Piano World Home Page Forums Our Most Popular Forums Piano Teachers Forum Teaching very young students

I know there was a topic about this a while back, but I can't find it. I remember some awesome advice about what to teach, say, a 3.5 year old.

I already warned the mom that her daughter might not have great fine-motor control yet, but that didn't deter her. She has apparently already taken a kindermusic class, her dad was a music major in college, and she can read, though I don't know how well.

I think I'll focus on rhythm, making beautiful sounds, a little rote learning, and maybe start her in the Music Tree primer book because it starts really slow. I worry she'll struggle to use all her fingers individually and maintain good hand position, but I'll see what happens. We're going to try 15-minute lessons for now, and we haven't decided whether to do them once or twice a week. Do you have a recommendation there?

Try "Sing and Play", published by Stipes. It is designed to include the parents with home activities which sounds like it would be good for this student's family. Introduces music concepts very slowly. Has a great workbook to coordinate. It will allow for fun activities - finding pictures of things that make various sounds, has some sing-along pieces, introduces rhythm in an easily understood method. Introduces note-reading very slowly so the student doesn't have too many challenges to deal with at once. I have used these books with many pre-school students. Check them out!

3 yr olds don't learn the same way a kindergartener would learn. They are, after all, toddlers. I wouldn't focus so much on piano activities that require fine motor skills but rather singing, movement, and include some keyboard activities as part of lesson. You can do high/low sounds (birdies and elephants stomping), isolating 2 & 3 black key clusters, and focus on hand 'shape' rather than on individual fingers. From hand shape I move to 'pointer' finger when learning the first notes on the piano. Don't rush to get to piano playing; there's SO much these little ones can do that will be more beneficial for them.

Thanks!

I am in a similar position. I have one student who is 4 and I have been teaching her for several months (twice a week for 30 minutes! Her parents actually wanted 45-60 minutes twice a week! I was like nooo.... Simply finding activities to fill the time is the hardest part for me.) She is very smart and mostly cooperative, and it is very beneficial that she can actually read, but it would be a lot easier if she could write (or at least draw) a little better - she still struggles with holding a pencil correctly (she has gotten better over the past few months.) She is the youngest student I have taught, but I can only imagine that for different students you will simply have to find what works for them.

For example, she doesn't really like actually *playing* the songs, but she really likes clapping note rhythms and counting out loud. And anything I can turn into a game.
Ideas: I play a G. "Is this an "A?" and she has to decide if it is or not. Or, she plays a note and I have to "figure out" what letter it is and she tells me if I'm right or not. Or, "Simon Says." Which, I'm not quite sure she "gets" the concept of *not* doing it when, I *don't* say "Simon Says," but she definitely thinks it's funny! ("Simon says... play 3 C's!"..."Play 1 'F' forte....oops I didn't say Simon Says!")

I am using the Faber Early Beginner books with her, and even after several months of lessons she is about 3/4 through the first book. Which is fine with me - my goal for her is simply to learn /about/ music rather than learning songs. We do allll the CD activities, and basically I try to prolong every activity and song as long as I can. I mean, not prolong it within the lesson, b/c one key to teaching kids that young is to know that you simply will have to change activities every 2-4 minutes, but rather to re-do as much as I can at every lesson until I can tell she is sick of it. (I know I sound negative - in hindsight I would not take on a student who is less than 5 years old. I admit, I am basically trying to prolong everything so her finger capability and memory skills improve, eg, even though she is "smart," she can barely remember which key is which letter on the piano. Call me a bad teacher - shrug - I'm a piano teacher, not a "kindermusic teacher" or whatever. Her parents really wanted her to take "piano lessons," and I didn't have the heart to turn her down, nor do I know anyone to recommend who would do something more age-focused.)

Anyhow, I doubt any of that is helpful, but I'm just sharing my experience in case you might gain anything from it. Thanks for the suggestion for "Sing and Play," I will definitely be looking into it and am also looking for other resources to (ahem) help me "pass the time."

