Learning notes and keys

One of my first creations was a way to call out keyboard letters.  I had some thick foam shapes that I wrote each of the letters of the musical alphabet on.  You could use these mini dominoes, which I also use for teaching chords, and write the letters on the back.  Each letter is used 3 times.  I use these in lots of different ways!  One of my favorite is to call out a letter and the student puts a fun toy on the keyboard.

I have all sorts of random toys I like to use to go on the piano keys.  I try to pick toys that won't scratch the keys.  These rubbery frogs work well....

Several students like these sports erasers that I found.  You can use these from Amazon.com

Here are some other random toys that I use!  Squinkies (small rubbery animals - the girls favorites!!), army men (a favorite with the boys), rubber animals...there are lots of fun options to create a Party at the Piano!!

I will also use the foam letters at the top of the page to call out a letter and the student has to swat the correct note/flashcard.  I love these fly flashcards that Susan Paradis created!  You can find the ways I use them here.

Tips for Getting Started

I like to do some sort of theory game at the end of most lessons.  These games are also useful for those times that a student may not have practiced much or they left a book at home!  I occasionally will do group theory parties and my students love to play these games together!!!

There are so many printable games on the internet!  You will use a lot of ink if you're not careful!  I tried to list here my favorites to start with that I use the most with my students.  It is worth it to laminate most of the games that you print.  This can get expensive and time consuming so choose your games carefully!  When I started I did three sessions where I printed up several games, cut them out, had them laminated, cut them out and then organized them.  I did this 2 -3 times - it took a few hours each time but was TOTALLY worth it!!!  I try really hard to print on fun colored paper!!!   This helps me keep different games organized and it makes it fun!  I found that usually if I'm going to laminate them then I don't have to use cardstock.  It is hard to see the ink on the dark colors.

I also found that there were a lot of useful supplies/toys especially at the dollar store and the dollar sections of Target/Walmart.  It is especially fun to find seasonal items there.  I would start with a trip and look for:

• Fun markers to mark their place on game boards.  I've used little sports erasers, squinkies, green army men, etc.  Anything to make it fun!  These markers can also be used to mark a note on the piano (show them a flashcard and have them put an army man on the piano key)
• Mini anything you write on like mini dominoes that wrote chords on. Other mini markers can be used as canons, or fit on a big staff or cover up spots for bingo).  
• Anything they can make noise with to practice rhythms - my students favorites include jingle bells, wood blocks, egg shakers, castanets and boomwhackers.  

Reviewing Notes:
I use my note review games more than anything else.  It is worth it to have a little variety!  Flashcards are super effective but boring - if you look under the "notes" label on the side of the blog you will find several games to help review notes many of them using flash cards.  


I HIGHLY recommend printing off a set of flashcards.  I use these flashcards by Susan Paradis the most.  I love that she has beginning notes on the first page and then adds more.

I print extra copies of the first two pages to send home with students to practice.  

I also send students home with these character card friends to make their flashcard practice fun   :)   You can find them here to print along with a few other characters.  

                   

My other favorite is the racetracks.  Again I use the flashcards.  I often have them name the note AND find it on the piano before they can move their marker.  There is another racetrack and instructions here.

Rhythm
I also use a lot of different ways to teach and review rhythm.  For beginners my favorite is this track by Susan Paradis found here.  I added a twist using legos that my students love you can read about that here under rhythm review. 

Another one worth printing if you're getting started are rhythm cards.  I use these great ones from Layton Music you can find here.  I use for them to practice counting outloud while playing the rhythm.  Check out my Rhythm Cards page for more links to other rhythm cards and instruments.  

My students all time favorite way to practice rhythm values is with the game of WAR!  You can find the links and my twists on the war instructions.

I know there are a lot of rhythm ones but MY all time favorite is where they have to build their own rhythm.  They have to know their rhythm values and they learn a lot building their own rhythms and then playing it.  You can find links and how I use the printables here under Build a Rhythm.

Intervals
My students favorite way to review intervals is with my soccer intervals game - just print, laminate and cut and you're ready to review intervals!

