending upon how your basement is finished (or not) you can get acoustic foam to put on the ceiling or between the floor joists.

If you have a larger budget (way down the road--if he sticks with it) you could even build a soundbooth. I have quite a few musician friends who have recording booths in their basements.

ETA: If you do get headphones, try to find the ones that limit how loud the kids can turn it up. My dad has significant hearing loss from his lifelong drumming hobby.

I second the electronic drums. My husband has an adult version and my daughter has a kids version, like this:

http://www.amazon.com/Winfun-Kids-Fun-Electronic-Drum/dp/...

Boys love drums. You've gotten some great suggestions. However, the best background for percussion is piano or keyboard. If he's serious about the drums you might want to look into a keyboard and lessons. Unless they teach the Suzuki method, most piano teachers recommend starting lessons at age 6-7. I would definitely let him try some sort of percussion. My now 10th grader really wanted to play percussion in 5th grade and had been taking piano lessons for almost 4 years. The band director at the time, who retired at the end of that year, wouldn't let him try out for percussion for unknown reasons. He would've been great. He is now a successful trombone player, but to this day he regrets not being allowed to play percussion. (We looked into private lessons--long story.) So I say give it a try so there are no regrets.

Drum lessons do not begin with actual drums. They begin with a practice pad and a pair of drumsticks. Not noisy at all and you'll learn quickly whether or not your son has the maturity (discipline and patience) required to learn an instrument at his age. I imagine it will be quite boring and you will have at least 3 or 4 years before he asks again!

My house is so full of noisy instruments...including several that I myself play...and sometimes it's so irritating that I just want to scream. Sometimes I ask that they not play, or that they go to the basement...particularly if I have a headache. But I would never thinking of banning creativity...I just limit it's duration.

Sooner or later, drums WILL get loud.
I know a Mom who's son plays snare drum and none of the pictures in her house hang straight.
When he practices - the whole house vibrates.
You can't limit his practice time - he'll need as much as possible to make progress,

Sound proofing an area of your house will not be cheap or easy.

You could try sound proofing a shed.

http://cheapsoundproofing.blogspot.com/

http://www.audimutesoundproofing.com/soundproof-drum-room...

Get electronic drums and headphones for him. Or get him those soft sticks (looks like a bunch of thin metal hairs) to play softly. Make sure he knows what is appropriate for noise. I think drums are GREAT! And you have a basement - how perfect. Rythm is the best.

We are a drum family. My 7y/o son, my 17y/o nephew and my BIL all play. The only 'sound proofing' we have accomplished is putting a pillow(s) in the bass drum thingies <------see I am not a drum person but I roll with it b/c my lil' guy loves it and I couldn't keep him off my nephews and BIL's sets, so he has his own, that is in our basement. Yeah, it's loud. I tell him to knock it off when I have had enough. He wears his head phones and listens to music on his Zune and I gotta say, the noise seems to not bother you as much as soon as you hear him put together a beat or the first time you recognize what song he is playing along to w/out hearing the actually music!

You can buy the electric sets if you wish and you think your son would dig 'em?

Rhythm is a great way to work off extra energy. There are even metronome therapys. Drumsets are loud. I have had one here for 10 yrs. the electric ones are great.

Still my precaution is to never give an instrument with out lessons. It's an exercise in frustration for most. My 2 percussionists started with piano. It gets them started with rhythm and if they want to play percussion in school, then the music is the same for piano and xylophone or mirimba.

So find a drum teacher and ask them for recommendations. Also look in your local pawn shops for the drums nobody got lessons for. They will be a good price.

At 5 years old there is no reason to make a big investment. My son is 9 and started drum lessons at school this year. His teacher said to just buy him a practice pad ($25) and a set of drum sticks. The first part of learning to drum is just about learning different rhythms and keeping a steady beat. Just buy the basic practice pad and if he gets committed to it, get the electronic drums and headphones.

We have owned drums since my son turned 2. We purchased the smallest set from toysrus when he was 2 (first act is the brand) them moved up to the middle size set and currently own the larger one that first act carries.
The smaller sets were under $100 and the large one was $200 and change. The good thing about this is that not only are you supporting his interest but your also allowing him to possibly have an amazing future.
Also toysrus offeres you a protection plan which is $15 or so and it's a must purchase when and if you buy them there. This plan covers it all from intentional damage to the obvious wear and tear. All you do is call the # register your product, and if anything breaks, burns etc... gets stolen etc... You call them back and then they mail you a postage which you attach your recite and mail by ups. In about three weeks you get a toyrus gift card for the full amount you paid on the drums.
What we have done is, since we have bought the same item just in a different set size, we use the GC to repurchase it.

I don't have any advice other than I think you're awesome if you get him drums.