A 30-minute piano lesson can feel as though someone pressed fast-foward on your clock. Exam prep, recital prep, method book work, technical work, composing, piano games…
… and often it’s piano games that get left behind.
But wait! What if we told you that using piano games in your lessons will actually *save* you time?! How?
When children learn new concepts or review past concepts within the context of a game, they are fully engaged in the process. No time is spent re-directing, re-motivating or re-focusing… you have an eager learner beside you ready to soak it all in! Plus… your piano student will retain information more easily when it is presented in a game-based context because he is completely engaged in the process: he wants to win the game!
Keep reading to find out how you can easily incorporate piano games into your lessons… even when time is tight.
Make Time For Games With These 5 Strategies
So… there it is… the one hurdle to including game-based learning regularly is TIME. Fortunately, you can use a couple of simple strategies to crush that hurdle, and pave the way to studio success…
1. Easy Peasy Method Book Notes
I believe so strongly in using game-based learning, that before I send a student home with a new method book, I first add some of my own notes to the header of each piano piece in the book.
In the header (in a discrete area and in a tidy way) I write down the names of one or two piano games that reinforce the concepts being learned in the piano piece. Along with the title of the game, I also note the bin number where it is stored for quick reference (more on that later).
By doing this in advance, I eliminate any time spent deciding which is the correct game to use and then searching through my storage bins to find it. And because the information is directly written on the piano piece that is already open on the piano, it also eliminates the time I might spend opening my teaching binder and referencing a spreadsheet… every second counts!
This strategy requires a bit of prep work, but if you only use two or three method books, you quickly remember which piano games go with which pieces and making the notes before sending the method book home is easy-peasy.
2. Piano Game Days
The first time you play a piano game, you are bound to spend more than 5 minutes learning how the game is played. But once your kids know the rules, playing that game in future lessons takes a fraction of the time.
Because of this, you might want to consider hosting a Piano Game Day one weekend every month or two. During this day, you can teach your piano students how to play all of the fun new games you have.
Then, when your students come for their regular individual lessons, they are ready to roll and no time is wasted learning the games.
Piano Game Days are also a brilliant way to add to your teaching income and to help your piano students meet other music-minded friends, hereby building a sense of community.
3. Game Storage
You’re probably also wondering how to store your piano games so that you can easily grab exactly what you need… and spare yourself from a chaotic studio where spare dice cause tripping hazards and game boards and cards spill from every shelf.
So, I’m going to let you in on my game-storage secret!
As you see in the photo – each of my games has its own folder. Here’s how I set up all of my game folders:
1) Purchase “2 pocket” folders (at the Dollar Tree – 2 for $1.25)
2) Tape the (included) game cover page to the front of the folder.
3) Place the game board in the right-hand side pocket
4) Place the game play instructions in the left-hand side pocket
5) Contain all playing cards, die and game markers that are needed for that specific game in a ziploc bag that is then tucked into the left-hand side pocket.
Store your games in an open basket or bin so you can see the title labels easily, and separate your bins according to learning outcome. I have bins labelled as “1: Rhythm”, “2: Note Reading”, and “3: Ear Training” to name a few. Larger game items (chalk, balls, percussion instruments etc.) go in a bin with a lid… learned that lesson the hard way 😉
With this system you can find the exact game that works to reinforce your lesson focus, have everything you need to play immediately at your fingertips (including instructions if needed), and know exactly where to find each game folder.
4. Take-Home Piano Games
Reaping the many necessary benefits of game-based learning does not only need to happen during a piano lesson!
Consider creating Take-Home Game Bags that your students can check out and take home every week. This is a great strategy for reinforcing lesson concepts AND, what I consider to be even more important… getting parents involved in home practice!
If you choose to become a PianoGameClub member you’ll have new games every month to make a program like this a smashing success!
My Final (And Most Important) Strategy… errrr Philosophy
Truth be told I believe there is ALWAYS time for piano games.
I came to realize this when I started to think of them not as games, but as teaching tools. Then, suddenly, game-based learning became much more than a brain-break… it became a philosophy.
And this philosophy is guided by one very simple question:
“Can what I am about to explain be better off learned with a piano game?”
By adopting this philosophy, you’ll discover, as I did, that there is no need to “make time” for piano games. Piano games become a necessary component of any lesson, and a necessary tool that results in better understanding and increased motivation.
