10 Resources for Beginning Piano Students

Beginner piano lessons are incredibly important when it comes to a student’s musical journey.  This is the time when piano teachers need to “hook” students not only by sharing their passion for piano but also by connecting with their students. 

So many times, you hear adults say “I wish I would have stuck with piano” so, I’ve asked these adults why they didn’t and it typically comes back to the same few reasons: 

• I didn’t have fun. / I didn’t enjoy it.

• I had an old mean teacher. 

• My parents couldn’t afford it. 

While we can’t change our age or even pay for our student’s lessons, we as teachers can inspire and engage students in fun ways by incorporating games and other activities. 

Why are “off-the-bench” activities useful? 

Getting students off the bench doesn’t mean you are disregarding everything you’ve been working on at the bench!  It’s quite the opposite. 

When students engage in these other activities, we are reinforcing the concepts they are learning at the bench to make their playing even better. 

Usually, these activities will involve a different form of learning which is perfect for reinforcing concepts.

Check out these 10 resources that are being used in studios all around the world.

1: NoteMatch Piano Reading Tool (Magnetic and dry-erase board)

This is a tool that aids in - and even accelerates - the process of learning to read notes. It is truly the key to reading music! A one of a kind product, NoteMatch helps students understand the music notes on the page in relation to their location on the piano keys.

Find Out Why NoteMatch Is Your Note Reading Solution Here.

2:  Under the Sea Digital Bundle
This digital piano game mega bundle will help beginning piano students feel confident reading notes in the C position.
Share this game with students to play at home on their phone, tablet, or computer by sending them the link or QR code!  

3: On A Funny Note Level 1 Boom Cards: 5-Deck Bundle
ON A FUNNY NOTE piano lesson boom cards are designed to bring bubbly laughter to your music classroom or music lessons while reviewing level one music concepts. On A Funny Note decks consists of 4 different activities (yes – 4 different jokes!) escalating in difficulty with each activity. Pick one activity or do all four! Up to you!

4: Go FISH! GIANT Bundle- Games, Posters & Studio Leaderboard
Conquering interval recognition helps students become familiar and comfortable with the language of music, improve their sight reading skills and fluency, and learn the basic building blocks of chords.

5: Creative Story Compositions | Medieval Quest | Reproducible
The purpose of the creative story compositions is to kickoff the composition process in a creative way.  There are 3 options to choose from.  Students are encouraged to create a short story along the way. 

6: Popping for Music Skills
Popping for Music Skills reinforces music notes, symbols, piano keys, and/or finger numbers utilizing the Pop Its that are extremely popular this year!

This set includes 87 music flashcards and 12 fun popping trivia cards.

7: Skip and Step, Pop! | Sheet Music | Unlimited Studio License
Whether it’s Pop Its, Bubble Wrap, or Balloons! Your students are going to have a poppin’ good time with these pieces! 

Teach these pieces by rote, create a duet, or partner pop! 

If you are looking for a fun and quirky recital piece that will generate buzz about your studio, the Pop with Music Series is perfect for you. Instead of using Pop Its during your recital, you could pop balloons, bubble wrap, or use a squawking chicken! 

8: Practice Kit- ‘My Bag of Practice Tricks’ AND ‘My Music Journal’
This beginning piano resource is one of our top-selling products on TMM. This bundle includes ‘Bag of Practice Tricks’ with 43 highly effective practice strategies, encouraging piano students to prepare, play and perform better and with more confidence.

This set also includes ‘Music Journal’ which fosters a self-regulating attitude.  From goal setting to noting Practice Stats, from Counting Down to important goals, and Tracking Practice Campaigns- these sections all work together to serve as a real-life’ practice incentive program. 

“I am so glad I found this set of books. My students have been enjoying the easy-reading style of the Bag of Practice Tricks, and I have been enjoying seeing their improvement, and renewed interest! The Music Journal It has made it easier to direct their practice through the week. and it's a great way to track their progress too.”- Liz

9: Squawking Chicken Rhythm Game
This rhythm game is a fun and engaging piano resource used to reinforce basic rhythm skills that are found in beginning piano method books. 

Your students will jump with joy as they pick their card and find a rhythm on the other side.  They then have to master the rhythm in order to keep the card.

“This is awesome! I have several students in the PP Prelude book right now, so this is a great game! (really for any music student using RHYTHM!)”- Julie Duda, Owner of Julie Duda Music School

10: Beginner Improve Pack
If you love Tim’s resources, or if you are new to TopMusic, I highly recommend checking out this beginner improv pack.  This is a bundle of Tim’s best improv activities for absolute beginning piano students.

There is now a huge amount of evidence that suggests that the best way to teach music is firstly through listening, copying, singing, creating and exploring well before anything to do with reading and writing.

This download comes with sheet music AND links to fully orchestrated backing tracks in a variety of styles, so you can focus on the teaching and not have to worry about finding music and loading up CDs, etc.