Piano for Kids:Tips for
Getting a Good Start
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Piano for kids can go great or ... not. Honestly speaking.
Some
kids seem to be born musical. Others really need to work at it. Others
are in between. No matter which way your child is, there are some things you can do to get a really good start in piano lessons. The better the start is, the better the continuation will be. |
How to Get a Good Start:
1. Find the Right Teacher
2. Develop a practice schedule from beginning (and stick to it)
3. Get a lesson book with a theory book
4. Listen to them play
5. Encourage piano games for quicker learning
How to Find the Right Teacher
Talk to people you know who have a piano teacher. Ask abou the teacher's flexibility, their specialty, what the students like the teacher, etc.
Look online. If you find some listings of piano teachers in your area that's good. If they have a website, even better. It means they are serious about teaching and it's not just a part-time job.
Look at notices in grocery stores and around town. Many piano teachers advertise using community bulletin boards.
The Practice Schedule and Piano
for Kids
Many parents leave the practicing up to the kids. Some kids are fine and love to practice. Others really need encouragment to practice the more difficult pieces.
Set up a schedule for at least 5 days a week. Choose the time and how long the practice should be. Make it part of the everyday routine.
For beginners, kids only need to practice 15 minutes a day. This 15 minutes goes a long way in helping them learn faster and more effectively.
Get a Theory Book
Talk to your child's teacher and ask them about getting a theory book to accompany the lesson book. There's a good chance that the teacher will suggest one to begin with. If not, ask for one.
Many beginner books have sets of lesson and theory books that go together. For an idea on what books are really great for kids, visit the best books for beginners page.
Listen to Them Play
Kids get really encouraged when they feel that what they are doing has meaning. Listening to them and telling them that you enjoyed what they played is a great boost to confidence.
Sometimes I think that one reason kids love piano lessons is because they have a captive audience - the piano teacher. It makes them feel special. If a parent listens even once in a while for a minute or two, kids love it!
Piano for Kids and Piano Games
Games are a great way to speed up learning in music. I know of one free game to practice notes that is good. Click here to check it out.
There is some software I recommend for kids and learning piano in a fun way. It's about the same cost as a lesson which is really excellent. It helps students learn where the notes are on the piano and in the music.
Learning note and key placements are often the biggest struggle kids face in learning piano. Making the learning fun and step-by-step really takes the frustration out of it. It makes a difference in how long kids stay in piano.
Check out Piano is Fun here.
Return from Piano for Kids to the Piano Playing Guide or Piano Lessons Info Homepage.
