800 responses! That’s how many Teach Piano Today readers took time out of their busy schedules to complete our survey last week for PianoGameClub.com… which launches on November 1st.
Like many of you, I started out using piano games as a fun way to reinforce lesson concepts… something to give my students a little “brain break”.
But as I continued to dedicate more and more lesson time to piano games and “off-the-bench” activities, and as my student retention rate went through the roof, I quickly discovered that the benefits of piano games went far beyond just fun.
Now on Wednesday, I’m going to share with you how I manage to easily include piano games in every lesson, but today, let’s take a look my discoveries when I first started using piano games every… single… lesson.
Want to know exactly what I discovered?
Let’s play a little game to find out…
The video below will lead you through our “Off-The-Bench” Piano Quiz. At the end of the video quiz we’ll tell you how to get an incredible “Off-The-Bench” Piano Game that you can use with your piano students this afternoon!
Spoiler Alert: It’s quite “possible” that the quiz is “impossible” to fail 🙂
Get My Piano Game
So you passed the test! Now all you have to do is leave a comment below telling us how much time you spend every lesson performing “off-the-bench” activities and we’ll email you an exciting game that you can print off and play this afternoon.
And the best part… every single person who leaves a comment will get the game 🙂
I’ve not spent much time in lessons doing games but I am convinced now!
Kids love games! I use them on occasion for specific issues they might be having, although I only have a few to use.
I have been sending games home for them to play because I don’t know how to make time for the games. By the time you listen to what they have practiced, teach a new skill, and make assignments, I’m always out of time. I’m interested in HOW to find time for them. I LOVE the concept!
I use piano games every day and am always looking for new ideas! I spend about 1/3 of each lessons playing games.
I am with Sarah. I do not use at all, but I’d like to at least try it for a couple of weeks and see how the time goes.
Not as much as I’d like to. Just run out of time.
I’ve been using games as part of individualized learning plans for my students about a year now. Kids love it, and so do I!
I’ve used your games before. Kids love them although I do supplement with m&m’s. Lol
I rarely use games, but I too am convinced that it’s a great idea. Last week I spent time just chatting with a student and assessing his goals, and then we watched a “Piano Guys” video on YouTube (as you had suggested in an earlier post). I could see the change in attitude – doing off the bench work really does help to inspire.
Playing music games is a great way to reinforce so many music concepts. One of my earliest ones is walking up and down stairs saying the music alphabet up and back. Introducing steps in this way is fun and can be done at home.
I love this idea! Will use it tomorrow for sure! Thank you.
I’ve been using games the past few weeks with elementary students & they love them! Sometimes we haven’t covered all their assigned pages but their enthusiasm seems just as valuable. I look forward to acquiring more games to use.
I will use more games now!!
My younger students especially love games. They ask at the beginning of their lesson if we can play a game today.
Thank you so, so much for your constant energy and support and creativity helping us teachers whom believe music is fun and should be accessible to everyone of all ages and abilities. We all learn far better through fun and enjoyment and different activities and the use of different senses rather than one method – Ms Becka Fairfax
Looks fun! I would like to try it out.
I rarely use off the bench piano games. I find our lesson time evaporates very quickly just with our normal activities! …but I’m very interested in learning more about your games!
I don’t spend as much time as I should using off-the-bench activities, and I am very interested in what you have to offer!
I am just starting to teach my 7 year old grandson and I did not know about piano games but would like to use them!
For Younger Students I usually have carpet time every other week or so with music games.
Don’t use games often enough and largely only with my youngest students. Will need to change that!
Me, too! I have three little cousins who would LOVE to play games together, if I let them. It’s difficult to find a balance that allows them to enjoy fun games together and still keep them focused on their individual learning. Can’t wait to give Ribbit Rhythms a try!
I spend 5-10 or so minutes per lesson off the bench, a bit more with my younger students. I like to start with a game or stretching and I try to do lots of theory games off the bench.
