2024-04-22 20:37
At your piano recital, a year’s worth of dedication and practice takes the stage. It’s a perfect opportunity to reward your students for their hard work. While traditional gestur… Read More
Blog Directory > Arts & Entertainment Blogs > Piano teaching tips, strategies, and resources arts-and-entertainment Blog >
Piano Teaching Tips, Strategies, And Resources Blog
teachpianotoday.com
Want to know how to teach piano to kids? Discover the piano teaching tips, advice, and resources that are helping our piano teachers build successful studios.
2024-04-15 20:00
What is the first thing your piano students do when they rise and shine? Practice note reading? Unlikely 🙂 But with the strategy and printable we’re sharing today, things just… Read More
2024-04-08 18:36
“The Scarlet Solos” is more than a piano book; it’s a gateway to a world where music dances between light and dark, mystery, and heroism. Perfect for your teen students, th… Read More
2024-04-01 18:18
“In the soft rays of morn, kindness sets forth ‘neath a scarlet robe.” And so begins a journey of intrigue and music, as your teen piano students discover the tale of Red R… Read More
2024-03-26 04:58
Decorating Easter eggs can be a messy endeavor. It is an activity only the bravest of piano teachers would contemplate. However, using doodles to illustrate Easter eggs on paper while simult… Read More
2024-03-18 22:27
Unless you possess the steady hands of a surgeon, your sketched music staves likely resemble a tangled mess. Brilliant in its simplicity, blank staff paper serves as a lifesaver for piano te… Read More
2024-03-11 21:12
If you take a St. Patrick’s Day stroll through the downtown of any city, you will discover that it is not a quiet celebration. Likewise, it is likely not a quiet day in your studio eit… Read More
2024-03-04 23:02
As Spring Break approaches, the end of the teaching year may seem far off in the future. Yet, this break is an essential time to maintain momentum and prepare students for a successful year… Read More
2024-02-26 21:19
As March approaches, our piano printables will take on a spring theme, delighting most of your piano students. But not all students are fans of spring and its sweet vibe. Some crave a little… Read More
2024-02-19 23:02
Do your teen piano students look jealously at their primer peers when they emerge from your studio with piano games and coloring activities? Is there a hint of longing in their eyes? For int… Read More
2024-02-12 21:48
If you are a fan of Andrea and Trevor Dow’s Very Useful Piano Library, then you probably love our first Level G book, “I Dig Piano.” However, not every piano student is a f… Read More
2024-02-05 22:36
Is there anything more adorable than a 5-year-old child with a surprise for Mom? In one word, “Nope!” Therefore, you’re about to witness next-level cuteness when you give s… Read More
2024-01-29 21:59
Before Christmas, we shared an activity that combined note printing and Tic Tac Toe. Teachers loved its simplicity and its appeal to primer piano students. After all, who doesn’t both… Read More
2024-01-22 22:09
Lead sheets are a powerful teaching tool. But the traditional format, with chord symbols floating randomly above the staff, has always been problematic for piano teachers. Several years ago… Read More
2024-01-17 03:56
On Tuesday we released The Skyward Solos for your teen piano students. Thanks to many teachers who support us at every turn, the book became a #1 new release. This means that many intermedia… Read More
2024-01-10 03:11
You may have noticed that it’s been a little quiet around here lately. That’s because Trevor and I have been putting the finishing touches on our first book release of 2024. Any… Read More
2024-01-01 18:30
January is a long month! Don’t believe the calendar; it has at least 39 days 🙂 In addition, kids always seem to return to lessons exhausted. The Christmas holidays do not have… Read More
2023-12-19 06:32
If you teach piano to teens, it has been a great holiday season! With today’s giveaway joining Midnight Clear, Yonder Star, and Eternal Jingle Bells, we have shared more intermediate C… Read More
2023-12-11 21:40
In our house, board games are a Christmas tradition. Nothing warms the heart like a family game night in front of the fireplace. If you want to bring that same cozy feeling to your piano stu… Read More
2023-12-04 21:46
Two years ago we released the WunderKeys Pop Staff Piano Library For Older Beginners. Since then, many teachers have welcomed adult students into their studios. Often, these adults are the p… Read More
2023-11-27 22:08
For teen students, the Christmas season is filled with performance opportunities. In addition to recitals, many will be asked to play background music at church, craft fairs, and holiday par… Read More
2023-11-20 21:41
Nothing compares to the holiday joy of tiny piano students. I think we all want to go back to a time where we can share in the wonder they experience! As piano teachers, we can add to the ma… Read More
2023-11-13 20:36
As a composer, early level 2 piano music is my greatest challenge. With students still reliant on 5-finger positions, creating melodies that are captivating and cool can be a struggle. This… Read More
2023-11-06 21:12
Today we are sharing our first teen Christmas piano piece of the season. Composed in the key of F major, and in 6/8 time, our pop rendition of It Came Upon A Midnight Clear can be used with… Read More
