Techniques for Teaching Two-Year-Olds to Play Piano

Unless the child is displaying rare genius qualities at age 2, it is difficult to truly teach piano at that age. Instead you can start using techniques that familiarize and expose the child to the piano and the sounds that can be achieved. Do not try to force the child to take interest, since this may instill a dislike for the instrument that will cause failure in later attempts to interest the child in learning to play.

  1. Experimentation

    • Play nursery rhymes and tunes that the toddler will recognize from his favorite television shows or animations. Sit her on your lap as you play and let her experiment with hitting the keys. Play simple tunes and see if she can follow by playing the same keys. Remember, a 2-year-old's attention span is very short and you should limit these little practice sessions to ten minutes. Her hands will also be too small to acquire correct finger techniques.

    The Right Moment

    • Wait until the toddler approaches the piano and shows interest on any given day. He will have more chance of retaining information, if his interest is piqued. Once interest manifests, follow through and begin to try to further and grow his interest.

    Praise

    • Congratulate and praise all the toddler's efforts at the piano. Particularly good efforts can be rewarded with stickers or small trinkets. This will give her an incentive to concentrate her efforts. Do not criticize her playing. You must keep the experience positive to stimulate continued and future interest.

    Repetition

    • Teach by rote and repetition. Use the same nursery rhyme or tune each time you sit at the piano with the toddler. Make sure it is a tune he likes, to keep the experience grounded in familiarity and maximize his limited attention capacity.

    Key Coding

    • Stick labels with colors, numbers or symbols on the necessary keys for a simple, favorite tune. Sit the child on your lap and have her hit keys as a sequence of colors. Speed up and slow down this exercise. This will help the toddler find the right tempo for the tune she is playing.

    Family

    • Involve the entire family in music-making practice, use other instruments or even simple cans and kitchen implements to have a jam session, with the toddler leading the group. At this age, your efforts should be concentrated on helping the toddler to enjoy the experience of making music and self-expression.

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