It depends on the student, teenagers usually prefer to play and do on piano activities most of the time, but with beginners and early intermediate students I often add off the bench piano games, they enjoy it and have their favourites 🙂
With today’s kids, new fresh games and incentives are an integral component of most lessons.
Looking forward to all your new ideas!
I try to use games as often as I can. I do find it difficult to fit in sometimes with scales, pieces and theory, but I have been making more of an effort and the students love it!
Depends from the child! From 5 to 15 minutes. 🙂
Enjoy Teach Piano Today tips and printables. Thank you.
I love all ‘off the bench’ games. Can’t get enough of them – each student needs to learn skills, sometimes testing my ability to come up with something new! Looking forward to the excitement to come, thanks!
I am always looking for new and effective strategies for teaching. We often think of “theory” or simple “point and name the note” activities as the off-bench methods, but they are definitely not the most effective way of reinforcing musical concepts and skills. I can’t wait to introduce your games to my students.
I typically spend 5 minutes. If the student arrives early, they pick up the iPad and get started on their own, saving us several minutes.
I like this idea, good use of technology too, and I often have to make a quick trip to top up my tea or go to the loo!
Wow that was really convincing. I do a lot of “off-the-bench” activities, however they are not always games. Some of them are a bit of a bore. Would love to spruce them up with whatever game you have in store! I CANNOT WAIT FOR PIANO GAME CLUB. Your best idea yet, because it is soooo desperately needed amongst piano teachers everywhere.
I probably spend about between 5 and 10 minutes playing a game/games, not every lesson, but most. I’m finding it difficult to keep finding games that are fun but also relate to where the student is at in their learning
Anywhere from zero minutes to 10 minutes of a 30 minute lesson.
I love piano games!
I use games every class! Usually the last 5 minutes of class or in the middle for a brain break. Or if a student walks in and they’re clearly having a bad day… we START with a game!
I use games and flashcards every lesson! I am always looking for more games and more ideas. Thank you!
Games are essential to my studio. It keeps the kids engaged and has them learning about concepts just as effectively as if they were being introduced.
I’m looking forward to the games, Andrea and Trevor! I spend too much time looking, cutting and laminating…
ditto….and the kids attention spans a generally quite short…the games ARE cute though!
Depends on the lesson and if I have the right game at the. Time
I’ve just this year started using more piano games. I can’t believe the difference it has made in my students retention, understanding, a and enjoyment of playing (music and games). I can’t wait to try your new games and add them to my repertoire of activities.
Almost the same as above – anywhere from not at all (though that is rare) to about half of the lesson!
It varies from a couple of minutes to 10 minutes depending on the reason why I’m using a game
After reading so many of your posts, I now devote at least 3 – 5 minutes on games related to the skills we’re working on at each lesson. My problem is how to organize them and have them at easy access. Any ideas?
Usually the last 5 minutes with students aged 8 – 14 but can be half the lesson with younger ones.
I almost always incorporate games into my lessons (depends on age of student), but wish I had a bigger variety of games in my library! 🙂
“Off the bench” activities take up about 5-10 minutes of a 30 minute lesson on average for me!
Thank you I have been looking for some piano games. Thank you for giving my studio a boost.
I use games a lot in my lessons with the younger students, with the older ones the games are disguised but also present. Looking forward to some new ideas!
I wish I could say that I use a lot of games….. But, I am looking forward to doing so..
Very convincing! I don’t spend too much time with “off the bench” piano activities, but I am in the process of trying to do more!
This post was a great reminder to include more off-bench activities. I need to do more of this!
Up to a year ago – zilch.
Now I have a “bag of tricks” I can use for at least 5 minutes out of each lesson. If the students need extra work in a certain area, they may borrow the game for a week to play with Mom or Dad. This is a real treat!
With games, the kids are having so much fun, the concepts are incorporated naturally:)
I like to spend 5-10 minutes on a game or “off bench” activity. sometimes longer if something is really working well. I am trying to get organised with more games and fun resources this year – have just bought my first laminator!
