How to make a game to learn piano keys.

This is a great visual aid to help piano students locate the keys on the piano.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Paper
• Scissors

1. 
    
   Paper keyboard

   Draw an outline of 16 piano keys on a piece of paper. The white keys only. A heavier gauge paper will make the keys easier to play the game. Also, if needed use the piano keys as a guide to make sure you add the cut out for the black key.

2. 
    
   Musical Alphabet

   Label each key with a letter of the musical alphabet. Do not use sharps and flats.

3. Cut out each key. Then place them on the piano keys to see how they fit.

4. How to play the game: Lay out the paper keys and have the student place them on the right key of the piano. If they make a mistake, wait and do not correct them right away as they will see their mistake as they are placing the paper on the keys and correct it as they go along. As they would if this was a puzzle.

5. 
    

   After all the keys are covered with paper, then have the student close their eyes and remove one of the paper keys. Have the student tell you which one is missing. Repeat until all the paper keys are gone.

Tips & Warnings

• This game will be requested by your students.
• Keep the paper keys in a plastic baggie.
• Regular paper will be too light and can fall between the keys and be lost for good.

Resources

• East County Piano Studio
• Piano Geek
• Piano Party

[amylaine]

on 5/25/2008 This is great info, thank you.

[L1onherd]

on 5/8/2008 Great Idea!

[MusicalMommy]

on 3/9/2008 What a fun idea!

My kids learned how to read music and identify piano keys when they were really young (2 and 4) through a DVD called Trebellina. As a result of the DVD, they were taking music lessons at really young ages (my daughter was 3) as they could already read the music!

It would have been great to have your game to reinforce the keys. I'l try it with my third child!