Can preschoolers learn piano? Yes, they can! But as a piano teacher, you’ll need a totally different approach.
Wunderkeys Piano for Preschoolers is a completely unique piano method book series designed to introduce very young beginners to the magic of music at the piano.
Kindergarten- vs Preschool-Aged Piano Students
If you love teaching young beginners (ages 4, 5, and 6), you might consider starting even younger!
But don’t head into a first lesson with a 3- or 4-year old little one with the same plan and the same books you usually use with your kindergarten-aged beginners.
Preschoolers live in a different world.
They haven’t yet spent a full day in school. They’re not accustomed to sitting for…well, any length of time. They are content to bounce from activity to activity. And their entire day is centered around play and movement.
This is not a bad thing! And it doesn’t mean they can’t begin their musical journey! In fact, preschool-aged children are in their own little magical world and can be such a joy to work with.
YOU JUST HAVE TO CHANGE YOUR MINDSET. Instead of saying, “They’re coming for their piano lesson,” say, “They’re coming to play!”
Wunderkeys Piano for Preschoolers Does It Different
The best way to change your piano teacher mindset from traditional lesson planning to preschool-friendly play-based activities, throw out those other piano method books!
Enter: Wunderkeys Piano for Preschoolers.
Here’s what’s MISSING from this series:
- No white keys
- No finger numbers
- No hand positions
- No staff
- No notes
- No songs to practice
So, what do they do?!
Here’s what’s INCLUDED in this series:
- Five characters to represent the five fingers
- Pictures of when/what to play
- Rhythm poems
- Listening
- Games
- Preschool-friendly writing pages
- Pattern recognition
- Flexible teacher-student interaction
Are you sold yet? Let’s dive deeper into the Wunderkeys Piano for Preschoolers books!
What Age is Wunderkeys Piano for Preschoolers for?
Written by Andrea and Trevor Dow, the creators of the Wunderkeys books, Wunderkeys Preschool is specifically designed for very young beginners.
Wunderkeys Preschool is marketed for ages 3, 4, and 5.
Personally, I use is with ages 3-4, and sometimes age 5.
How Many Books Are in the Wunderkeys Piano for Preschoolers series?
There are three levels in the Wunderkeys Piano for Preschoolers piano method series:
- Wunderkeys Piano for Preschoolers, Book 1
- Wunderkeys Piano for Preschoolers, Book 2
- Wunderkeys Piano for Preschoolers, Book 3
All three levels focus on off-staff notation only. No notes on the staff are introduced in this series.
Students play only on the black keys in all three levels. White keys are not introduced in this series.
What Comes After Wunderkeys Piano for Preschoolers Book 3?
Unlike other young beginner methods, Wunderkeys Piano for Preschoolers was created as a prequel to their Primer level books, not a replacement.
Once a student completes Wunderkeys Preschool Book 1, 2, and 3, they would then go into Wunderkeys Primer Book 1.
What is the Pacing of Wunderkeys Piano for Preschoolers?
By comparison to other young beginner methods, the pacing of Wunderkeys Piano for Preschoolers is much slower. But that makes sense considering it is one of the very few piano method book series geared towards age 3.
Unlike other young beginner piano method books, Wunderkeys Piano for Preschoolers…
- Does not introduce the white key names
- Does not introduce finger numbers
- Does not include full songs
- Does not introduce the staff at all
What Does Wunderkeys Piano for Preschoolers teach?
In the three levels of the Wunderkeys Piano for Preschoolers series, students will learn:
- Use fingers (pictures, not numbers)
- Recognize patterns
- Play rhythmic patterns
- High vs low
- Listening
What Are the Pros of Wunderkeys Piano for Preschoolers?
Some of the unique characteristics of this series that I love are:
- Extremely slow pace for age 3-4
- Fun characters and pictures do not overwhelm
- Singing, games, and movement activities galore
- Students are not expected to read
- Students are not expected to have full finger independence
What Are the Cons of Wunderkeys Piano for Preschoolers?
There are some drawbacks to the Wunderkeys Preschool books, however:
- Might be too slow for ages 4-5
- No songs to practice at home
- Lots of prep time on the part of the teacher
When Do You Use Wunderkeys Piano for Preschoolers?
Scheduling a Trial Lesson With a Preschooler
When communicating with the parent of a preschooler interested in starting piano lessons, I always set up a trial lesson. I invite the child and a parent to come to my studio and try some activities with me before committing to lessons. This takes the pressure off if either the parent or I feel the child is not quite ready to start piano lessons.
I prefer to keep a variety of piano method books on my shelf ready to go if I schedule a trial lessons with a potential young beginner piano student.
I always have a method series in mind going into the first lesson, but I like having the flexibility to pivot even within the first lesson.
Choosing a Piano Method Book for a Preschooler
Age 3
A beginner age 3 will likely thrive in the fun preschool setting of Wunderkeys Piano for Preschoolers. If this book doesn’t work for a 3-year-old, I will either suggest that the family wait six months and try again or I will not use any books at all and just create my own activities.
Age 4
A four-year-old will also love Wunderkeys Piano for Preschoolers if they are still in that “preschool mindset”–fun and play all day!
A more mature four-year-old can may need more depth than Wunderkeys Preschool can provide. In this case, I would try Pre-reading Made Fun, Starter Book if they are comfortable playing the black keys one-by-one and they will willingly sit on the bench for at least five minutes at a time.
Or a very mature four-year-old may also love the Wunderkeys Primer series.
Where to Buy Wunderkeys Piano for Preschoolers
All Wunderkeys books can only be purchased on Amazon.
Check the price of Wunderkeys Preschool books on Amazon.
Other Piano Methods for Young Beginners
Check out this article where I’ll cover my top picks for piano method books for young beginners!
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