Preparing your toddler for piano lessons
“How can I prepare my toddler for piano lessons?” I was recently asked this question from a parent who was wondering when her toddler would be ready for piano lessons and what to do in the meantime to help prepare.
I thought it was a great question and was excited when Melissa Stouffer asked me to write a blog post on this subject.
The beauty of music is that it can be enjoyed at any age. Formal lessons do not need to begin right away especially when young. There are things parents can do to help prepare their child before they are ready for more formal lessons. While I am going to address this question for “toddlers”, keep in mind that most of these suggestions can be applied for babies as well.
Preparing Your Toddler for Piano Lessons
You might find that your toddler is naturally drawn to music even as a young baby. This isn’t a big surprise as music is all around us. From the time they are in the womb, babies are feeling and hearing the rhythms of music all around them. This is the perfect time for exploration.
Use and Explore with Musical Toys: Introduce age-appropriate musical toys, such as rattles, shakers, bells, or small instruments like a xylophone. These toys can help your toddler explore different sounds and textures.
Sing and Dance Together: Sing simple songs with repetitive lyrics, and incorporate gentle movements and dance. This not only introduces them to music but also strengthens the bond between you and your child.
Musical Games: Engage in simple musical games. For example, you can clap their hands to the rhythm of a song or play peek-a-boo with music. These activities help enhance their motor skills and coordination.
Explore Different Instruments: Allow your toddler to explore various instruments, such as a soft drum, a small tambourine, or a toddler-friendly keyboard. Encourage them to touch and feel the different textures.
When my granddaughter comes over to visit we explore and experience all sorts of musical instruments together. From the piano, bells, boomwhackers, drums, xylophone, etc. I follow her lead in the musical experience as much, if not more than I might facilitate.
Watch Baby-Friendly Videos: There is a lot on YouTube if you search for baby and toddler music activities. My granddaughter loves the show “Hey Bear“. My daughter was very careful to find sensory appropriate videos for her to enjoy. There are numerous baby-friendly videos and animations that introduce music in a visually engaging way. Select age-appropriate content that features simple tunes, and gentle movements.
I highly recommend to look for videos that are not overly stimulating. You want to stay away from shows that have too much noise, colors, activities or rapidly changing scenes. There are many popular shows out there that may be tempting to watch, but many of these shows can cause over stimulation. This can result in anxiety, stress and meltdowns. If you notice your child having more meltdowns than usual, check and make sure what they are watching is sensory appropriate. Which brings me to…
Be Mindful of Sensory Stimulation: Pay attention to your toddler’s reactions to different sounds and musical stimuli. If they seem overwhelmed or disinterested, adjust or switch to a different type of activity.
Incorporate Music into Routine: Make music a part of your daily routine. Whether it’s during mealtime, bath time, or bedtime, incorporating music consistently can create a sense of familiarity and joy.
Attend Toddler Music Classes: You can find music classes for children between the ages of 0 - 7 at Joyful Creations Studio. We proudly offer the Kindermusik Curriculum, which was created by specialists in child development and is regularly revised and improved for today's young child.