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I just started teaching- I absolutely love it!

My youngest one is four. She likes piano, but she can't sit there for the entire 30 minute lesson. About halfway through, she says "Is it done now?" I can only tell her to play the song (hands seperately, ect) so many times before she slat out says 'NO.'

Shes supposed to be learning intervals now, so I taught her chopstix at the last lesson. She seemed amused, but Im running out of ideas.

How can I effectively teach and still keep her occupied?

Of course she does! 30 minutes is far too long to expect an average 4-y-o to sit and stay focused on one thing. I would think you need to vary the activities and the position - some movement, some rhythm activities away from the piano, some singing. As a rough guide, you'd want to vary things every 5 minutes, even if it's just coming at the same thing from a different angle.

You ask How can I effectively teach and still keep her occupied?. If you are keeping her meaningfully occupied, that will be more likely to result in effective teaching! That is, keeping her occupied is part of the learning process, not just something which will stop her fidgeting as you talk.

Some children are much more ready for formal lessons than others, but at 4 I really think the emphasis needs to be on developing concepts (high/low, fast/slow, regular beat) rather than a formal sit-at-the-piano-for-30-minutes lesson.

Are you using materials which are specifically designed for younger children?

and P.S. - there's a thread just a little way down the page on teaching younger children. Also plenty will come up if you do a search. Good luck.

For 4-year-old students, maybe they are more suited for Kinder music. Sitting for 30 minutes is impossible, unless the student is super mature and talented.

Try breaking down the lesson to 5-minute intervals. Do lots of "hands on" activities. Believe it or not--drawing and coloring musical symbols counts as a meaningful activity for these kids. Familiarize these kids with important skills like counting, keeping a steady beat, reading letters A-G forwards and backwards, and introduce them to very basic notation. You can play something on the piano and have them sing along or tap along. Buying the appropriate method book is highly critical.

Most importantly, you must have lots of energy and enjoy teaching kids at this age.

Good luck!

I have and have had 4-year olds. I have special books and games for them.

Every lesson is a little playing piano and a little playing.

I am constantly watching them to make sure they are not over taxed.

When they start fidgeting, I switch to coloring a page of music notes or playing a music game on the piano.

Keep an arsenal of colors, games, stickers, flash cards, and funny stories or jokes and the time will be much more productive for both of you.

I taught intervals to a 4 year old by taking her outside on a sunny day armed with a box of sidewalk chalk. We played (at least, we tried to play) hopscotch on a giant staff that I drew outside. I was prepared for the fact that even as a bright 4 year old she wasn't going to be sitting still, so we colored a lot, we chatted often, and we played flashcards.

She turned 5 recently, but she's discovered she likes eurhythmics, so next week we'll do some simple eurhythmics (finding a beat, shaking or clapping to the beat, and making up movements to represent the different rhythmic values). You can easily do eurhythmics with your 4 year old, just find some music that's cheery and dance around to it.

Preschoolers are a whole different ball game than even kindergarteners. They certainly can't sit still for a 30-minute lesson (which is why most piano teachers won't touch this age group with a ten-foot-pole). Here are some activities that will help you break up the lesson. You will need to invest in some manipulatives.

Rhythm instruments - have an assortment such as rhythm sticks (Musikgarten has the best ones), tambourines, triangles, cluster bells, maracas. Use them to move freely to music, to march around the room, 'shake up high', 'shake down low', etc...

Scarves - use bright-colored scarves and do 'high/low activities'. Sing 'Hickory-Dickory Dock' and make scarf go side-to-side. To the tune of 'London Bridge', sing "Make your scarf go up and down, up and down, etc....", then add other verses "make your scarf into a hat.... make your scarf into a monkey's tail.... make your scarf swim like a fish.... make your scarf into a ball...." etc....

Hoops - find some smaller hoops and holding on to the hoop w/child, do some circle songs like "Looby Loo", "Hokey Pokey".

Puppets - kids love these to demonstrate songs about dogs, cats, elephants, frogs. Find some fun children's songs and the corresponding animal puppet.


You might consider having the parent as an active participant in the lesson. Or, make the lesson a 'duo' lesson with another 4 year old. Music is always more fun when there are more kids making music.

Also, listening to music is a good idea at that age - something happy and rhythmic that they can jump around to. Introducing different kinds of music, different styles, and different instruments is a good idea. Before a child can be motivated to learn a musical instrument, they need to know what it can sound like in skilled hands.

I had this kind of lessons when I was 4; mostly "music appreciation" - a lot of music listening and jumping around and banging on drums. I recall enjoying it quite a bit.

And though you probably weren't aware of it at the time, no doubt you were experiencing, developing and consolidating concepts we all take for granted as musicians and which can be lacking in young beginners who haven't had this sort of experience.

It definitely helped me develop perfect pitch, among other things.