Piano Teaching Ideas: Creative and Fun!

Needing some fresh and new ideas for your piano lessons?  Hats off to you for that — because you must be a great teacher if you are looking for more creative and fun ideas.

Here’s a list to get some ideas flowing.

1.  Music Games and Activities

Try out a new music theory game to either teach a new concept or review an old one.  I have over 20 tried and true music theory games that I have used in my studio.  It keeps us going for sure!  There’s no doubt that the kids perk up when you involve them in a game, versus just reviewing music theory.

Get creative by using these super fun pair of dice next time you use a game with dice.

2.  An Appealing Studio

Make sure to organize your studio, or piano area, to be appealing to the students.  You may want a fun piano clock, a music throw blanket draped over the bench to wrap around their legs at the piano, or piano posters and visuals hung up around the room.  You can even use this rug for your floor mat!  You can certainly add a flash of color with these music note decorations.  Take a look around your studio and make sure that it looks like a place the students want to be.

3.  Use Other Instruments

There’s nothing that adds some joy and excitement to a student than when you pull out some other instruments!  Even the seasoned, older students light up when they can tap out a rhythm on a drum.

Try this giant floor keyboard next time you are teaching them notes, note names, chords, sharps and flats, or to play a song with their feet!

The boomwhackers are absolutely fabulous for the kids.  It’s always a treat when we pull these out.

Rhythm sticks can be used to tap out the rhythm.  Using your body in this whole new way helps to create stronger synapses in the brain and solidify their knowledge.

4.  Give A Thoughtful Gift

Every once in a while, your students may just need a little pick me up.  Find a thoughtful gift for your students to let them know you care.

5.  Teach Piano Key Names with a Story

Teach the piano key names with a fun twist, and it’s easy to remember!

6.  Use Backtracks or Teacher Duets

Use a backtrack or a teacher duet for the kids to play with.  Playing something themselves, and then playing it with an awesome backtrack will make a huge difference!  Especially if the kids are beginners, they really appreciate sounding a little more advanced with a cool backtrack to back them up.

Piano Pronto has music with backtracks to purchase.

7.  Get the BEST Music

The kids practice WAY better when they like the music they are playing!  Here are some of the best piano books that I have found, used, and loved.

8.  Teach Treble and Bass Clef Lines with Your Hands

Did you know that you have all you need to teach treble and bass clef lines with just your hands?

9.  Take Time to Compose & Improv

Make sure that your students are trained and have the time in piano lessons to compose!  Composing is super cool cause the students totally own the music.  It’s amazing how much pride they can have in their own compositions, even if they are simple.  Composing doesn’t have to be complicated.  Check out 32 Quick & Easy Ideas for Piano Improv and Composing.

10.  Hold a Recital

Sometimes, you just need to hold a recital!  It gets the kids to practice, it gives you the chance to showpiece your students and express how much you appreciate them.  Shake things up a bit and try holding a recital in a different place this time, such as a park, or a theater.  Check out some more ideas of recital venues.

Also, next time you hold a recital, make sure you help them to relax before they perform, so they can perform to the best of their ability!

11.  Teach them Fun Ways to Practice

You don’t have to just practice the same way every time!  Try something new, like recording yourself and listening.  Or playing it all staccato, then legato.  Try these 21 Fun Ways to Practice Piano.

There are lots of way to motivate your students to practice here in 31 Real Ways to Motivate Piano Students to Practice.

12.  Teach Music History

Don’t forget to add in some music history.  Draw or create a story to a song.  Maybe you need to do some more listening maps such as William Tell Overture. Try out more on these 9 Fun Ways to Teach Music History.

 

Lesson Plans

Sometimes, we just need a little pick-me-up when it comes to planning out your lesson plans.  It can be a little daunting to plan something out each time.  Make it easy on yourself.  Create an outline that you follow every time, then just look for as many resources as you can to help you trade out those activities each week.  .

As you find new ideas, just add them to your master outline.  It will get easier with time as you continue to look for and add new ideas to what works best for you and your students!   This is how I have done that with my lesson plans.

I also got really ambitious and wrote out a few of my lesson plans here.  You can check them out and hopefully get some new ideas going for your lessons, too!

 

Don’t Give Up!

The important thing is, don’t give up!  It is so easy for a teacher to become burned out.  Don’t be one of those.  Make sure you give yourself plenty of prep time and give yourself as many resources as you can to keep you going.  The last thing we need is for you to give up.

We need more piano teachers out there willing to be creative, willing to teach these students!  It’s amazing how many people are not able to learn piano simply because there are not enough piano teachers to go around.  Thank you for what you do!  In behalf of the whole teacher community, you make us better and we need you!