Musical Terms:
I like this Bingo game by Susan Paradis to help you review lots of different musical terms!  You can read my post on how I do it on my Musical Terms page.  

As you look around my blog you will see lots of other games especially for more advanced levels.  I listed here a few favorites that I use the most with beginners although I use them as review for all levels.   If I was just starting I would print the ones listed here.  Once you have some basic games read check out my "Favorites" label on the right to see which ones my students and I like the most.  Then check out the other labels as you find students struggling with different concepts to see if there is a game that you can use to teach while you have a PARTY AT THE PIANO!!!!

Notes Flashcard Fun!

I wanted to make flashcards a bit more fun so I came up with these!  My students love anything that they can manipulate with their hands so I made character cards for them to match with their note flashcards.  

I cut the characters up and lay each character card out.  I give the student a set of flashcards (I love these flashcards by Susan Paradis) and they match it up with the correct character.  I will actually send a set of these home with students to practice as well for a few weeks when they are first learning.  These are well worth laminating!  Enjoy!

 Yes, I know there are two letter "D's" my girls prefer Daisy my boys prefer Donkey Kong!   :)

My daughters are obsessed with the new Lego Friends series we looove them!!!!

Pirate Blast!

I saw this post at Sing a New Song where they used pirate ships as part of their theory!  I loved it but they didn't a printable so I made one!    There are so many uses for this game but I use it most as a note review.  I hold up a flashcard (I use Susan Paradis cards) and if they get the note right they get to place a "canon" onto a ship of their choice.  Once they have three canons on a ship they have sunk the ship!  Very easy and basic but something about sinking pirate ships makes it a lot more fun!  You could do the same thing with identifying key signatures, intervals, musical terms, etc!  

You should be able to click on the picture to print.

I found mini checkers at the dollar store that I use as the canons.  You can also use these mini connect four pieces (which also work for the bingo game)

I love using the small flashcards from Susan Paradis.  I print them on colored cardstock...I actually have a couple of sets printed since I sometimes send them home with students to practice so each set has it's own color.

Note review

It seems like my students can never get enough note practice!  I love this track by Susan Paradis and use it all the time!  We use any of the toys in the Learning Notes and Keys post, especially the squinkies!

I use Susan Paradis basic flashcards that you can find here.  I use these flashcards allll the time for all sorts of games!!!  These are well worth printing on a colored paper to make it fun and then laminating them.  I also laminated the track.

But I have a lot of boy students so I thought of another track that I could use for them!  

This was the first game that I have made so it's not the best (any ideas on a good program to use so I can make this better?!) but my kids love it!  You should be able to click on the picture to print!  

I happened to find these mario characters several years ago which the students use as markers to go through the game but anything will work!.  I found these mario characters in cars which are the right size on amazon and is fun since there is a girl character included. 

We usually get to the end of the game and then turn around and go back if we have time.  This also works great at group theory parties!

Cars Tempo Review

I thought using the Cars characters would be a fun way to review tempo with my students.  

Yes, I know, Mater is not fast and Lightning McQueen is super fast.  I intentionally did not match cars up with their actual speed - I was afraid the kids would line them up that way instead of using the tempo terms!  They have a lot of fun with these!    You should be able to click on the picture to print!

I usually have them match the cars up and then put them in order slowest to fastest. 

Dominoes chords

I found these mini dominoes and thought I could use them to teach chords.  I flipped them all over (I don't actually use the dominoes part I just liked having good strong tiny shapes to manipulate) and started writing the letters needed for the primary chords in C, F and G.  I have them play a C scale to figure out what sharps and flats they will be using.  They then play a chord on the first note of the scale then manipulate the dominoes.  The goal eventually is to not use the piano.  We then count to the fourth note of the scale and they build the chord, then the five chord and then we add the seventh.  I love watching them have to think and figure it out!  They eventually get really fast at it.  I introduce it with the C scale and then immediately do it in G so they learn about using the key signature.  

I also love that we can use these to play with inversions as well.  After everything is in root position I have them rearrange the dominoes and then have them play it on the piano.  Still the same chord!

