“How can I prepare my toddler for piano lessons?” 

I was recently asked this question from a parent who was wondering when her toddler would be ready for piano lessons and what to do in the meantime to help prepare.

The beauty of music is that it can be enjoyed at any age. Formal lessons do not need to begin right away, especially when young. There are things parents can do to help prepare their child before they are ready for more formal lessons. While I am going to address this question for “toddlers”, keep in mind that most of these suggestions can be applied to babies as well.

Preparing Your Toddler for Piano Lessons

You might find that your toddler is naturally drawn to music even as a young baby. This isn’t a big surprise as music is all around us. From the time they are in the womb, babies are feeling and hearing the rhythms of music all around them. This is the perfect time for exploration.

Use and Explore with Musical Toys: Introduce age-appropriate musical toys, such as rattles, shakers, bells, or small instruments like a xylophone. These toys can help your toddler explore different sounds and textures.

Sing and Dance Together: Sing simple songs with repetitive lyrics, and incorporate gentle movements and dance. This not only introduces them to music but also strengthens the bond between you and your child.

Musical Games: Engage in simple musical games. For example, you can clap their hands to the rhythm of a song or play peek-a-boo with music. These activities help enhance their motor skills and coordination.

Explore Different Instruments: Allow your toddler to explore various instruments, such as a soft drum, a small tambourine, or a toddler-friendly keyboard. Encourage them to touch and feel the different textures.

When my granddaughter comes over to visit we explore and experience all sorts of musical instruments together. From the piano, bells, boomwhackers, drums, xylophone, etc. I follow her lead in the musical experience as much, if not more than I might facilitate.

Watch Baby-Friendly Videos: There is a lot on YouTube if you search for baby and toddler music activities. My granddaughter loves the show “Hey Bear“. My daughter was very careful to find sensory-appropriate videos for her to enjoy. There are numerous baby-friendly videos and animations that introduce music in a visually engaging way. Select age-appropriate content that features simple tunes and gentle movements.

I highly recommend looking for videos that are not overly stimulating. You want to stay away from shows that have too much noise, colors, activities or rapidly changing scenes. There are many popular shows out there that may be tempting to watch, but many of these shows can cause over stimulation. This can result in anxiety, stress and meltdowns. If you notice your child having more meltdowns than usual, check and make sure what they are watching is sensory appropriate. Which brings me to…

Be Mindful of Sensory Stimulation: Pay attention to your toddler’s reactions to different sounds and musical stimuli. If they seem overwhelmed or disinterested, adjust or switch to a different type of activity.

Incorporate Music into Routine: Make music a part of your daily routine. Whether it’s during mealtime, bath time, or bedtime, incorporating music consistently can create a sense of familiarity and joy.

Attend Toddler Music Classes: Sometimes the local library will have music time activities that is worth exploring. And of course, googling for baby and toddler music programs in your area might bring some great results. If you aren’t sure where to look, ask around.

Understanding the development of 18 months to 5 years.

It’s important to understand the development of different age groups. In this post, I will share some typical characteristics of age groups from 18 months to 5 years along with some suggested activities. Keep in mind the characteristics are your typical average characteristics. As you know, you will come across students who seem much older or perhaps much younger than they really are. It is our job to recognize that and adapt appropriately.

Typical Characteristics of the Eighteen-Month-Old

• Can walk, climb, crawl, and run.
• Like to push and pull things.
• They are able to take things apart more easily than they can put things together.
• They aren’t coordinated at this point.
• They have some basic language skills and often use one word phrases. (“mine”, “no”)
• They gain their knowledge through experiencing – sight, sound, touch, smell, and taste.
• They can understand more than they can express.
• Enjoys playing alongside other children, but often does not interact with them.
•  They usually have difficulty sharing, and their emotions can change quickly.

Activities to include for this age group –

• Movement activities
• Finger plays
• Visuals with stories
• Using toys they can move with or experiment with (i.e.: scarves, age appropriate objects, rhythm instruments) 
• Include stuffed animals and puppets

Typical Characteristics of the 2-3 Year-Old

• Very active.
• Can handle small objects, but their fine motor skills are not developed yet.
• They have short attention spans.
• They are curious and inquisitive.
• They can make simple choices but cannot reason.
• They enjoy repetition.
• Has more language skills and likes to learn new words. Says “no” often, even when he or she does not mean it.
• Has simple, direct thoughts.
• Cannot reason. Can make simple choices.
• Enjoys pretending.
• Likes to play alone. Is developing an interest in playing with others, but is usually more interested in playing near them than with them. 
• Has difficulty sharing and cooperating.
• Is loving and affectionate and enjoys adults.

Activities to include for this age group –

• Movement activities
• Finger plays
• Visuals with stories
• Using toys they can move with or experiment with (i.e.: scarves, age appropriate objects, rhythm instruments) 
• Include stuffed animals and puppets
• Beanbag tossing
• Simple games
• Marching and Jumping
• Repetitive activities

*Avoid activities that require fine motor skill and coordination, such as cutting and pasting.

While the next age group wouldn’t fall under “toddler”, I thought it would be helpful information to include.

Typical Characteristics of the 4-5 Year-Old

• Very active. Moves quickly. Likes to skip, jump, race, climb, and throw.
• When they get to be closer to 5 years old their balance improves, so they are becoming more coordinated which means they can hop, skip and march.
• Their fine motor skills are starting to develop.
• Enjoys talking and asks many questions.
• They are starting to recognize some letters, numbers and words.
• Has trouble separating fact from fantasy.
• Has a short attention span.
• Uses artwork to express feelings.
• Enjoys pretending and role playing.
• Plays more cooperatively with others.
• Is sometimes physically aggressive, bossy, impolite, and stubborn, but can also be friendly.
• Is learning to share, accept rules, and take turns. Responds to sincere praise.
• Often tests people’s limits.
• Is boastful, especially about self and family.
• May be agreeable one moment and quarrelsome the next.
• Has more self-confidence.
• May have fears and feelings of insecurity and can feel embarrassed easily.

Activities to include for this age group –

All the above activities are still applicable plus…

• Alternate between quiet and lively activities.
• You can use activities that will encourage thinking, such as simple riddles and guessing games.
• Be clear in directions and make sure you clarify misunderstandings.
• Use pictures, objects, and actual experiences.
• You can introduce new words.
• Have the child draw pictures or color that relates to what they are learning.
• Accept and encourage their creative efforts.
• Allow for opportunities to explore their surroundings.
• Use role-playing activities.
• Enjoys stories, singing, dramatizations and poetry.

Remember that each child is unique. You may find some other characteristics that might not have been included, or perhaps included in a different age group. And that is perfectly okay. The key is to listen and learn from your child. Observe and engage. And most of all, have fun making music together!

Photo credit: Elizabeth Moreno