Teaching a 6-Year-Old with Everyday Objects: Real Lessons from My Studio
Real piano lesson ideas using everyday objects—perfect for wiggly students, no-practice days, and young beginners. Read on for help from a real piano teacher!
Over the past week, I’ve been sharing a small video series on Instagram and YouTube — Day _ of 10: looking for everyday objects to teach a 6-year-old — and it’s been a meaningful reminder of something I’ve learned again and again over the years:
A lot of real learning happens without new music, worksheets, or elaborate plans.
I wanted to gather a few of those ideas here and share what’s been working in real lessons — the kind of lessons where you look at the student in front of you and adjust.
Free Piano Key Worksheets for Beginners: Make Learning the Keyboard Fun and Visual
These free piano key worksheets help beginners identify black key patterns, letter names, and keyboard groups—without endless drills or confusion.
Let’s be honest—some of us never outgrew our coloring obsession. 😅
And that’s a good thing. Because coloring isn’t just fun—it’s one of the most powerful ways to help young piano students learn and remember new concepts.
That’s exactly why I created the free Explore Piano Keys worksheets: a colorful, hands-on way for beginners to recognize black key patterns, letter names, and keyboard geography without the pressure of a theory book.
Teaching Steady Beat in Beginner Piano Lessons (Yes, It Gets Messy!)
If you’ve ever felt like your beginner piano lessons are a little chaotic—you’re not alone. Teaching steady beat, rhythm, and basic coordination is one of the trickiest parts of working with new students. And sometimes? The lesson gets messy.
That’s not a bad thing. In fact, it’s exactly how beginners learn.
Off-Bench Piano Activities: Teaching Musical Steps with Movement 🎹
👉 Off-bench piano activities are one of the best ways to help beginner students learn musical steps, rhythm, and note reading through movement before they ever sit at the piano.
The Wheel of Doom 🎹 | A Fun Piano Lesson Game Students Love
If you’ve ever wished for a way to keep students engaged and excited during lessons, let me introduce you to the Wheel of Doom — a playful studio game that turns practice challenges into a fun adventure.
Inspired by @ryantrahan’s 50-state journey, the Wheel of Doom has quickly become a favorite activity in my studio.