piano bench for TINY kids? Stokke Tripp Trapp?

[MeganW]

My kiddos are almost 6, but the size of your normal 3 or 4 year olds. We are ready to start piano lessons, but even an adjustable bench isn't high enough to get properly aligned. I am afraid to do a stack of phone books b/c my son has core strength issues and he can't even manage to sit in a regular chair without falling out frequently. A stack of phone books is an accident waiting to happen.

 

What are all the Suzuki kids using? They start so young, and technique is such a big deal with that method that they have to have figured this out for me!

 

Would it be terrible to use a Stokke Tripp Trapp chair instead of a piano bench? That way it would have a footrest, and they aren't going to be pedaling to start with anyway, right? (I am so pumped about these chairs after the improvement in handwriting we saw when we started using them last week!)

[5Wizards]

My kids use one of those $20 backless booster car seats on top of our piano bench. It's working well for them. Good luck finding something!

[Dmmetler]

Our Suzuki piano studio uses adjustable benches and footstools. If you check stores that specialize more in gigging musicians-keyboards, guitars, and the like, you can get adjustable keyboard benches, and this is what I use for my DD 6, who is about the size of the average 4 yr old. For the feet, I use a kitchen stool that fits nicely over the pedals. I've also seen parents use the plastic racks coke products come to the store in. Since DD is so tiny, I figured getting an adjustable bench for home was a good idea. I didn't foresee her growing into piano by the typical age 7-8.

Edited February 27, 2011 by Dmmetler2

[Kuovonne]

We got the piano seat cushions recommended by our Suzuki piano teacher. They work great. They are $14 + shipping at Young Musicians.

 

We also have a piano foot rest that we got used for $25.

[redsquirrel]

I don't think there is a problem with using what you have. I would at least give it a try before buying anything new.

 

Once they learn to 8va they might need the flexibility of a bench. I know you want to encourage them to move their bodies to the keys, not just keeeep stretching ..but that is fun! :lol:

 

And I think being able to rest their feet is key.

[LydiaG]

I put a small stool under my children's feet while practicing. My three-year old uses a larger stool. The idea (for sitting at the piano) is to be able to sit straight and tall, yet relaxed, with your feet not dangling or pulling the pianist down. In the primary level of Piano Adventures by Faber and Faber (which I love), it has a "check Yourself" page for sitting at the piano, #2 says about sitting at the correct height: "With your hands on the keys, your arms should be level with the keyboard. If not, you may need to sit on a cushion or book."

 

The chair that you have (the tripp trapp? I forget the name) looks fine for playing at the piano for beginners. Like one other person said, the chair will be fine until they need to start moving up or down the keyboard, which shouldn't be for a while.

 

Good luck!

[catz]

We have used exercise floor mats with my small for age kid since he started at age 5. They're nice because they're so versitile - you can do 2 across when they need to be able to get to more keys, and then subtract 1 layer at a time as they grow.. They've worked to put under our foot stool too when he needed more lift there. The other nice thing is they're easy to transport to other pianos. My son's used them for auditions and recitals at odd locations.

 

http://www.sportsauthority.com/product/index.jsp?productId=4486762&cp=3077629.2049960.714802&parentPage=family

 

My 4th grader still isn't pedaling regularly because he's so short, even though most of his pieces could and should take pedal!

Edited February 28, 2011 by kck

[MeganW]

Thank you!

[MusicMama]

When I was a kid, my dad was a photographer. He had an adjustable photography stool that worked fantastic. You just pulled a lever on the side, and it was round. It worked well when I was smaller. :)

[MusicMama]

When I was a kid, my dad was a photographer. He had an adjustable photography stool that worked fantastic. You just pulled a lever on the side, and it was round. It worked well when I was smaller. :)