One of the questions we are asked most frequently is how to make note reading easier for piano students. While you certainly want to approach note reading in a way that emphasizes in-context learning, piano students also just need lots of repetition and practice in naming notes. A great way to do this is with games.
Those of you who read our blog frequently know that I’m a big fan of keeping it simple; I’m not one to spend hours prepping games if it’s not necessary… and those of you who are “with me” in this regard will appreciate the absolute simplicity of these activities!
How to Play These 5 Simple Piano Games:
All 5 of these games require just… (are you ready?) a muffin tin, some paper muffin liners, a pen and some small cookies or candies as your “markers”; things you likely have on hand already. For set-up, simply draw the following on the inside of your paper muffin liners: Middle C, D, E, F, G and Bass C, D, E, F, G. Two liners should be labelled as “freebie” to equal 12 total liners.
Game #1: Drop It
Give your piano student a handful of cookies, crackers or candies. Now, play 3 keys on the piano. After each key is played, instruct your student to drop a marker into the corresponding muffin liner. They are allowed to watch you play. After the 3 markers have been dropped, check to see if they are in the correct liners. Your piano student can then eat each candy that “found its mark”.
Game #2: Step, Skip
Place a marker (candy) in a liner and asks your piano student to re-arrange the liners so that the one next to it is either a step or a skip higher. For example, if you place your marker on D and ask for a skip higher, your student would find the F and re-arrange the liners so that they are side-by-side. If your student arranges the liners correctly they can eat the candy… if not, it’s all yours. Repeat!
Game #3: Three in a Row Tic Tac Toe
Have your piano student name a note and place a marker in the corresponding muffin liner. You then name a note and place your marker in a liner and so on. The objective is for each player to get 3 of their own personal markers in a row (horizontal or vertical) for the “win”. Your student will need to work hard to name notes in order to “block” you from creating a line of three and to create a line of three of their own. Freebie liners are open to anyone and can “complete” your row of 3. After each row of 3 completed, the winner eats the markers.
Game #4: Switch-eroo
Place your marker in a muffin liner. Have you student play the corresponding key on the piano (you can make this harder by requesting a major or minor chord on that key or a specific interval with that key as its root). If the student is correct, they replace your marker with their own and put your marker into a freebie liner. If the student is incorrect then your marker remains. Play continues until there is a marker in every liner. Whoever has filled the most muffin liners with their markers wins. The freebie liner contents all go to the winner.
Game #5: Match’em (or “Clean Up”!)
This is a great one to play if you’re just finishing up with this theory prop. Time your student and see how quickly they can match up the C’s, the D’s etc. by stacking the liners on top of each other. Or, you can play where they start with C and then stack the remaining liners in order of the C pentascale (C, D, E, F, G are then all stacked in each clef). Freebie liners just chill out for this one 😉 Set a stacking time goal and if your student beats it, they get a treat.
Simple is Good. So are Muffins.
With a bit of ingenuity, the way you approach note reading and other theory concepts can make a big impact on your piano students… and can be far from boring. Simple games like these ones actually help your piano students to enjoy their lessons even more (they won’t even realize they’re learning! And hey… serve muffins after and you’ll likely make turn them into theory fanatics.
Our biggest goal when we set out to create “Pssst….Your Piano Teacher Thinks This is Theory” was taking the “snore” out of piano theory. There’s no reason that theory should be something that is dreaded or even boring! If approached in a fun and energetic way your piano kids can truly enjoy learning the theory concepts they need to be successful. If you agree, then you’ll love the simplicity of this resource. Simply print and enjoy!
Nancy says
October 17, 2013 at 5:00 amWhat ingenious ideas! Thanks so much!
Dana says
October 17, 2013 at 6:17 amTotally awesome!
LeeAnn says
October 17, 2013 at 6:32 amGreat idea!! I was just working with a student yesterday on learning her notes and she said,I don’t like this!!” So I told her I would find a new game to help her–perfect timing!! Thanks so much!!