It depends- with beginner kids I might want to do a bit of theory at the beginning of the lesson so I might do for example- how long is it mr. Wolf ?with note values. I always aim to end the lesson on a really fun game- end on a high note. Some kids don’t want to interrupt piano playing, particularly if they are beginners or only have a keyboard at home- they are desperate to play the piano keys and just love the sound. But I am always open to more games. I have loads for younger kids but am finding it difficult to find some for older kids e.g. 11/12 yr old boys or teenagers……..please help!
It depends on the student, but average 5-10 minutes. I also spend way too much time searching, cutting and laminating, so will be happy to cut out the searching!
I use games very little during classes because I try to cram in as many activities as possible, but we never quite get to the off the bench part. I would love to include more games, but how do you do that and still get the student to progress fast enough? Looking forward to your next posts! P.S. I have ALL of your games in a folder, all printed out… But I’m not including them in my lessons yet, as much as I would love to….
Games have been added to all my group lessons and piano camp so I understand the retention and enjoyment of learning theory/music concepts. In a 30 minute lesson, I must add a game as you have pointed out! I thought I didn’t have time, but itakes sense now. Thanks for encouraging us to try new things and supply such good materials! Love it!
Great VIDEO. It really makes the case clear and easy to understand. Will share with parents. Thanks to TPT I try to get off the bench for “one module” each lesson. This amounts to 5 – 10 minutes ideally per lesson. Thank you so much for getting both me and my students OFF THE BENCH.
I use piano games and other activities frequently throughout the week of lessons. While a few students prefer to just sit on the bench, I find that most enjoy the break. I vary the place at which point a game is inserted, and we will spend 5-15 minutes on a game.
Usually I spend about 10 minutes off the bench, depending on the lesson and student. I need more ideas, though – can’t wait!
I rarely take time to do games in lessons. I had good intentions at the start of the year to integrate them more often but already must admit I’m not doing so well…
I teach ‘off the bench’ activities anywhere from 2 – 10 minutes of a 30 minute lesson. Sometimes they are games, but sometimes they are just another way to get the student to look at a difficult passage that they are having problems with in a particular piece. Sometimes we do worksheets (they love them on a tablet or using those dry erase markers!). I do tend to follow a ‘game plan’ for my studio of offering rhythm games in week #1, note name games week #2, terms/style of play games week #3, and favorites for week #4. Sometimes I wish I had more minutes! And the good part is many times THEY wish they had more time as well! I am a firm believer in using fun elements during a lesson, and I’m looking forward to seeing what you have to offer!
Love the idea of having a certain game focus on different weeks!
I usually spend 5-8 minutes on a game.
All ages if my students always ask!
I use a lot of games with my students, usually about 5 minutes a lesson.
A few minutes each lesson.
I’ve never done off-the-bench activities before. Can’t wait to try it!
I play piano games ‘here and there’ with the younger kids and am guilty of ‘when I remember to do them’… with time cramming into 30 minutes. My kids absolutely love them when I do them. Think I need your piano game even more now so I do it today!!
Love to begin a lesson with a quick game, 3-5 minutes. Sometimes break in the middle for another short game, especially with the youngest students. Always looking for more ideas. Thanks!
I find with my beginner students that I have more time to have games that both teach and bring a fun element into learning. I usually have 5-7 minutes of games with them for several lessons.
It is more difficult with me with my more advanced students to find the time for off the bench activities. Our lesson seems to fly by !
I started using games with a young set of twins as the last part of a 45 minutes lesson. It was so much fun I am now incorporating games into lessons for all my younger students. I try to spend 5-10 minutes per lesson. i’ve also carried some of the games into my elementary music classroom.
I haven’t used any games yet, but I use off the bench printable activities and I use my tablet for a variety of activities. Can’t wait for your gaming ideas! 🙂