Fun animated elementary music videos

Major/minor





Treble Clef (Piano Discoveries)


The Cool Bass Clef





Quarter Note Song

Piano Keyboard ABC's Fun Learning Video

I just came across this fun short video on Youtube to teach about white key letter names.  I love the clever animation!

Free Staff Notes Game Online - Staff Wars

If you haven't played Staff Wars - watch out! You might get addicted :) Over the past few days I've discovered how engaging (and addictive) this free downloadable game can be for kids.  Its a great addition to my piano lab. One element of my studio summer piano incentive "Music Olympics" is for students to track their scores on Staff Wars (from The Music Interactive-Classroom Apps ).  My son is determined to stay in the lead in this particular event and is willing to clean his room, do his chores and practice piano so he can try and advance past level 8.    I'm loving his motivation and improved note reading skills!
In this game the notes slide across the staff and as the student clicks on the correct letter name the note explodes.  After each set of 10 correct answers you advance a level and the notes (and background music) increase in speed.  You can select Treble, Bass or Alto Clef.

Piano Lab: Listening & Analysis Activities Hal Leonard Book 4

In addition to the online music games, music software and (rarely used) theory books in my piano lab, for late elementary students, I put together a list of analysis tasks specific to the music in their lesson books.

I begin analysis activities with my students very early by having them color various elements of their music (see this post "Hand Over the Pencil - Actively Engaging Music Students").

As they become more familiar with this process, I assign them analysis/ear training tasks to work on independently during Piano Lab Time to go along with the specific pieces in their lesson book. With this approach, the theory, ear training and analysis activities are more meaningful because they are directly relevant to the music they are currently learning to play.

I store the printout of these lesson book lab assignments in a correlating color coded 3 ring binder with other related theory worksheets corresponding with the lesson book concepts.  Sheet protectors & dry erase markers save me a ton in printing costs!

For example, following are the Lab Activities I have outlined for Hal Leonard Lesson Book 4 (with  CD):

Piano Music Storage Bags

As a practical minded piano teacher, I prefer to come up with unique yet useful rewards for our annual piano studio Achievement in Music Program.  Partly this is due to the fact that we have accumulated a lot of participation trophies from our children's involvement in various sports, which collect dust on the shelf and eventually end up having to be stored in a box on a different shelf.  Last year my students were excited to get a grand piano shaped pencil sharpener with keys that move as you sharpen.
After reading this fabulous tutorial on how to  "Make Your Own Piano Bag"  post by Anne,  I was inspired to make some individualized bags for students who earned superior marks.   I selected some free images online and let the students pick their choice of image and font. 

I picked up some multi-packs of canvas totes & iron on inkjet transfer paper from Walmart and here are a few of the results.
My favorite image was this free printable quote from my sister Kara's blog.

 In addition to ironing this on one of my student's bags, I  printed and framed the bright yellow version of this and placed it on the window ledge above my kitchen sink.  As a mom of 6, it provides perspective for me on days when the dishes and laundry piles seem endless or when my kids are less than enthusiastic about practicing the piano and I start to feel a little discouraged.  I love reading this optimistic reminder!

So even though my children still don't jump at the chance to practice, at least they always know where to find their books( in the wicker "piano bag" basket next to the piano) and my house is one step closer to clutter free :)

Wrestling to Teach Proper Technique

Despite a lot of repetition and various analogies, some students still struggle to play with proper hand position - curved fingers, thumb on side tip in slide position.  As I was reviewing this concept with one of my sons this week a wrestling analogy finally helped it sink in for him.  He loves wrestling a whole lot more for him so this explanation really struck a chord for him!

1-Wrestling is a sport that requires quick thinking, strength and properly executed moves. Piano involves finger strength, and proper positions as well.
2- Before wrestling its good to do some practice workouts.  In piano you can "work out" your fingers by forming finger doughnuts and checking for rounded (not collapsed) knuckles.
3- If you ever get caught flat on the mat... you know you're likely to get pinned unless you can quickly turn and "build your base" (get on your hands and knees and arch or curve your back).  In piano flat fingers are a sign of trouble too.   Imagine that your thumb is like your coach or referee.  Its okay for him to get low on the mat to "check" to see if your other fingers (imaginary wrestlers) are building their base (curved and on tips).

More Musical Minute to Win it Ideas

Music Minute to Win It Games

I was excited to find this great game idea posted by Sheryl at Notable Music Studio blog just in time for my next group lessons.  I came up with a few other musical variations of "Minute to Win It" and started adding them in the comments on her blog... but after the list started getting a bit lengthy I decided to post them here too for future reference.

Sharp Stacking  

Stack scale blocks in the order of sharps on the piano bench.  Then transfer the stack to the top of piano without dropping any blocks.

(For Early Elementary students you could have them stack the blocks in skipping alphabet order instead)

 My version of A Bit Dicey 

 Roll 4 Rhythm Dice until you can create a rhythm that adds up to 1 measure in 4/4 time. (similar to Yahtzee).  You may roll as many times as you want within the minute.

A Corny Puzzle 

 Match up the correct letter names, staff and keyboard notes together on the keyboard puzzle sheet (free printable at D'Net Layton's blog)

 A Twist on Terminology twist:

Find your Relative.  

Match up scale blocks or music alphabet letter cards with their relative keys (C Major w/ a minor, etc.)

Stellar Sightreading

Sightread a line from Pianimation.com sightreading challenge sets with accurate rhythm and notes.  If you make a mistake you must move on to the next one.

Stepping up the Scales

 Arrange the scale whole and half step feet cards (from Pianimation.com) in the correct order for a Major scale.  Then play a major scale on the piano while singing the scale pattern (Tonic, whole, whole..., etc.)

Rhythm Sculpting

Using playdough, sculpt 4 different types of rests and arrange them in order from shortest to longest.

Blind Intervals

With a blindfold on play ?# of intervals on the piano correctly that your teacher calls out. (Teacher chooses a reasonable goal for student's abilities to complete in one minute.)  You can vary the difficulty by calling out just a number (2, 3,4, 5 etc. for beginners) or calling the interval and quality for more advanced students (Major 6th, Perfect 4th, minor 3rd, etc.).

Sheryl's ideas of "A Word Please,"    "Composer ABC's",   and "Drop Off"  were a great hit at our last group lesson too. 

Composer ABC's

Drop Off

One of the great things about this group game is that most of the challenges could also be used as a fun lesson starter in a private lesson setting.  I was glad that I had previewed a few of the games with students at their individual group lessons first to gauge the proper difficulty level for each group.... Composer ABC's was quite a challenge for some of the younger students, but a cinch for those just a few years older.

Related Posts: 

12 Months of Free Piano Group Lesson Plans

Music Theory Carnival Piano Games

Ear Training Group Piano Games