When your child crosses the one-year mark, they start learning new things and developing their mental faculties at a faster rate. When they turn two, most parents are in a frenzy and looking for productive and beneficial activities for their little ones. Some people get their children to participate in sports, while others get them to learn to swim.
Teaching your child to learn the keyboard is a wonderful idea that benefits them in the long run. This article covers everything about teaching your child to play the keyboard on their own.
Tips to Help Your Child Learn the Keyboard
There are several benefits that your child can experience by playing the keyboard. For starters, it aids in their holistic and neurological development and their dexterity. Moreover, it can prepare them for learning music formally, especially if they are too young to take music lessons.
If you know nothing about teaching them to play the keyboard, you can seek help from various sources, such as this tutorial written by Robert Emery that helps you play the keyboard or synth.
With that said, let’s have a look at some methods to help you teach your child to play the keyboard.
Teaching the Musical Alphabet
For starters, you can teach your child about the musical alphabet, which consists of seven letters, or notes: A, B, C, D, E, F, and G. Chances are that your child has already learned the English alphabet, which makes this step much easier. You can write down the alphabet on individual flashcards and place them in front of your child. As you point towards each card, sing the note associated with it. Once you are through each letter, you can sing it while pointing to it.
Once you reach the last letter, you can also read the alphabet backward. Then, flip over each letter one by one, and ask your child to sing the particular note, so they can memorize it. Soon, you will have each flashcard face down, and your child will be reciting the musical alphabet without any difficulty. You can also have them write the musical alphabet themselves and also challenge them by jumbling up the flashcards.
Teaching Piano Notes
Now that your little one has mastered the musical alphabet and can tell an A from a G, the next step is for them to learn how to identify them on the keyboard. To do this effectively, they will need to understand how patterns work. On the keyboard, there are two black notes
grouped together and then three notes. This pattern keeps repeating throughout the keyboard.
Once your child identifies the pattern and knows where the black keys are, you can teach them to identify the middle C on the keyboard. The white key comes before the two black keys, right at the center of the keyboard. Teach your child to identify all the Cs and then teach them to find out the B and D notes on the right and left of the keyboard. After this, it will be easier for them to identify other notes.
Teaching Rhythm Basics
It is also important for your child to understand rhythm, which involves playing certain notes at certain intervals and tempo. Again, you will have to make certain flashcards: whole note, half note, dotted half note, quarter note, and eighth note. Make sure to create multiple flashcards for each of them.
Next, you will need a system to help them learn how long each note has to be played. Some music teachers have made their own methods of helping children learn the notes. Once your child understands the notes, you can also accompany them with clapping.
Teaching Playing Technique
The next step is to help your child learn playing techniques, which start with finger positioning. To start with, number each finger from one to five, with the thumb being one. Then, tell them to place their right hand on the keyboard with each finger on a different key. For instance, if they keep their thumb on C, their index finger should be on D, and so on.
Also, tell them to cup their hand while doing so, as if they are holding a ball in their hand. Tell them to repeat the exercise with their left hand, going from C to F. Make sure that she plays each note individually and not together. It greatly improves their dexterity and finger positioning.
Following these methods, you can get them started on ear training. It would go a long way towards their learning progress and help them prepare for formal music lessons as they grow older. The key is to be patient when you are teaching them to play the keyboard, and that is all.
