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I have a friend who wants me to teach her 3yr old and I normally don't take any students that young but I'm considering it since she is a friend. Is the Little Mozart Series workable for the 3yr old group? Have any of you ever tried it? If not, which method have you used.

Hi Allegra,

I'm not a teacher but someone learning to play.

Three year olds have a short attention span.

Maybe if you teach a very simple Mary Had a Little Lamb, or other fun songs that children like, sing the the song or melody of whatever you choose together, and than have him/her try to imitate what you do, if only with one or two fingers. See how it goes, make it fun.

It'll be a challenge, but you'll be able to do it. Have to agree with you three is a little young.

Just tossing out some ideas, I know your teaching experience will guide you.

Sorry to intrude into this thread, but I just wanted to say something about my 1-year old. I know it's a bit extreme to start a thread called "teaching a 1-year old", especially since there was already one about a 4-year old, and this one about a 3-year old, and I know you'd all jump at me if I went any younger, so I hope you don't mind my hijacking this one momentarily.

Anyway, I have a little 1-year old toddler, and it's his fingers you see in my avatar. He demands his own piano time, plunking around seriously for 15-20 minutes a day. He really gets into it, with full concentration! He plays slow then fast, then loud then soft, and some days he only likes the black keys and make his tunes from just those.

Sometimes he'll pick out middle C on his own and say "C" out loud, singing it in tune, then he'll go up a step to "D" and then "E", still singing in accompaniment. He'll also pretend to play from a piano book, leafing through pages then plunking random keys (although it's probably since he copies everything his older brother does and sees me practicing too).

Anyway, I'm sharing this because I don't know what to do with him, really. I wonder if he may be musically inclined and I'm not doing anything about it (ah, the pressures of parenting!).

I do know that he has an ear though, because when we used watch American Idol together and a performer would go off-pitch, my baby would shake his head to clear his ears and he'd have this alarmed look on his face. He can sing pretty well too -- it's the first time I've heard a 1-year old hum "Baa Baa Black Sheep" precisely on key, but then I've only had his brother to compare him to, so I wouldn't really know.

Anyway, enough of the proud mama bragging. Am I just being delusional or does he really seem to have some musical inclination? And what should I do with him during his daily 20 minutes of serious plunking at the piano?

i had luck showing my daughter and son little tunes.. repeatedly.. They can pick them up.

As far as reading music tho - must under 6 yr. olds have trouble, in my experience. They are not used to the concept of reading right to left.. of transferring symbols into action, etc. I have a very young student.. (6) and he is a challenge for me. I hear the suzuki method is good for the very young -

I am not a teacher, but I've heard wonderful things about Kindermusik for very young children. That's what my teacher recommends for kids under five instead of formal lessons.

Diva: your child certainly does sound like he has a knack, probably even perfect pitch. What you're doing sounds fine to me... I'd let him lead the way, though. In my experience, talented children let their parents know exactly what they want and need. It's our job to provide it and back away...

i've taught a few four year olds and had success. i've never used music for little mozarts, but it looks like it'd be perfect for a 3 year old.

and just so you don't get discouraged, i've heard of lots of students who started at the age of 3, so it's definitely possible to teach them that young.