I keep them in a small tupperware and pull them out all the time.  I put a nickle next to one of the dominoes to give you an idea how small the dominoes are - you really can use anything small!

The first two times it seems to take quite awhile to explain it all so it works especially well on those weeks that they didn't practice as much!  Or if I know I want to teach it to them we go a little faster through the lesson to have extra time at the end...I would plan on probably 10 minutes the first time but I feel like my students have become so much stronger not only with their understanding of chords but also why we learn scales and key signatures!

Soccer Intervals

I came up with a fun way to practice intervals with my students...they have to put the interval into the right soccer goal! 

 I have done this with my students a lot and they always look forward to it.  I actually bought cardstock soccer balls and then printed and glued intervals onto the balls but I made some here for you   :)    Let me know if you would like more intervals to practice with!  You should be able to click on the picture and save it then print it! I would suggest printing these on cardstock.  IT would be worth it to laminate them as well.  

Rhythm Cards

I love being able to review rhythms with my students off of the piano.  If a student is struggling with a rhythm or learning a new one I often break out an instrument (usually a boom whacker) for myself and for my student and we work through the rhythm together.  Once they have learned the rhythm then we add the notes on the piano.  Using an instrument makes it fun especially when they are frustrated and then they don't have to worry about which notes to play.

I also like to pull out rhythm cards for the students if I have a few minutes left over...these are great because you can do 2 of the cards or use all of them depending on the time left.  I have a few different sets that I use...

I printed each set on a different color of paper and store them all together in a large ziplock (all of set 1 are yellow, all of set two are green just to make it easy to keep them together).  I did not use cardstock and since I flip through them instead of the students and they have help up fine.

Layton Music:

https://laytonmusic.wordpress.com/2007/12/19/rhythm-flashcards/

I just discovered these from Susan Paradis and really like the more advanced rhythms!

http://www.susanparadis.com/color-coded-rhythm-pattern-cards/

There are lots of different instruments you can use...we use the boomwhackers a lot.  You could also use a woodblock, jingle bells, castanets and egg shakers, my students love all of them!!.  You could use all of the different instruments at a group theory party and have a lot of fun!

WAR!

There is a party thrown at the piano any time I bring out the war deck!  This is a GREAT one to do at a group theory lesson!!!  I printed two decks from cphmusic onto cardstock so I could have two games going at a group theory party.  I highly recommend laminating them...I did not at first and wish I had!

We play this rhythm version of war as a standard war game...deal out all of the cards to the players in a stack so they can't see the face of the cards (I've had 2 or 3 players per game).  At the same time all of the players flip over their top card.  Each student has to identify how many counts their note or rest is worth.  Whoever has the highest note value gets to keep everyone's cards.  It doesn't matter if it is a note or a rest just it's value.

The best fun is when two people turn over a card with the same value - WAR time!  Each player then lays out two more cards face down and then flips over the 3rd card.  Whoever has the higher note value keeps ALL of the cards that are out!  My kids love it!  It is a war if one has a half note and one has a half rest since they are both worth 2 counts.  It is also a war if there are two beamed eighth notes against a quarter note (or triplet verses quarter rest, etc)

I did not print the 16th notes, the fermatas or the rests that came with the game.  I wanted to practice rests more so I made a page with lots of rests on it and printed it a couple of times.  Have fun!

Boom Whackers!

Boom Whackers are one of my favorite teaching tools!  They are pitched plastic pipes that can be used to play lots of fun songs.  I use them to help teach rhythms.  Here is a fun group that plays well known tunes on the boomwhackers.  You can make your own or purchase them here.

I keep them next to my piano and they get pulled out a lot!  They are pitched plastic tubes.  My homemade ones have been used so much that the pitch is no longer true but that's not really important when used to review rhythms in a lesson.

Any time a child is struggling with a rhythm I grab two boom whackers and let them pick one (I get the other).  We then bang out the rhythm together.  They can bang anywhere they want - on the piano, on the bench or *my favorite* on their head!  They get excited to use the boom whacker which helps settle them down if they are frustrated.  We count it out together and then they do it alone.

We use them both in their lesson to count out a difficult rhythm as well as in lots of theory games.  They are especially useful with the Rhythm Flashcards and the Build A Rhythm games.

