Music is an absolutely wonderful enrichment to any age, so why not get a head start on a life-long for music as early as age 3? 80% of the brain is developed by age 3, so I encourage parents to foster musical development for their little one as soon as they are able. Cognitive connections are created while multiple parts of the brain are working together, strengthening areas of motor skills, auditory reception, memory, reading, tracking and language development.
I offer weekly private 20- or 30-minute lessons (and trust me, the time always FLIES BY!) for ages 3-5 in the early afternoons on Mondays-Thursdays. Some students do better with a small snack while we watch a recording from the Nutcracker or Carnival of the Animals and answer questions about the song they are listening to. We play games, engage in activities both at and away from the piano, use rhythm instruments, and strum guitars. We even play a song at the piano and work out of a method book. I use a few different books depending on how the student takes to sitting and reading music: WunderKeys by Dow & Dow, Piano Safari by Katherine Fisher, and eventually My First Piano Adventure by Faber & Faber.
Most importantly, away from the books, are the activities that I use for students to explore the wonderful world of music. I am a member of Vibrant Music Teaching, led by Nicola Canton, who creates endless games, worksheets, music theory lessons, improvisation ideas, rhythm and technique work, and listening activities to fill up a half hour with fun, joy and longing to come back to the next lesson!
COMMON QUESTIONS:
Is my child too young to start private music lessons? No! Your child is receiving one-on-one undivided attention, specially tailored to his/her interests and needs.
Does my child need to be potty trained? No! A diaper is completely fine. I can discuss with the parent specific concerns and needs. I have a 3-year-old myself, so I've been through it all!
For how long does my child need to commit to lessons? I encourage parents to do on-going lessons for their child. If, after a few months, the child wishes to stop, then I cannot hold a spot for them to resume later. I recommend sticking to lessons for a year, but a minimum of 4 months (something like January through May, June-August, or September-December) is an ideal time with scheduling.
How long of a lesson should my child have? I would recommend 30-minute lessons. I've had children start with 20-minute lessons for the first month or two, but this is quite short and I would jump into 30 minutes right away. I've had 4-year olds do 45-minute lessons, and my 28-month old daughter will work with me in the piano studio for over an hour :) We sit down for half hour "lessons" about 3x/week.
I offer weekly private 20- or 30-minute lessons (and trust me, the time always FLIES BY!) for ages 3-5 in the early afternoons on Mondays-Thursdays. Some students do better with a small snack while we watch a recording from the Nutcracker or Carnival of the Animals and answer questions about the song they are listening to. We play games, engage in activities both at and away from the piano, use rhythm instruments, and strum guitars. We even play a song at the piano and work out of a method book. I use a few different books depending on how the student takes to sitting and reading music: WunderKeys by Dow & Dow, Piano Safari by Katherine Fisher, and eventually My First Piano Adventure by Faber & Faber.
Most importantly, away from the books, are the activities that I use for students to explore the wonderful world of music. I am a member of Vibrant Music Teaching, led by Nicola Canton, who creates endless games, worksheets, music theory lessons, improvisation ideas, rhythm and technique work, and listening activities to fill up a half hour with fun, joy and longing to come back to the next lesson!
COMMON QUESTIONS:
Is my child too young to start private music lessons? No! Your child is receiving one-on-one undivided attention, specially tailored to his/her interests and needs.
Does my child need to be potty trained? No! A diaper is completely fine. I can discuss with the parent specific concerns and needs. I have a 3-year-old myself, so I've been through it all!
For how long does my child need to commit to lessons? I encourage parents to do on-going lessons for their child. If, after a few months, the child wishes to stop, then I cannot hold a spot for them to resume later. I recommend sticking to lessons for a year, but a minimum of 4 months (something like January through May, June-August, or September-December) is an ideal time with scheduling.
How long of a lesson should my child have? I would recommend 30-minute lessons. I've had children start with 20-minute lessons for the first month or two, but this is quite short and I would jump into 30 minutes right away. I've had 4-year olds do 45-minute lessons, and my 28-month old daughter will work with me in the piano studio for over an hour :) We sit down for half hour "lessons" about 3x/week.
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Holiday Fun
I absolutely love The Nutcracker! For each main song, I have questions about the music they hear as they watch the New York City Ballet perform. I also enjoy playing other Christmas games with my students, and have ample amounts of Fall/Halloween/Summer/Easter games and activities as well. 
Pattern Recognition, Emotional ExplorationStudents will learn about patterns by exploring the groups of black keys on the piano, playing back (via the piano, clapping, or a rhythm instrument) the rhythms that I clap, and building patterns with notes on cards. They will also learn about finger numbers, which works on their fine motor skills.
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Technique, Music Vocabulary & Focus
Students will engage in activities where they learn and review musical terms. They will explore playing high and low, loud and soft, on white keys and black keys, and using one finger or all fingers while playing songs on the piano.
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Star Songs
Using 'star songs' is one of my favorite activities for little ones playing songs on the piano. Students first recreate the song at the work table, then sing the song while pointing the the letter that they laid down, and finally playing the song at the piano. It is a great way to learn new and simple songs, while also reinforcing favorites such as Hot Cross Buns and Jingle Bells!
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