I’m a big fan of teaching piano theory in the context of my kids’ current piece. Turn the page and there’s a new Key Signature? Perfect… we’ll launch into a very relevant theory lesson. But there is a time and a place for good old fashioned pen on paper theory games too – and sometimes when you have those 5 extra minutes at the end of a piano lesson, you need something to keep your student entertained.
If you don’t have a dry erase board I’d suggest you get one! You can pretty much get children to listen and do anything on a white board – they just love them for some reason!
Not only is it an environmentally friendly option to photocopying, but it’s also useful as you can quickly erase and start again as your piano kids becomes faster and more adept at your theory teaching games.
Ready to learn how to teach piano theory with 5 games, 5 minutes, and a whiteboard?! Read on…
Looking for ideas for how to teach simple piano theory concepts?
1. Fill in the blank: Choose a time signature and write two measures of rhythm. For the final 2 measures, only enter one or two of the beats and then draw boxes for the missing rhythms where you’d like your piano student to fill in their own rhythmic values. As you play this game you can discuss all of the different options they have (ie. one quarter note, or two eighth notes, or four sixteenths etc.) and can also allow them to use rests. Clap and count your 4 measures of rhythm once they are complete.
2. Loony Ledger Lines: Draw a very thick line to represent the top or the bottom of the staff. Then, draw 4 lines above or below. Your piano kid’s job is to quickly name the note as you draw circles on each of the lines as fast as you can without taking the time to erase and re-draw the lines – they simply follow your pen and shout it out as you draw. You’ll end up with 4 lines covered in circles and a piano student who is really comfortable reading ledger lines!
3. Articulation Attack: With your student at the piano draw a very large quarter note. Erasing after each time, add an articulation marking over the note (fermata, accent, tenuto, staccato… whichever ones your student is familiar with). As you draw, your student plays any key on the piano in that style. See how fast you can both get! You can also add dynamic markings underneath the note to add to the difficulty (for example a staccato with a mf or a tenuto with a pp).
4. Interval Wars: Want to know how to teach intervals to your piano kids? Have your student roll a die 6 times. Write each of the numbers that result on the white board in a row. Then, with your student at the piano, have them play intervals to match as quickly as they can (ie. number 3 = a 3rd). You can increase the difficulty by specifying major or minor and harmonic or melodic before they play the number row. Up the fun factor by crossing off each interval they play correctly and promising a jelly bean for each one crossed off.
5. Key Signature Scramble: Write the numbers 0 through 7 (not in order) in a row along the top of your board. Write F# C# G# D# A# E# and B# (not in order) along the bottom. Have your piano student draw lines from the sharps to the numbers according to the key signature you name (for example if you say “D major” they draw lines from F# and C# to the number 2). You can do major and minor keys and you can also have your piano student then name the key signatures at the end of your game by writing the name above the number row (for example, above the 2 they would write “D Major/B Minor”).
Teaching Piano Theory doesn’t have to be boring! These 5 games help to solidify concepts you have taught your piano students while exploring their pieces, and they also look after the repetition that is then needed to really make these concepts stick!
Want to get your piano kids really excited about theory? Why not apply those theory concepts and teach them how to compose music?! Check out our newest piano teaching resource, The Curious Case of Muttzart and Ratmaninoff and have a laugh-out-loud composing experience for 12 weeks that will have your piano kids creating amazing pieces!
A favorite I just invented is using a list of funny animal names to teach form markings like repeats, DC al fine, DS al coda, 1st and 2nd endings, etc. Make a list of funny-sounding animals (platypus, dodo bird, weasel, badger, etc.) and read it out loud with your student. Then start adding repeats and other “roadmap” markings and read through it using those markings just like it’s a piece of music. Once you’ve erased and put the markings in different places a few times (be sure to let the student decide where to put them and write them in a couple times), they will have mastered the concept. It’s funny, and so much less confusing than trying to figure out a concept like D.S. al coda in the context of the music.
They also love doing a game where you write a dynamic marking, and they say the word at that dynamic level (so they get to shout fortissimo, whisper pianissimo, etc.) Then switch, so they write the dynamic markings and you say/shout/whisper them. They usually think it’s hilarious to make you say FORTE! FORTE! FORTE! a few times in a row.
These are great! Thank you Melissa!
Thanks Melissa. It’s a great idea.
I can’t wait to try some of these ideas -thanks!!
These are great ideas. This is about the time that places like Walmart put their school supplies out. You can find small 8″x10″ white boards with markers for $2 each. They’re great for one on one or if you do group theory games. The kids love them… :o)
Yes I saw back-to-school stuff just yesterday! White boards are everywhere… even the Dollar Tree now!
I don’t know about the ones at Target or Dollar Tree (which I LOVE!!!). But the ones at Walmart are magnetic also. These are great for doing staff work without erasing the staff all the time if you use magnetic notes. Just a thought…
I love using the white board in my lessons! I’m excited to start using your Articulation Attack game with some of my students!
Another game I play with some of my students is Note Math – add, subtract, multiply, divide the notes and rests by drawing them on the board. For example (drawing the notes, of course) “whole note-half note=half note” or “half note+half note=whole note”.
Fun! Thanks for sharing your game 🙂
Great ideas, thank you! Here’s another studio favorite:
BATTLESHIP: For this one you need 2 dry erase boards, one for you and the other for your student. I say what I’m writing on my dry erase board (which is facing away from the student so they can’t see), and the student has to write it down on their dry erase board. I have a little bell they ding when they are finished, then I flip mine around and if theirs is exactly correct they’ve “sunk my battleship.” I tend to do this alot with my grand staff dry erase boards with the little magnets and I’ll actually sing the melody as I’m putting my magnets down….example “C – E – G” and the student has to put their magnets on the same notes in the correct order. I’ve found it really helps when I flip mine around and they visually compare the correct answer to the one they gave. If it’s incorrect, I have them fix it while saying the answer out loud. Works great with rhythms, intervals, and articulations too! I’m mean so I always give them a doozy for the last one and make ’em sweat 🙂
I realize I’m a little late to this post’s party, but I came across this page on Pinterest, read the comments, and absolutely LOVE this idea. I have a whole crew of boy students in the 8 – 12 age range who would be very entertained, motivated, and captivated by this game. Thanks for the awesome idea!
Great ideas! I used whiteboard paint (8×6) to create a huge teaching space on the wall of my studio. It’s cheap and easy. I used thin craft tape to create permanent staff lines. The kids love that they get to draw on the wall!
love it all :):):):) I am just starting to teach a 3 yr old so any ideas?
Hello! Yes, you likely will want to check out our WunderKeys Piano for Preschoolers program at http://www.wunderkeys.com. It’s a program designed for children ages 3-5 in a one-on-one setting and provides all of the activities you need to make the lessons age appropriate and fun! It’s free-to-offer.