My daughter made these boom whackers for a school science project and she had a great time playing songs with them.  They are made out of the plastic coverings for fluorescent lights.  We found them with the lights at the hardware store for about $6.  One tube made several.  You can follow the instructions to pitch them or just cut them up to use...I really have not used the pitches yet although I think it would be a lot of fun at a group theory party,

Key Signatures

Color in My Piano made a great key signature game.  It is shown here as an electronic game but she also has a printable version that I use.

I printed up her pages on cardstock starting on page 8 of her download.  I cut off the bottom half of the paper that shows the key signatures.  I then cut up each of the "keys" so they could place them on the correct key signature.  The kids seem to enjoy putting the keys in the right place and I don't have to wipe off their lines when then are done!  It's been a fantastic teaching tool!

I numbered each set to help keep them together - so I printed page eight onto cardstock, cut the page in half, cut each of the keys to be individual keys and then put a number one on the back of each key and on the front of the key signatures.  I printed all of her different sets so I have a beginner set or I can focus on sharps or flats and eventually we do the page with all of them mixed up.  It has been a great teaching tool!

Musical Terms Review

Color In My Piano made this great review game called Adventures in Music.  I have used it both as a one player game at the end of a lesson or at a group theory party.  The student rolls the dice and moves their marker to a spot.  There are two different stacks of cards for them to pick from depending on what spot they land on.  The game reviews basic symbols, notes and intervals.  It took some time to cut out all of the little cards but I have enjoyed having a fun way to review so many different concepts in one game.  Since the cards are so small it was worth laminating them (and you do need to print both sides!) - again a pain but I think it was worth it!

You will  need some dice for this game as well as some kind of fun marker - I use the ones found in the Learning Notes and Keys post with all sorts of fun toys!

Whole and Half Steps

We have had a lot of fun with this whole and half step game from Pianimation.  The student places a fun toy on any key and then draws a card telling them how many half or whole steps to move.  I have used all sorts of rubbery animals and other toys on the keys.  My Learning Notes and Keys post has other ideas for toys to put on the piano!  This has really helped with understand the difference between half and whole steps especially between E and F or B and C.

Build a Rhythm

This is one of my favorites.  I printed the Build A Rhythm cards from Pianimation - I used lots of different colored papers to make it fun (hooray for neon!).  Since I use this for individual lessons not as a multi-player game I did not print the wild cards.  I drew some bar lines and final bar lines on cards the same size as the notes.  They pick a time signature and start building with notes at their level.

I love watching them learn this way as I point out that there are too many counts in a measure or not enough.  This has been great at all levels of piano!  They then get to pick an instrument to play (I have boomwhackers, wood blocks, jingle bells, egg shakers, and castanets) and they count out the rhythm that they made up.

This is one of my favorite activities!  I have tons of cards printed (and laminated - it was a pain but realllly worth it) so multiple people can do this at a theory party as well, then they can play each others rhythms!

Getting Started - Storage

Unfortunately having a Party at the Piano requires a storage place for your games.  I thought I would share how I have mine stored.

Any small stack of paper (flash cards, game cards, small rhythm cards, etc) are stored in a snack size zip lock bag if they fit (a few games like war required a sandwich size ziplock).  I have a medium tupperware that holds a lot of these bags.

Any of the small manipulatives are stored in their own small plastic containers.  These would be the dominoes, checkers, etc.  Some of them need the medium size (army men).

Most of the 8 1/2 x 11 game boards (race tracks, bingo cards, etc) are stored in a binder with sheet protectors.

All of this is stored in a small shelving unit made by closetmaid.  I also picked up some of the fabric drawers that fit inside.  I have a smaller one on top but I don't think it is made any more.

The top drawer holds my lesson calendar, pens and pencils and a few of my most used games (flashcards).  

The second drawer holds all of my tupperware containers.

The black box on the bottom has my most used student solos/books (the rest are kept elsewhere).  The binder has the full size pages for games.  If you notice to the left of the cabinet on the ground are my boomwhackers...I keep them close because I use them allll the time!