If you have to teach a 3 year old, they are not going to understand a lot of what you say. They have incredibly small brain capacity and zero ability to concentrate or sit still. They are not going to be able to even start playing the piano. It's best to do general music things, and get the kid enthusiastic about it, and then start piano for real at maybe 5 or 6 (this depends on the maturity of the specific child in question, of course).

I really cannot understand why piano teachers attempt to teach preschoolers to play piano. Everything you teach them in two years can be accomplished in two lessons with a six-year-old child.

What possible long-term gain is achieved by identifying two and three black note clusters? I have yet to meet a student whose early music training improved them compared to a student who starts fresh at six years of age.

I believe the lesson money and attendance efforts are far better spent on twice-weekly lessons when children are six or seven years old.

+1

My point exactly.

Uh...how is that a problem of the teachers? If the parents are willing and eager to pay us, is it our job to explain how they are basically wasting their money, when they clearly just want to provide entertainment, an additional extracurricular activity, or even remotely-educational babysitting for their child?
Plus, the 3-4 year olds are more likely to be able to take lessons during the coveted (for the teacher) daytime slots!

I don't think it's a waste of time and money, but I do think of them more as music lessons rather than strictly piano.

Agreed. I don't actually think they are completely wasting their money; I think I used that expression more for literary exaggeration.

At 4, they are so keen to please, and so unquestioning, sometimes they take things in far more easily that a 7-yo. Without all the attitude and behaviour they learn in school, without all the 'I'm far too clever for all this....'.

This is true. Also, if a child is in a home that doesn't listen to much music or sing, then this can help offset the disadvantage by starting early. For those that are in a musical home, it reinforces what they know and helps make playing a bit more second nature, IMO.

removed

I just went to a session yesterday on early childhood music classes, presented by Rob Sayer of Atlanta. His franchise venture, The Music Class, is based on singing fun for kids up to age 4, with a parent or caregiver.

He seems like a good guy, and takes music education seriously. He also probably earns more in a week than I do all year. There is big money in little kids.

Haha, yes... little kids with rich parents who already have their colleges and careers planned out and will do whatever they can to get their kids "ahead"... (only half joking...)

Well, I may not end up teaching her after all. Mom wants to think about it for a month and then get back to me if her daughter is still interested. One thing that scared her off was how much I stuck to my guns about the importance of buying a real piano, or at least an 88-key keyboard with touch sensitivity and a damper pedal, instead of the smaller keyboard they were contemplating buying. She kept asking if I could just use a different method that didn't use all the keys . . . no.

I kind of doubt they'll be back, and it's just as well, I think. Though the girl was adorable and actually did better than I expected at her lesson.

I have an opposite experience with you recently. Little girl is not 3.5 YO, but just turn 4, coming to lesson with her older sister, 6.5 YO. Both beginner. I am teaching 6.5 full lessons and only teach 4YO between 5 to 10 minutes depend on her attention at the time.

After three lessons, mom asked me where can she buy or rent a piano, then I realize that they are playing only on a keyboard at home!! In mom's own word: "After starting lessons and played on your baby grand, I realize how inferior my tiny keyboard is!!! I also notice that they can play just fine at home because the keys is light, but they couldn't play nicely in your studio because the keys are heavier!"

So, now, she is asking me if she should buy a upright or a baby grand. I told her that it is totally her choice depending on her budget, and how much space she has at home. She is also exploring the option of renting too.

I am glad that she comes to realization herself without me pushing it.

That's great!

I don't hold such a hard line about 88-key, weighted pianos for beginners. I explain what the difference is, and why acoustic in good condition is better than digital, and why both of those are better than a keyboard. But I also understand that it's rare for a parent to start up lessons and know they're going to stick with it for enough time to justify buying a piano. Usually the parents see the enthusiasm and upgrade more often than not after some time has passed. For such a young child, especially, I personally think a keyboard is fine to start.