Piano for Kids

Congratulations on wanting to start your child in music!  The Animal Note method is designed so a parent, even those who do not play the keyboard themselves, can successfully teach their young child.  I would suggest you start by ordering the Note Reading book and a set of the Animal Note/standard note flash cards to start with, and then order other books as your child is ready for them.  The program provides teaching materials to teach the beginning stages of music and to help students transfer to music written in standard music notation, at a Big Note level.

Work slowly with your young child - one song at a time.  A keyboard chart comes with the Note Reading book. The chart fits behind the black notes of the keyboard to help the youngsters find each animal’s home on the keyboard.  Stories about the keyboard locations are in the front part of the book.  Start with Cat (middle C).  Introduce the note by using the flash card and telling the story related to the animal.  Then have your child play the first song, which consists of seven cats.  Point to each note and help him/her find it on the key board.  When he/she is completely comfortable with the song and loves to play it, go to the second song.  Again introduce the animal with the flash card and its story.  Use the stories a lot so they become part of your child’s world.  Try to work with your child a few minutes each day, but keep it fun.

As your child adds more notes to his/her knowledge base let him/her arrange the flash cards to create a song of his/her own.  The children love to do this.  Always have them play the song they have arranged with the cards.  This is another way to reinforce their new knowledge.

A very young child has not gained the coordination skills to use their hands properly, so be patient with this development.  Show them how to use a different finger with each note, but when they forget or have trouble, don’t get upset.  A child that is four will be able to handle this skill without too much difficulty, but until then, they will often look at the note to be played and then look at their hands to decide what finger to play the note with.  I have my very young students play with their hands on a table or chair like their fingers are the legs of a spider.  Spiders do not walk on the flat of their legs, they walk on the tips and the legs curve away from the body.  Have your child look at how a spider walks in nature or find a picture for him/her to look at.

The Note Reading Book does not deal with timing.  After the notes are learned, it will be time to buy the Timing Book, a fun book, or two, from the series we have (more are being developed),  and the Theory book.  The Theory book is great as a teaching tool as it helps you explain the basic principles of music to your child.  It is not a work book, but a much needed teaching aid.

Remember patience and love will help you give your child the beautiful and treasured gift of music.  By the time he/she starts kindergarten he/she will be playing music from standard music books and loving it.  It is truly worth those few minutes a day you will be giving.

Write me any time for more help, advice, and guidance.  It is important to us to not only to provide the best beginning keyboard teaching materials possible, but also to be available as a help for those doing the teaching.

I have written a lot about very young children being able to begin their music education using the Animal Note method.  It is truly such a joy and their success is heartwarming.  I received word just last week from the mother of a five year old girl who was taught at home to play the piano using the Animal Note Method. She will be taking her first lesson from a music teacher tomorrow.  When the mother took the child for an interview she was told that a child under 8 was usually unable to learn to play the piano; it was just too difficult, and the basic knowledge was just not there.  However, this child passed the test.  Her hand position was excellent, she could recognize the beginning standard notes on the Grand Staff, although she called them by their animal names, and she understood basic timing.  Her new teacher was amazed and delighted.
However, I have not written much about how truly great this method is for older children.  Our studio recently accepted a family of home schooled children.  Their ages are 8, 11, and 14.  Originally it was our understanding that only the 8 year old was a beginner.  As it turned out they all were.  We started the 8 year old with the Animal Note Method, and he liked it so much the older two children also wanted to start that with this set of music books.  They are all doing fantastic.  The 8 year old already knows the beginning nine notes, both as animals and standard notes, and he has moved into the “Timing” book,” Fun Songs”, and “Christmas” book.  The 11 year old is about half way through these three books and has started to learn the guitar using the Animal Note Guitar book.  He will be playing standard guitar melodies by Christmas.  The 14 year old was so excited; she brought her 14 year old friend the next week.  These two young teenagers are about to move on to the” Moving On” Book.  All four youngsters have good basic timing techniques, and they are learning basic theory from the “Theory for Young Children.” They also easily identify standard music notation, and most of all, THEY LOVE TO PLAY THEIR INSTRUMENTS.
Yes, the ovals of the notes are caricature of animals, and the children call the notes by animal names, but what is really important is that they are learning note reading and timing, all with joy, confidence, and a real feeling of accomplishment.
This method is truly a “win-win” approach for beginners in piano and guitar.