2023-10-30 18:44
Before we get to today’s Thanksgiving Piano Game… With all of the pre-Halloween hoopla going on this past weekend, did you miss the Thanksgiving Piano Practice Pack that we shar… Read More
2023-10-23 21:45
The term Score Study isn’t very exciting! By words alone, it can’t compete with Keyboard Coloring or Note Reading Maze. But score study is more important than both of those thing… Read More
2023-10-16 20:11
For two years your level 1 students have patiently waited for a Christmas piano book from the Very Useful Piano Library. We started with late primer, moved to mid-primer, and then worked our… Read More
2023-10-10 03:10
With many recitals being held in late November and early December, now is the time to collect your Christmas music. This coming Thursday, we are excited to announce the title and level of ou… Read More
2023-10-02 20:57
Sometimes I get so caught up in Halloween mania that I forget teachers enjoy fall activities too 🙂 That’s why you are probably “fully stocked” with mummy and bat pr… Read More
2023-09-25 23:41
This is my favorite season for piano printables! From September’s back-to-school themes to October’s Halloween resources to December’s Christmas magic, finding inspiration… Read More
2023-09-18 21:00
There was once a time in my life, many years ago, when I would walk into a store and think, “What? Halloween already!” Then I started teaching piano, and September Halloween prep… Read More
2023-09-11 19:12
Are your teen students ready to embark on an epic musical journey? Introduce them to The Cinderella Solos, where powerful piano pieces turn this popular tale into an unforgettable lesson exp… Read More
2023-09-06 03:54
Good things come to those who wait! If you’ve been waiting for a game-changing, supplementary piano resource for teens, the moment is almost here! Next week, for the first time e… Read More
2023-08-30 18:32
Once upon a time our daughters looked forward to going back to school. Granted, we’d have to go all the way back to kindergarten and Grade 1 to witness that excitement! These days, as… Read More
2023-08-28 21:06
Your students’ first back-to-school piano lessons are filled with administrative tasks. As the teacher, you have to collect lesson fees, chat with parents, hand out start-up info… Read More
2023-08-21 19:00
The recipe for successful rhythm training goes like this: hear the rhythm, create the rhythm, play with the rhythm. Miss one of those ingredients and students miss out on a complete rhythm t… Read More
2023-08-15 04:21
The first piano activity book in our brand new note reading series is ready for your students. In our latest project, we’ve set out to make sure that you and your kids always have the… Read More
2023-08-08 01:58
When my 16-year-old daughter and her friends are hanging out at our house, the first thing they do is raid our game cupboard. In this day and age, it is wonderful to see a group of kids toss… Read More
2023-07-25 21:55
Don’t take it personally if your students return to lessons feeling less than enthusiastic. After a summer of sleeping in and lazing around the house, August and September can be unple… Read More
2023-07-20 05:21
When your newer teens and adults return from the summer break, wouldn’t it be wonderful to kick things off with some shared music making? In today’s post, we have a Pop Staff Due… Read More
2023-07-13 05:42
A few years back, coloring had a bit of a renaissance. What was once the domain of children, became a favorite activity for tweens, teens, and adults. And it stuck! Today, tweens and teens a… Read More
2023-07-04 21:36
For the last two years, we’ve been having a little July fun by sharing summer-themed parodies of popular Christmas songs. Our previous two Christmas In July piano pieces were so popula… Read More
2023-06-26 20:34
The secret to a thriving piano studio is going the extra mile. You will never be short on students if you give piano families a little more than is expected. But trust us when we say that we… Read More
2023-06-21 21:12
Did your students have a blast reinforcing middle C position note reading with our platypus-themed mazes? After our first set of mazes popped up on WunderKeys, teachers asked us if we could… Read More
2023-06-19 19:59
Every year around this time we talk about the summer slide. This term refers to the loss of skill that occurs when piano students take an extended break. But there are ways to minimize the e… Read More
2023-06-12 21:54
Summer practice expectations can vary greatly between students. Some students will make us happy by hitting the keys every day while others can bring us joy by simply remembering how t… Read More
2023-06-05 23:25
Do you teach students who stare at the sunny outdoors as they sit on your piano bench? If you are like most teachers, when the weather warms up your job becomes increasingly difficult. … Read More
2023-06-01 04:29
June is the month of the “Practice Pause”. Many students have just started summer break and many more are finishing up the last few weeks of piano lessons. There is a tendency th… Read More
2023-05-25 03:45
Earlier this week I was organizing music files on my laptop when I came across something called, “In the style of Cirque du Soleil”. That was enough to pique my interest. Turns o… Read More
2023-05-17 20:23
Primer piano method books are in no rush to take your students from beginner to Bach. Therefore, most kids manage quite well during the slower pace of first-year lessons. This is because ski… Read More
