Piano for Kids

Who knows for certain how music got started in the world.  The first was most likely the beating on a hollow log to send messages.  Then someone tried blowing through a hollow reed and found that it created a pretty sound.  Skins were stretched over the end of the hollow log and a better sound was created, sticks were added and a rhythm was created.  The reed was notched and fingers covered the holes to make different tones and sweeter music.  On and on this creation moved over time with new ideas and creations at ever turn.  It brought joy and a festive mood to the humdrum life.

At first children were taught by patient demonstration of techniques developed by an older musician.  Somewhere along the way, the need for written music opened a new chapter in the history of music, creating a path that allowed more people to become personally involved in the musical world.

Teaching music to young children has never been a simple task. It takes patience and understanding of the child’s point of view.  Many ways have been developed over the years, some more successful than others.  The Animal Note method is one of the “newest kids on the block.”  I started playing around with Animal Notes about 20 years ago.  It has been fun for me and the children.  They love learning this way. The method is based on characterization of animals.  Each animal has a family (mother, father and children), and each member of the family has a story that helps the child learn where that animal is pictured on the Grand Staff of music.  These stories help the child learn standard notation.

In the modern world note reading and timing must be learned to be truly “accomplished” with any instrument, or vocally.  If Animal Notes can give that to a child, “more power to them.”  They are giving that individual a gift that will be enjoyed for a life time.

A name for anyone or anything is an identification tag, but it does not completing describe that individual or item.  Other words must come into play to give true identity.  That does not mean that the name is not important, but it is only a part of the process of gaining true knowledge about the person or item behind the name. 

In music the notes are called by different names in various parts of the world.  When I started teaching an international high school exchange student from Brazil, she had to help me understand the nomenclature for the notes that she used in her country.  It was fun and interesting, but when it came down to the “nuts and bolts” of music, the notes were just the same, regardless of what they were called. 

The same is true for Animal Notes.  They have names starting with the letters of the standard notes that are commonly used in the United States.  The Animal Notes are characterizations of each animal to make them more easily recognizable by young children, which allows them to be more comfortable with note reading in general.  Stories can be made up for each animal in relation to its placement on the Grand Staff.  Children can easily remember the stories, thus allowing them to make a smooth transition to standard music notation.  Once note reading is learned, what the notes are called is no longer important. 

As in life, the name of an individual or item helps with initial recognition; but it is fully getting to know that person or item that can make a difference in our life.

Hand position is so very important when playing the piano.  When I was a little girl, my piano teacher corrected me on my hand position at every lesson telling me to curl my fingers and cup my hand at the keyboard. Sometimes when I did not cooperate, I would get a slap across my knuckles with a ruler.  This did nothing to bring my cooperation, only tears of humiliation.  As I teacher I did not want to do this to my students, so I studied the principals behind hand position and its importance to playing the piano.  The fingers have to be curved to allow for the thumb to be an active participant in creating the music and it is of utmost value when it comes to moving the hand up and down on the keyboard.  Flat fingers on the piano bring with them loud and stiff music, it is impossible to play otherwise. 

However, before I developed the Animal Note method of starting my young students, I had little luck helping my students develop a good hand position at the piano; the students were too busy trying to figure out the next note to think about anything else.  Since I started using the Animal Note method, I have been able to help my students develop a good hand position before bad habits became deeply implanted. 

I have my young children lay their hand flat on the piano bench and wiggle each finger, then get up on their finger tips to do the wiggling.  It is easy for them to see how much more flexible their fingers are, and they can also see that the thumb is now among the group of wiggling fingers. 

Two weeks ago I was working with one of my five year old boys on his hand position.  He looked at me with a big smile and said, “I get it, you want my fingers to be spiders.”  We laughed together, but his comment is a terrific idea.  All spiders walk on the tips of their legs, not the long flat part.  Now we have “spider toes” playing the Animal Notes of ever song.  By using the Animal Note clues and the flash cards, students can make a solid transition to standard music notation. With good hand position, the student will play beautiful music, thanks to the “spider” who likes to make music.

I get so excited about teaching music that it spills out all over.  I have a hard time keeping my enthusiasm under control.  Finding a method that works for very young children has opened up a whole new world for me.  It takes dedication, patience, and self discipline to teach music to young children; it is not always an easy job.  However the rewards are so very special.  The smile on a child’s face, when they know they have accomplished a task, successfully completed a new piece, or done a good job performing in front of an audience, is worth a million dollars.  At Christmas time, one of my young students, who had just turned four, played Hot Cross Buns for her families’ Christmas party of about 50 people.  Yes, her mother helped her keep track of where she was in the music, but she did not miss a note.  The Animal Note method allowed her to accomplish this challenge, and her smile at the end lit up the room.

Because of the successes I have had with the Animal Note method of teaching piano to young children, and the many requests by young boys to teach them to play the guitar; I have started working on a book using the Animal Notes to teach the location of the notes on the guitar and their location on the Grand Staff.  I have two young boys who are learning the basics of the guitar and note reading with what I have worked out so far.  They are excited, and so am I.  I hope to have the book ready for this web site soon.  I am emphasizing note reading for the guitar to give the children more options with this delightful instrument.  Both of the boys have had some basic training in piano which really helps, but would not be essential.

I hope you will be willing to give the Animal Note approach to early music education a try.  With the use of the word clues and the Animal Note/Standard Note flash cards for easy transition to standard notes, I think you too will have the joy of teaching music to a young child that will keep on giving for that child’s lifetime.