Anyone taught piano to a Kinder?

[bttrflyvld]

I've been debating wheather to start teaching my daughter next school year. I know enough to get het going for several year before I'd feel I needed to outsource the teaching. I've seen sevearal options. Piananimals, Bastein piano basics, John Thompson, etc. Now I'm trying to decide if I want to and what to use. Any advice or suggestions?

[Momof2littles]

I started MY piano lessons when I was 5 and in kinder. I think the teacher I had through the years used John W Schaum Piano course. :)

[Esse Quam Videri]

We tried DD4 but she just couldn't sit through the lessons. She loves to teach herself, though ;). DD8 started right when she turned 6, and has done really well. She uses Faber and Faber Piano Adventures, which has this pre-reader set of books.

[mrseshaw]

My First Piano Adventure? We are happy with it, 4yr old now into level B.

[celticadea]

my MIL, who teaches piano, really likes the faber series with the kids she teaches. when I asked her recommendation about starting my daughter next year (she'll be 5), she suggested the pre-reading version of Faber.

 

about a year or so ago, I started teaching myself using their adult series and really liked it compared to others I'd tried.

[Julie Smith]

I had my start at that age. I liked pianimals.

 

 

[ByGrace3]

My dd started at five in K with Alfred's basic.

[bakpak]

I think all of the early learner books are pretty similar. I think personality can help you decide though. Go in a piano shop and look at the different series and see what would be most visually appealing to your child. Look at the amount of white space on the pages and see if you think that would be an issue for your child. Or font-size. How about the pictures or lyrics? You want the child excited about the next piece they're going to learn. I personally think some of the series have way too much writing on a given page.

 

I went through Alfred when I was young and it was a very nice, solid series, from start to finish. The theory was great as well as the music. I still remember tunes from the early years. I think it's very simple and straight-forward with the lesson text, leaving more white space. That said, I now think it's less 'fun' or at least less fun-looking than other series IMO. I've read that Alfred is superior overall for someone seriously studying music, but this is a 5-yr-old we're talking about. The Faber Piano Adventures is super fun and the drawings are modernized. They have lots of supplementary books/pieces too that are very engaging for children. If you can guess how long you think your child will be interested in piano, then that may also help you decide if you should research the series a little more (in it for the long haul or just testing it out, or stepping stone for another instrument...) Also, if you have your eye on a certain teacher for later years, they often stick to one series, so you might as well use the same one.

 

Good luck!

[TeachingMyTwo]

We enrolled DD in Yamaha lessons last June, but supplement at home with software (discussed here- http://forums.welltr...r-younger-kids/). Both of these songs at this link were learned through Soft Mozart, so yes, it does work with young children, and you can see that see does not look at the keys because of it (she is really slouching in this clip, not sure why?).

We toyed with Piano Marvel for a bit but I am going to wait until the kids are just a bit older.

 

 

You will also be able to find more info about beginning piano lessons here: http://forums.welltr...c-music-theory/

 

A friend of mine used the Suzie's Piano DVD informally with her son. He just started piano lessons about 2 weeks ago and skipped an ENTIRE BOOK because of Suzie's Piano Primer. He was able to just start playing! So cool.

[knittingmama]

I teach piano lessons, and have started all my kids fairly young. If you can, I really recommend using an audiation-based method like Suzuki or Music Moves for the Piano. But if that's not your cup of tea, then My First Piano Adventures is the best traditional-style piano method hands down. I have used TONS (Music for Lilttle Mozarts, Alfred's, the regular Piano Adventures series, Bastien's...) and My First Piano Adventures is just the most complete and most age-appropriate for young children.

[suzielou]

We started this past September with my DS6 (now 7) and DD8 using Alfred's Basic Prep Course A. My DS just turned at Christmas, but he has all of the theory that we have covered down really well. His sight reading is also right at the level he is at. If you follow the teacher's guide (free), it moves the perfect pace for 5 and 6 yr olds. My DD8 finished the book in 4 months and DS7 finishes his book within the next two weeks. I am thinking of trying out Music for Little Mozarts with DS4 as a fun intro.

[lexi]

My First Piano Adventure? We are happy with it, 4yr old now into level B.

 

I use this too. My 3 and 5 year old are in A and my 7 year old is in B. We had to take a huge break when we moved and our piano hadn't been moved yet. But now we're back to piano. My kids love the program and I love the song CD's that they can play along with. Mommy can't always accompany them-especially if I'm holding the baby. But the pace of the program is great for younger kids. We are really excited to move into book C.

[musicianmom]

Another vote for MFPA, Dd7 did it, and now dd5 is in the second half of level A. Soooo much better than other traditional method books, in my opinion!

[5Wizards]

With My First Piano Adventure, does everyone use the writing book as well? I'm not ready to start my youngest with my other kids' piano teacher yet, but she wants to learn, so I did buy Lesson Book A with the CD. Is it important to have the other book (theory maybe?)?

[The Way of My People]

DS5 started at age 4 with Alfred's Basic (and an outsourced teacher). He wasn't reading well at that point, but it wasn't a problem. We use the Lesson book (with CD), the Technic book, and the Theory book.

 

ETA: If you can afford it and have the time/flexibility in your schedule, I highly recommend outsourcing music lessons. I play the piano very well, but it was better for my son to be taught by someone other than me. I supervise practice very closely, and honestly end up doing most of the "teaching," but having a third party my son is accountable to each week really motivates him to work hard and learn his pieces. Without outside lessons, I'm not sure my son (or I) would have the motivation to do the daily work required to see him progress.

[amsunshine]

We started when my younger dd was in kinder, and used Pianimals. I tried Faber, but didn't like it as much. YMMV.

[tabinfl]

I asked a professional violinist friend (who also teaches violin & piano) for a recommendation for my crew (4-5yo), and Faber was it.

 

I really like what I've looked at of it, but I haven't gotten my act together enough to do much consistent music with my kids (fortunately they get some weekly at a church program). They visited a while back, and I was very impressed with what her 4yo son (with whom she was just getting into the A book) was able to do on our piano.

[mathnerd]

We started when DS was 4 and he has been doing well (we started out in a group class with a very experienced teacher). Our teacher mixes different curriculum - Faber, John Thompson, Little Mozarts, Progressive Piano Method, Alfred - ear training books, theory books, solo books, lesson books. She picks out lessons from each book and progresses really slowly with lots of ear training, notes reading and music theory thrown in to keep the class moving smoothly along. At almost 6 years old now, my son is moving on to private lessons and still has the love of music and piano in him. He can play fluently, though only small pieces.

So, it is a great age to start. And if you are instructing your kids at home, then there is nothing better than that! One thing though, take it really slowly and expect gradual progress. Good luck.

[mom1234]

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Edited January 19 by mom1234

[throughpagesandfields]

I took piano as a really young kid and I want to teach my kids as well. I have KinderBach that we're going through now. I like it. DS is a busy busy kid and it's so interactive it just makes it fun. I like the look of the Bastien books.

 

I'm going to try to teach my kids myself at first. But I do know piano. I have to say that my piano teacher as a kid was really really good and I don't think I'd get any similar kind of experience at home.

 

When it comes to reading music for really tiny littles I like masking taping a music sheet on the floor - they jump to different notes... super fun and kid friendly. If my kids really take to any kind of music I'll send them out for lessons. I don't know how we'll pay yet - but we'll figure it out! :)