piano for 6-year-old

[EmilyGF]

I'm looking for a piano curriculum I can use to teach my 6-year-old.

 

I need hand holding, although I took a lot of piano (until 14), I don't feel confident teaching it on my own.

 

Any suggestions? I want some theory and note reading, too.

 

I'd do Suzuki lessons if there were any within an hour of my house, but alas. They are also pricey, but we might have squeezed together the money.

 

Thanks, Emily

[claire+3]

We've had good success with the Piano Adventure Series. I taught my oldest the primer level and level 1. She is now moving on to a piano teacher at level 2.

Good Luck!

Claire

[Allearia]

We've had good success with the Piano Adventure Series. I taught my oldest the primer level and level 1. She is now moving on to a piano teacher at level 2.

Good Luck!

Claire

 

My 6yo started a couple months ago with the Piano Adventure Primer level and it has been going very well. We had the books from his brother's lessons and though I don't have much background we did a bit from the books so I could see if he was ready before starting with a teacher.

[lexi]

I used to take piano and am getting ready to start my 5-year-old. I spoke with my old teacher (who is in a different state) and she recommended the piano adventure series by Faber and Faber. We got the first book and we are going to start next week. It looks like it begins at the very basics with rhythm and posture and it looks like fun. I've never taught lessons before so we'll see how it goes.

My daughter and I also take Suzuki violin lessons together and we have really enjoyed it. She is very excited to begin on the piano.

Good luck! :001_smile:

[LauraKay28]

I teach piano and highly recommend the Piano Adventure series! I use the lesson and theory books, and then add in other music as the child progresses. They're easy to use and are gentle. Start with the Primer and you're good to go!

[ElizabethB]

My daughter had lessons with different teachers in Little Rock and then Los Angeles. I didn't really like things about either of them, but each did some good things.

 

I am now teaching both my children using the Music Tree series. I really like it, it moves around the keyboard well to keep them from learning by number instead of by note. It is also a nice gentle start, it is working well for my son who just turned 6. My daughter is using Book 1, my son the book before that, "Time to Begin." It adds in theory and a bit of improv. Some of them at Amazon, you can look inside. You have to look around for the ones that ship free with Super Saver shipping.

[RootAnn]

I'm using Bastien Piano Primer - all four books concurrently: Piano, Theory, Technic, Performance (the schedule is on the inside of each). While it isn't as fast as she would be doing with an outside teacher, I'm sure, she is progressing and we don't have tears (well, not about piano, anyway). The different books work together to teach the basics including note reading.

 

Good luck with whatever you choose!

[Kipling]

We also use Bastien. The series was recommended to me by a piano teacher, and it has been a good fit for us. My dd started on them when she was 5 or 6, but I didn't keep up with it ( new baby, etc, etc). However, she has been doing the books this year and whizzing through them. We have only been using the piano and theory books ( not the other two mentioned) and it seems like a good amount of practice and material right now. I plan to continue with the series.

[petepie2]

I also use Bastien with my 6 yr old. We started the "Piano for the Young Beginner" primers back in August. There is a piano primer A & B and a Theory/Technic book to go with each. We also used all of the supplement books for the primer level. We're now in level 1 (we use all four books: piano, theory, technic, & performance).

 

I had some piano in elementary school and I have other music experience. My plan is teach as far as I'm able and then hire a teacher.

[Julie Smith]

We really like the pianimals series. I would type more about it, but I'm on my blasted iPad with _{<}#>#%><~ auto spell checker.

[Snowfall]

If you're interested in Suzuki, you might like Simply Music. They're very different, but both are playing-based methods. My daughter takes lessons from a Simply Music teacher and loves it. They do have a do-it-yourself package you can buy, but there are also teachers, and they have a teacher locator on their website.

[Aurelia]

We use Bastien Piano Basics because that's what Ariel's first teacher used. It's pretty easy. Honestly, I've found some good teaching tips in Learn & Master Piano, which I got for me, to polish my skills since I only played a couple of years in middle school. It's not a program designed for kids.

[MeaganS]

I have about the same experience in playing as you and I'm planning on using this one. I asked about it before here, but not many people have heard of it. I think it looks fantastic, though.

[Marie in Oh]

I'd find a well trained teacher. I used to think otherwise until my dds started with a well trained teacher. There is no comparison. My older 2 took with someone else, and I am telling you, there is not comparison between the way the next two play. She really knows what she is doing, catches bad habits that I would never notice, and is trained in the physiology of the whole thing. She says she has older girls who are injured from playing with poor form all their lives and they have to quit. She is worth every penny we pay her.