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I've been searching for a book for primary and level one piano students of familiar and favorite children's songs. The method books only include a small number of familiar songs. Ideally, the book would have words to sing along to their favorites, music written on the staff, and stay in hand positions.

So far, I've run into "Easy piano" books, which are easy for people who play, not for people who are just learning. Also I've found some that are not written on the staff.

Please suggest!

Welcome to the forum, Emdragonfly!

Check out Faber and Faber's PreTime and PlayTime books: Children's, Favorites and Popular:

http://pianoteaching.com/publications/mainLibraries/ptbtPiano.html

Thanks for the suggestion. I'm looking for songs that are familiar to today's kids, and many of these are not.

What songs do you consider familiar to today's kids? It varies widely by geography and demographic.

There are so many songs in public domain considered to be children's song some dating back to the early 1800's. I've used a lot of these in my teaching - they are easy to play for the most part. Here's a very short list.

5 finger melodies such as:
Rain, Rain, Go Away
A Tisket, A Tasket
Love Somebody
Aura Lee

Some at Middle C:
30 Days Hath September
Happy Birthday
Bingo
Twinkle,same melody as Baa, Baa Black Sheep, and ABCDEFG (the Alphabet Song)

Melodies with octaves
Take Me Out to the Ball Game

I don't think it's at all important that the child has heard it before - in fact, it is important to mix them up with things they are unfamiliar with. I make it a point to provide lyrics on the page so we can hear inflection of the voice, we can feel the meter of the music, we can hear the phrasing. I also teach "form" early on. And, I believe that students have to be capable of a steady beat and melodious melodies before playing hands together. I structure my beginning students with steady TA's and half notes and whole notes before adding 1/8 notes or dotted quarters.
That is reflected in my choices for what comes next.

If you want me to send you some music pre-charts and staff music as attachments just ask: bpps98374@comcast.net.

I use these kinds of pieces instead of methods for basic notation and skills and then move on to music education composers for their supplemental music.

Soon after 2-3 lessons I begin teacher duets with them (the boom-chuck variety and waltz types of accompaniment). The sooner they can learn to hold their own with an accompaniment the better the future will be for them. Concentration needs to start young.

Betty

Probably not stuff in Thompson or Schaum...

Seriously, I think it is the wrong approach to get songs that students know. It's okay to include some familiar melodies (in pedagogically-sound arrangements), but part of the piano-teaching profession is to expose children to music that is varied and diverse, drawn from several cultures and time periods.