Get A FREE Piano Game!
Now for the best part… we have a great soccer-themed piano game to send your way that will improve bass clef note reading! All you have to do is share with us in the comments below one little time-saving tip that you use to help make the most of your precious piano lesson minutes.
And remember… everyone who leaves a comment will receive the game (Kick Flick) by email 🙂
Teresa says
In my music room I have different games and activities available in each corner. These are readily used giving my students off bench time. I can also be spontaneous if necessary.
Faithe says
Hi! I’m just getting in to your site and other sites. I’ve taught piano for 15 years but have never had more than a few students at the time. Now I have over 30 and am still growing. I’ve never used piano games but I’m curious. My student age range is 5-70! More adults now than ever! So I’m eager to learn tips and tricks for all ages!
My time saving tip is: I take notes during the lesson and as soon as possible, key it into my site. I always include an encouraging note to my students and parents. I brag on their accomplishments that day and don’t dwell on the negative if there were any.
Gloria says
When I right notes in their book I feel like it’s a waste of time if they’re just sitting there, and they get bored FAST. I’ll have them choose their sticker, or practice a certain part again, or see if they can come up with a neat sounding melody before I’m done writing.
Amy says
I LOVE your ideas!!!! Thank yo so much!! Trying to motivate all ages of kids.
Judith says
My favourite time saviour to get results. I do it in the lessons and then let them do it at home by themselves. It requires some paper, a pen and 2 bowls. This is what I do to get students prepared for their technique: On small squares of paper I itemize their techinique, i.e. G+ Triad LH Broken, or F+ Cadence, and put them in a bowl. They pick out a square at random and if they play it flawlessly then it goes into a second dish, if not, they work at it and it then goes back into the first dish for another chance. When all the squares are in the second dish there is a great feeling of accomplishment. This way they are ready for anything and I find that it excelerates their preparation quickly. I have also used this idea with isolated bars of their music, musical terms, etc, anything which is not up to par. Their weaknesses become their strengths and it helps in developing discipline. Their practice is focussed and they concentrate on what needs working on rather than aimless repetition. I find it also encourages them to become critical listeners.
shelly mountjoy says
I’m into learning styles, so I’m color coding supplemental activities by the learning style that the activity best correlated with. I find out about the student’s favorite learning style in the first two weeks of lessons with a survey.
Della says
great input! I love game to practice what students learnt
Heather Johnston says
In order to keep lessons moving, I have a hanging file for each day of the week with a folder for each kiddo on that day. Once a week, I spend an hour or three going through supplemental materials and add things to these folders so that I can just grab the hanging file at the beginning of the lesson day and have all supplemental materials at hand.
Donna says
Looking for ways to engage my students in fun ways like this, and with improv. Great ideas! Thanks!
Sherry says
I have my games in my binder
And all the materials for the games in filing boxes all labeled . Very quick to access!!! Thank you for all the great games❤️
Lynn says
Thank you so much for sharing how you store and organize your games, I’m interested in learning more about it all!
Jenifer says
I love playing games. Although I have a few students who do well at playing the games but it doesn’t translate to their piano playing.
Beverly says
I have problems deciding if I want to organize the games by season/holiday or concept. At this point I am dividing them by season and at the beginning of the month, go through all the games (eg Halloween) and then choose which ones I can use. I also have generic games divided by concept. A bit of a struggle. Any ideas?
Stoyana Encheva says
Thank you, for these invaluable ideas and games.
My team-saving typs are:
1. All children have different qualities and abilities.
2. Each needs an individual approach.
3. I assign to each student different tasks – according to his abilities.
4. Each of them has no doubt that I sincerely admire him and love him very much.
Cynthia says
I ask them if there is a piece they want to start with. They often will ask to start with something they spent a lot of time on, or have questions on. It sure beats finding out they have a bunch of questions the last few minutes of class.
robin says
Take 5 minutes to set up and make sure you have your games in order and books ready that students may need. thank you so much for all of your free advice I love it!
sylvia says
Hi,
here is my “time saver secret” :
once a period ( 6 weeks) there ‘s an extra group lesson for games which is schedulded out of the regular planner, students have to register for
it’s fun
thanks
Heidi says
I find that taking two or three minutes to talk to my students about their day helps them be more productive during the lesson time. When I invest time into what they love to do or are active doing, they will invest time back to me. I also have them start with the piece they want to play for me first – because it is usually the piece they have worked the hardest on during the week.