Michelle says
October 17, 2013 at 7:56 amGreat ideas! Think I’ll even use them on Saturdays RTMD! Cause who wouldn’t live some cookies with their coffee?! 😉 could also use it for keys on the piano with beginners to help with keyboard geography too! Awesome, awesome, awesome! 🙂
Cheri says
October 17, 2013 at 10:09 amWhat is RTMD?
Andrea says
October 17, 2013 at 10:29 amReturn to Music Day – you can check it out at http://www.returntomusicday.com if you’d like to be involved!
Cameron Weckerley says
October 17, 2013 at 8:25 amI would get in so much trouble giving out sugar! You guys must come from a much more relaxed planet than I come from.. 🙂 Cool ideas though.
Lavinia Livingston says
October 17, 2013 at 8:58 amYes, I have students actually tell me that sugar makes them crazy – like the third grader who then enacted a type of frenzy to demonstrate. Yesterday I bought a package of raw almonds and think I will use those. Or cashews or : what substitutes can someone else think of –grapes, Rice Chez?
I’ve always used candy in the past but now I find that parents are very careful not to allow their children to have candy and the only place they were getting some was at piano. Oops!
I am thrilled with these games. Will probably use one of the ideas today! Thank you so much.
Andrea says
October 17, 2013 at 10:27 amHi Cameron – yes, I have students who either react badly to candy or whose parents prefer them to not have it. Even with the kids who are okay with candy I use VERY small ones 🙂 We did suggest crackers in the post and my favourite to use are Goldfish crackers as they still seem “cool”.
Cheri says
October 17, 2013 at 10:12 amLove this! So easy and fun for students! I have a young student who has multiple food allergies, so I would have to use something else for markers. I guess I would need to have some other kind of prize at the end of the game since he wouldn’t be able to eat the markers. Any suggestions?
Andrea says
October 17, 2013 at 10:28 amYou can cut out small stickers (from those 100 pack sticker packages) and drop stickers instead of food 🙂
Patricia Martin says
October 17, 2013 at 11:08 amI just did this and used a mini muffin pan. It has 24 cups, enough to do the entire c scale bass and treble and make a couple of rows with just the letter names. Can do tic tac toe with 4 across instead of 3. I am seeing a lot of potential with this idea. Thanks!
Ginny Abbotts says
October 17, 2013 at 2:08 pmLove this great idea! I’m always looking for more fun games to play with my students.
Becky Buckler says
January 1, 2014 at 4:45 amI love these ideas, but with cold and flu season taking hold, the idea of handling all that candy and passing it back and forth kind of gives me the creeps! I think I would probably use some dried beans or something they are NOT going to eat as markers, and trade them for wrapped candy or a small bag of goldfish crackers, etc. at game’s end.
Angelica says
January 8, 2015 at 11:39 pmI love this idea I need to find a way to make it travel easier then carrying around a muffin tin try…maybe plastic cups? Any ideas?
Melinda says
February 20, 2016 at 12:23 pmI know this is a little late, but I just recently discovered this blog! Anyhow, reusable silicone muffin/cupcake liners would be a perfect portable solution and they’re reusable, so you spend a little more as an investment, but then they last you a long time! And then you could also add the element of a “hunt” or “race” (for a partner or group game) if you wanted to spread the cups around the room and call out what they are supposed to find and whoever gets there first gets to drop their marker in.
Andrea says
February 27, 2016 at 9:45 pmGreat idea Melinda! Thanks for sharing 🙂
Melinda says
February 20, 2016 at 12:22 pmDoing research for my newly going to be offered weekly “Piano Parties” this summer, I was hit with inspiration after looking at Keyzie Relay, Keyboard Krazies, and the Climb the ladder (and then this post), I think I’m going to do a cake walk-only instead of numbers as the squares they step on, it will be notes on the staff that I call out!
kristie says
January 1, 2017 at 7:52 pmWhat is a “piano party”?
Andrea says
January 2, 2017 at 1:15 pmMany people call a piano group class a “piano party” if it happens outside of regular piano lessons. A group of students get together to play piano games, work on a special project, perform for each other etc. It’s lots of fun and really builds community within your studio!