2023-05-15 20:23
By now, you have probably heard of Andrea and Trevor Dow’s Very Useful Piano Library. With its adorable characters and cute song lyrics, you may assume that all books are geared… Read More
2023-05-08 22:11
During a piano recital, you have a captive audience of parents who have to listen to your welcome speech. For this reason, it is the single most important piece of communication you will del… Read More
2023-05-01 21:59
Despite causing the most grey hairs, teens aren’t enthusiastic about Mother’s Day. Sure, they all appreciate their moms, but they’ll show that appreciation on their own tim… Read More
2023-04-24 21:46
Teens are way more creative than they are willing to let on. While they may be reluctant to reveal this in piano lessons, they are quite keen to play around with their own melodies at… Read More
2023-04-19 20:58
Primer students love any piano game that involves a mystery message or a secret number reveal. There’s just something about the “surprise” that makes these types of activit… Read More
2023-04-17 19:51
Do your primer piano students need a motivating music book to get them through to the end of the year? If so, then we are thrilled to announce that our newest book, Amadeus Platypus Is One O… Read More
2023-04-11 04:17
With Easter behind us, the next major event on every piano teacher’s calendar is the end-of-year recital. And it is going to come way faster than you think! Now is the time to select r… Read More
2023-04-03 21:39
Last summer we shared a series of “Quick Fix Piano Solos”. Each fun tune focused on a technical skill that is a stumbling block for many students. As we racked our brains for thi… Read More
2023-03-29 21:05
With Christmas, the magic never really fades. Teens are just as likely as little kids to be excited about the holiday. Easter is a different story. Whereas teens will sleep through Easter mo… Read More
2023-03-27 22:45
Easter is just around the corner and with it comes… another disruption to piano practice routines. Don’t get me wrong, I love Easter and all of the chocolate it brings. I do not… Read More
2023-03-20 21:35
Our brand new piano book is ready for you and your students! Composed in C position for late primer piano, Flight Is Not My Forte is the resource you need for a successful re-registration se… Read More
2023-03-13 21:39
Older beginners take piano lessons to have a good time! While there are always exceptions, most don’t sign up with dreams of music degrees or stage performances. Instead, they want to… Read More
2023-03-06 22:48
Ask any piano teacher and they will tell you that their biggest source of stress is time management. There are simply too many tasks to fit into a single lesson. This means that teachers mus… Read More
2023-02-27 21:45
If you want to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day in your piano studio, you must start prepping your printables this week. Because this fun day often falls during Spring Break, it is easy to… Read More
2023-02-21 03:50
It’s been over two months since we released a book to the Very Useful Piano Library. After having been consumed with the creation of WunderKeys Pop Staff Piano Library For Older Beginn… Read More
2023-02-13 22:12
Interval reading worksheets for piano are important when students approach the end of a level 1 method book. While note reading is the main focus for primer and early level 1 students, harmo… Read More
2023-02-07 00:33
Too often, kids return to lessons with unfinished printables and unopened binders. And then our hands are tied. We cannot let practice slide but also cannot be constant disciplinarians (if w… Read More
2023-01-20 19:42
For adults, Valentine’s Day has been ranked as the least favorite holiday. The only reason it has staying power is that it falls in February. And let’s be honest… February… Read More
2023-01-20 19:01
Outside of the piano world, the idea that fingers need strength exercises might give people a little chuckle. Maybe they’d envision a pinky finger doing a squat or a thumb doing a dumb… Read More
2023-01-16 21:24
I was never able to devote as much time as I would like to music history. With 30-minute lessons, something had to give. And I knew parents were expecting progress more than a social studies… Read More
2023-01-12 03:50
When note reading, beginning piano students think in sets. This is why students who have no problem reading C and D in the treble C 5-finger scale, seem to suddenly forget these notes when t… Read More
2023-01-09 23:00
The hardest part of our job is announcing the release of a new piano book! We set a release date and then, without fail, teachers find it early. In fact, the book we’re sharing today w… Read More
2023-01-07 05:59
With the holidays behind us, it’s time to start releasing some more music! And the book coming next week is a big one; both in popularity and size. With the release of WunderKeys Pop S… Read More
2023-01-03 03:46
With kids returning to piano lessons this week, there is a good chance that their note reading skills need a little polish. While I don’t imagine your mid-primer students are strugglin… Read More
2022-12-20 07:57
When it comes to creating piano music and activities, 2022 was one of our most prolific years of all time! With well over 100 printables shared with the Teach Piano Today and WunderKeys comm… Read More
