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 need to learn to use games and am thankful for your great posts.
It’s also great for the teacher to get off the bench and move around a bit to stretch the legs and get the circulation going between much sitting! The more games the better!
I use games all the time in my beginner classes, but rarely for private lessons – esp. older kids. Where is the time? I’d love to change my ways.
Love it. You always manage to bring a smile to the kids faces but also to the teachers as well. Great way to start my day!
I use games all the time!
I love to use games for my beginners, but have a hard time finding appropriate games that a middle or high schooler doesn’t think is lame. Keep giving us great ideas!
I try to use “off-the-bench” activities at every lesson, but sometimes I run out of time. I would love your Ribbit Rhythms!
5-10 minutes
we love games at my studio!
http://grantwiggins.wordpress.com/2014/10/10/a-veteran-teacher-turned-coach-shadows-2-students-for-2-days-a-sobering-lesson-learned/
This article is directly related to the “use games to learn” idea! We ask our kids to sit passively and listen either to us or the sounds being made and it’s very tiring. Moving about and changing things up a bit is a very good thing. I fall into the trap of not enough time…So my little ones will ask for some “floor time,” meaning let’s do something fun on the floor with music! Will try to remember how numbing it is to sit absorbing information and use games as a first resort!
Thank you for sharing this. I learned so much.
I have always had students play games in lessons… and I’m always looking for more ideas.
I spend time at least once a month to play games like the Candy Corn Challenge we are doing this month!
This looks like a very fun game. Thanks so much! Fits right in!
Love this! I’ve been trying to incorporate games a lot more in my lessons recently.
My kids beg for games every week. I don’t remember where I read one teacher’s method of writing activities of the lesson plan on tongue depressors and letting the kids draw from a cup before the lesson. I always need an “away-from-the-bench” for my little ones and hyper ones but can’t neglect the older ones either!
I recently had my students invent music games, so I have been playing their games with them almost every lesson. I definitely do games around the holidays a lot.
I try to use games 1-2 times per month. I spend about 5-10 minutes with them – this helps “mix” it up a bit and add more fun! But could always use more ideas!
What a great idea!!! Would love to trial it
I switched to 45 minute lessons a few years ago, just to make time for games. Most days it’s a couple of quick computer games, sometimes other games I have to pull out. I have kids ask for games over and over!
I use flashcards as games sometimes. For instance, I’ll ask him to put the notes in order from the highest to the lowest beats. They like that, but other than that I haven’t tried any off the bench games.
I aim to include 5-10 minutes of piano games in every lesson, but it doesn’t always happen. Realistically it’s probably 3 times a month. I always enjoy reading your ideas for new games!
I love to use games, but I always run out of time before I can do it!
I play games with the little ones ALL the time, but would really like to get in more of a habit of playing games with some of my teenage students as well. I need to remember that EVERYONE likes and benefits from games!
I spend 5-10 minutes of the lesson with games – everyone loves them 🙂
I try to have a game for each student. I have them listed in a notebook by concept and then by level. So when I’m doing lesson plans, I just look for the right one for the student.
My students love games. Thanks for sharing.
I use piano games often. It does help with concepts and retention
I don’t do many off-the-bench activities. I do a few games with the ipad, but I’d like to expand my game repertoire! Thanks!
I usually use games one or two times a month for about the last 10 minutes of lesson time. Kids beg for them every week!
This looks so cute!!
I usually introduce the game during the lesson and play a mini version of it at the end so they can take it home and play it the rest of the week. I usually only do a game every 2 weeks, but like the idea of trying it every week. Before Teach Piano Today, I didn’t have my students play off the bench games and now let’s just say we are all a little happier!
My students get really excited when I introduce a new game, keeps them interested.
Some games, but not enough
I feel like piano games are an integral part of introducing music concepts, reinforcing concepts, and adding some extra fun to piano lessons! Thank you for offering us piano teachers a wonderful outlet for learning about (and receiving free) piano games!
I’ve just spent the holidays re-organising my studio, categorising resources and games etc. Didn’t realise how many I had but the kids are so keen to play them and I am always looking for more. Not that it’s easy fitting them in every week, but I always have one on the lesson plan either to review a past concept or reinforce a newly-learned one.
I spend 5-10 minutes each lesson doing off-the-bench activities with young students.
I spend 5-10 minutes with older kids and 10-15 with younger ones.
It’s funny, I just recently started taking more time away from sitting at the piano with my students to work with them while playing games or using different types of learning aids. That quiz was fun
I am thoroughly convinced that I need to use these off-the-bench piano games now! Thank you for bringing to light some of these exciting approaches to make piano learner more fun!
Great fun!
Games are the best way to reinforce concepts. I strive to have an off bench activity each lesson. It’s fun to see the light bulb turn on when a concept finally makes sense to a student. I find that mostly happens during games!
I just started using games I love it and my students love it
Usually five – seven minutes and spent on a topic that the student requires some reinforcement/assistance with. Works wonders!
Love the ideas of incorporating games! If students can take the ideas home, then practicing becomes more fun!
I’m always looking for new ideas. Thanks!!
Looks like great fun!
As a regular occurrence I don’t find there is a lot of time but I use them when particular skills need reinforcement. Always interested to find activities for older students as I don’t teach really young kids.
It varies week to week with each student, but on average 5 min.
Kids need to move! So any kind of activity to get even more than their fingers moving does wonders… thanks for all your great ideas on this site!!
I seldom use games as I do not have many games but when I do they seem to enjoy them. I seem to be limited on time. I would like to try more.