Hannah says
My time saving tip is similar to what you said in the post, Andrea. Have certain games that correspond with each piece you teach. It may take some time to go through your most used method book and match up games to each piece, but this truly does save so much planning time in the future.
Kristy says
I’m a brand new teacher so I don’t have tips yet!!
Drema says
My time-saving tip is:
Be well prepared for each lesson by running through what we did in last week’s lesson, write down what we will be going through today (including any extra music, materials or activities), and have everything prepared before the student arrives!
Jenny says
I use piano games as a motivator to get through other parts of the lesson quicker!
Aubrey says
I organize my TPT Game Club games in sheet protectors which also allows me to not need to laminate the board. I paper clip the cards together and slide them in the sheet protector and use the sheet protector as my laminate and I can also use dry erase markers on the sheet protector…much cheaper for me and saves me time.
Rachel says
With students who have trouble focusing, I have a visual timer. This helps them see how much time they have, and if they have time left at the end of the lesson, they get to chose another piano game to play!
Carol says
love your games!
Robin Maples says
I am trying to find your printable “played a piano game beat my teacher”. Where on your website is it? Also please send me your soccer game.
Jodie Thompson says
I keep a box with flashcards, student file and games by the piano. Oh, of course my timer 🙂
Evanee says
I use a timer… At least when I have more than one 30 minute lesson in a row. Setting it for 15 minutes and then hitting the “repeat” button gives me a quick time-check in the middle of each lesson and makes sure I don’t loose track of time.
Rebecca says
I save time by filling in my students’ assignment sheets before their lessons so that at the end of the lesson, all I have to do it read over it with them, instead of having to write it all out.
Elspeth Johnston says
Hi my time saver is getting the pupil to do their wunderkeys scales whilst I set out the game. Thanks for all the great ideas!
Leslie says
When one student is finishing up their lesson and the next student arrives, I have them pair up and play a game together.
Cindy says
In the past each student has had a spiral notebook for their assignments and a binder with their practice record in it. This year I made a practice assignment book catered just for my teaching ways with boxes to check off when they practice. This way I don’t have to go back and forth between the notebook and the practice binder. It has been a huge time saving thing for me. I also do techniques instead of listening to all the technique they are assigned. They draw three things from a jar for their level and get two chances to pass off the correct technique drawn (ie: g minor scale, F Major Authentic Cadence, etc)
Kim Luce says
I love playing games with my students. I find that if I play a game to review concepts right away at the beginning of the lesson it gets their mind into piano right away (plus it cuts down on unnecessary chit chat with a few of my students). Then if there is time at the end of the lesson, we either play a different game based on the concepts learned in the lesson or the same from the beginning – just to review.
This month (as a full studio) we are working on learning- or reviewing – the notes on the staff. I would love to try the game Kick Flick with them as they learn the Bass clef.
Thank you.
Aubrey Grantham says
Great tips for storage of my games! I put game boards in plastic sleeves in 3 ring binders according to levels. The cards go inside the sleeve held together by a paper clip. The game pieces are organized in a separate bin.
Thank you for the great resources!
Jerelyn Thomas says
Your site is my time saving life line. I would spend hours upon hours looking for motivational games, songs or whatever was needed to encourage my mini pianists to enjoy playing or learn a new concept. But I don’t need to do this, as I usually can find something wonderful very quickly that matches what I’m looking for on your site either free or part of the clubs. Thank you, thank you, thank you for making me a fun piano teacher.
Christina Toole says
I plan out my lessons beforehand and have all the games ready to go before we start! For remote lessons during the pandemic, that means having the game “board” displayed on a magnetic board so I can set it upright on the music stand for my students to view. Then I just hold the cards up as I draw for them, and make the moves with colorful magnetic circles.
They all love your games!
Michelle says
Just found you site about a month ago. It has changed my entire studio around. I just wish I could still get in on the Piano Game Club. Is there a way to purchase those games still?
Andrea says
Hi Michelle! So glad you’re enjoying everything you’ve found 🙂 Just pop me and email about the PianoGameClub games. andrea@teachpianotoday.com
Anna Funk says
I’m trying to incorporate more games in my piano studio! My students loved the fried egg one, especially because I got out a real pan and spatula.
Thanks for all the ideas.