2022-12-15 04:03
You have almost made it to the Christmas break! In a few short days, you will be closing your studio doors and taking a well-deserved rest. And while teachers get to take a break, ironically… Read More
2022-12-07 23:59
If you are a big-time WunderKeys and Teach Piano Today fan who follows our blogs, Facebook pages, and Instagram feeds, you may have noticed that this week’s theme is “Older Begin… Read More
2022-11-29 00:43
If your littlest primer piano students are beginning to bounce off the walls, it is time to pull out our Christmas Keyboard Coloring Board Game. Coloring is like magic. The busiest piano stu… Read More
2022-11-16 23:07
It can be hard to get teens and tweens to practice their scales. It can be nearly impossible to get them to practice their scales during the holiday season. And that’s why we created o… Read More
2022-11-08 01:58
On the weekend, we shared a November Practice Tracker that students can use to monitor their daily practice leading up to a recital. (Find it here) But it will take more than a practice trac… Read More
2022-11-01 18:48
When kids stop playing piano over the summer break their loss of skills is referred to as the “summer slide”. Did you also know that there is a “Christmas Crash”? Dec… Read More
2022-10-24 22:00
With today’s older beginner Christmas piano music, a new star will receive the loudest applause at your holiday recital. Sure, that preschooler in her adorable Christmas dress is tough… Read More
2022-10-18 04:32
Andrea and I are thrilled to announce that this year’s first Christmas book is ready for your early primer students. The “Elf-a” Notes World Tour, V. U. Level C is a hilari… Read More
2022-10-11 23:17
If ever there was a classical piano piece begging to become a Halloween pop fusion, it is Bach’s Toccata and Fugue in D minor. Even people who have never touched a piano will recognize… Read More
2022-10-03 21:04
Lately, we’ve been sharing many Halloween piano printables. But there is more to October than just Halloween! If you have students and families that do not make a big deal about Octobe… Read More
2022-09-26 22:56
I used to think teenagers were too old to trick or treat during Halloween. Then my daughter became a teenager… and I changed my mind. As long as teenagers wear great costumes and resp… Read More
2022-09-21 04:07
Special days, like Halloween and Easter, are wonderful for motivating students with themed music. But they can also be a real problem because they interrupt the progress kids are making in m… Read More
2022-09-12 21:08
If the scallywags in your piano studio have been waiting for us to release a pirate-themed piano book, we are thrilled to announce that the day has arrived! Scally Wagtail Sails Into Treble… Read More
2022-09-05 19:06
Note reading is something that should happen every day. And the best way to make something happen every day is to turn the desired activity into a habit. But how can you help students develo… Read More
2022-08-29 23:18
Can adorable Back To School Piano Lesson Assignment Sheets actually make kids practice more? Absolutely! Inspiring kids to practice is a piano teacher’s greatest struggle. But kids rea… Read More
2022-08-22 22:08
Over the next few weeks, Andrea and I will be sharing theory-focused piano activities and teen ear training games for your intermediate students. If you don’t already play a ton of gam… Read More
2022-08-15 01:17
As young students move into late primer repertoire they begin playing rocking held notes in the bass staff (alternating between two notes). For the first time (aside from holding fifths), th… Read More
2022-08-07 22:10
When it comes to level 1 piano students, do any of them actually play legato on the piano? Legato makes perfect sense to piano teachers and little sense to little students. Telling an 8-year… Read More
2022-07-31 21:26
With Quick Fix Summer Song 4, we are tackling a specific half-note rhythm that can frustrate primer piano students. Andrea and I have named this tricky rhythm, The Hobbled Half Note! What is… Read More
2022-07-26 02:28
For many years, I only taught piano lessons to kids. This wasn’t intentional. I just never considered teaching adult piano students. When I took piano lessons as a child, I was surroun… Read More
2022-07-18 21:57
Beginning in level 1 books, piano students will encounter songs with mid-piece hand movements. Usually, the mid-piece movements involve the right hand leaping between the C 5-finger scale an… Read More
2022-07-11 22:31
While stargazing on the trampoline with our daughters the other night, the “light of the moon” inspired me to rework Clair de Lune for teens. I love creating classical pop piano… Read More
2022-07-04 22:35
If you enjoyed last week’s Quick Fix Summer Solo, you are going to love today’s rockin’ tune that reinforces quarter rest rhythms. As a composer, I love quarter rests. They… Read More
2022-06-28 05:14
Over the next few weeks, Andrea and I will be sharing technique-focused piano songs for primer and level 1 students. Each “Quick Fix tune” will focus on a specific technical skil… Read More
2022-06-22 22:40
Most summer sight-reading activities will surely elicit a groan from your piano students. Having to practice piano while other kids splash in pools is challenging enough. Having to practice… Read More
Subscribe to Piano Teaching Tips, Strategies, And Resources
Get updates delivered right to your inbox!