Getting Children Involved

I believe that getting kids involved in playing a musical instrument can be very difficult. Some children seem to be used to instant gratification, from watching flashy cartoons, playing video games and computer games, or listening to pop music with loud, sometimes clangy sounds that grab the attention and singers that sometimes scream their musical message, or say it in whispering or sultry tones. How can playing the piano ever compete with that? Children may think piano music is boring, and they may not have the discipline to survive the initial period of learning when the music they make through their own effort is not instantly gratifying to them.

In addition, (is it just me?), it seems to me that fewer children play instruments these days than when I was a child. As a result, a child may simply gravitate toward other activities that their friends are participating in, and resist learning to play an instrument if none of their friends are learning to play one.

What can you do? First, believe that your child, niece, nephew, grandchild, etc., will find playing the piano interesting once they find out what they like to play. Introducing a child to the piano should be a long-term process. It requires a commitment from you, the adult, to making it a part of their life. Just as you spend time reading to a child, teaching various skills such as counting, or teaching manners, you should spend time specifically participating in exploring the piano with your child.

Some ideas:

Take your child to a children's piano recital. If you are considering paying for lessons, attending one of the teacher's recitals will give your child a preview of what playing the piano is like, as well as help you decide on the right teacher.

Take your child to ensemble performances that include the piano. A piano concerto performed by the symphony and a guest pianist can be exciting for a child that's old enough to sit long enough. Also, many choirs have a pianist.

Each day, or if you don't live with the child, every time you see that child, sit with them something new on the piano. You can start with the old standby: chopsticks. It provides pretty quick gratification.

Make playing the piano personal and special. For instance, if you are working with a small child, you can put them on your lap. Toddlers love to imitate and will try to do what you do. You can learn and play a children's song that they know, like Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star, or Jingle Bells. My toddler

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