Like drums and guitars, the piano is among the essential musical instruments. Playing it helps to improve creativity, coordination, and other psychomotor skills.
As a parent, you can teach your child to play the piano, especially if they show an interest in music. This article provides a systematic guide to help you teach your kid how to play the piano.
Assessing Suitability
Before anything, confirm that your kid has an interest in music. Otherwise, it will be a waste of time and resources teaching them.
Besides interests, the child should also be old enough to handle the piano. While you can find kids as young as four-year-olds playing this instrument online, this doesn’t apply to everyone. Such kids are exceptional talents.
You need to allow your youngsters to grow strong enough and improve their coordination before playing the piano. This instrument has 88 keys and was designed for adults.
That said, you should start familiarising your child with the piano from a tender age (three to four years). You can do this by playing the instrument as they sit by your side. This familiarity boosts their confidence when they start training.
Getting Started
Once your child shows an interest in music and attains the proper age, you can start teaching them how to play the piano. However, they should be able to move individual fingers, and their hands should be big enough that their fingers can cover ten white notes.
Most experts recommend children aged between six and eight for piano training. At this age, your child will have already gone through kindergarten and pre-school and have interacted with adults. More importantly, they will have developed coordination and the ability to comprehend the basic theory.
Kids below six years usually have difficulties when reading. Forcing the piano on children younger than this age can be unfruitful unless they have a special talent.
Keep it Interesting
According to research, children have an average attention span of their age plus one in minutes. For instance, a five-year-old has an attention span of six minutes.
When practicing with your kid, pay attention to their attention span. The first lessons can be as short as five minutes. With time, however, the sessions can last for 30 minutes or more.
Games
Once your kid learns the basics, encourage them more by playing games. You can challenge them to play basic tunes in exchange for a treat. When they grasp a new concept, don’t forget to congratulate or even reward them.
By using games, you make your kid more familiar with the piano. Ensure that your child knows that all keys have a name and that they are grouped in octaves. Because the keys are many (88), it is advisable to start with one octave, particularly the one around the middle C.
Be Diverse
Children love counting and repetition since it creates a rhythm. For instance, you can count from one to ten as they play various keys on the piano. Besides counting, you can use other tactics like singing and dancing.
Easing Fears
Most children tend to get intimidated during their first practice session. The solution to this challenge is ensuring that they are comfortable with the teacher and the practice area.
Benefits of Practicing Regularly
Although it can be tedious, playing the piano regularly has several benefits. These include increased muscle strength, better coordination, and enhanced sight-reading. More importantly, it makes your child better at using this instrument.
Conclusion
Music is an excellent way of expressing your emotions, relaxing your mind, and relieving stress. By teaching your kid how to play the piano, you add to their skillset and improve their memory and coordination. This can help them perform better in other areas, especially academics.
If you are planning to enrol your child in piano lessons, use the tips mentioned above. Above all, ensure that your kid is old enough to understand what you are teaching them.
