Looking for some November piano lesson ideas to use with your students? I’ve got three activities to share today, including two free Thanksgiving piano worksheets and a fun way to decorate your studio for the month!

Here in the U.S., November is all about Thanksgiving. And while our piano lessons are probably getting pretty busy with holiday music, recital preparations, and everything else we need to squeeze in before December, I think it’s worth taking a little time to celebrate the season.

And speaking of Thanksgiving, I have to say that I’m especially thankful for YOU! Thank you for reading my blog, watching my videos, purchasing my resources, and sending me encouraging messages. I appreciate all of the ways you support The Tattooed Piano Teacher!

But enough mushy feelings. Let’s get to the activities!

All three of these ideas are FREE, so I hope you’ll find something fun to try with your piano students this month.

1. Make a Thankful Wall in Your Piano Studio

This is a simple November activity that gets your entire studio involved, and it doubles as a fun seasonal decoration!

The idea is to create a wall display where students can share something they’re thankful for.

Start by choosing a wall or bulletin board in your piano studio. In the center, hang up the words “I’M THANKFUL FOR…” in large letters. I printed and cut out mine, but you could also use construction paper, bulletin board letters, or whatever you have available.

Next, print some blank pumpkin shapes. You could also use leaves, turkeys, or hearts if you prefer.

As each student arrives for their piano lesson, ask them to think of one thing they’re thankful for.

Have them write their answer on a pumpkin, color it with crayons or colored pencils, and add it to the wall.

That’s it!

The answers are half the fun. Of course, you’ll probably get some students who write things like “my family” or “my friends,” but don’t be surprised if you get some funny ones, too.

My students came up with things like mac and cheese, volleyball, Dr. Pepper, chocolate, and their pets. And yes, someone was even thankful for piano!

A Few Tips for Your Thankful Wall

I recommend preparing everything before your first lesson of the week so you don’t have to worry about cutting out pumpkins between students.

You can also have students write their answers at the beginning of their lesson and save the coloring for the end. If you’re short on time, they can color their pumpkins at home and bring them back the following week.

Leave the wall up for the rest of November, adding new pumpkins as students complete them.

One thing I really like about this idea is that it’s something the whole studio contributes to, even though everyone takes individual piano lessons.

And it gives students a chance to see what their fellow piano students are thankful for!

2. Free Thankful for Music Coloring Pages

My second November piano lesson idea combines a little Thanksgiving gratitude with note-reading practice.

I’ve created a set of FREE Thankful for Music coloring pages that you can download and print for your students!

Each page features a Thanksgiving-themed design with the words “I’m Thankful for Music.” Students follow the musical clues to color the picture.

There are three versions included:

• Piano Key Names: For beginning students who are learning the musical alphabet and piano keys.
• Bass Clef Notes: For students who need some extra bass clef note-reading practice.
• Treble and Bass Clef Notes: For students who are comfortable reading in both clefs.

Choose the page that matches your student’s current level, print it, and grab some crayons or colored pencils.

How to Use the Coloring Pages in Piano Lessons

If you have a few extra minutes during your lesson, have your student work through the coloring activity while you chat about what you’re both thankful for this year.

It’s a nice opportunity for a little conversation that isn’t entirely about practicing piano!

And since the coloring pages reinforce note-reading skills, you’re still getting some music theory review in at the same time.

If your lesson is already packed with holiday music or recital preparation, you don’t need to complete the whole thing together.

Just have your student identify a few notes and get started on the coloring. Then send the rest home to finish.

You could also hang up the completed pages in your studio as another November decoration!

Download the FREE Thankful for Music Coloring Pages

3. November Note Detective: Free Thanksgiving Piano Worksheets

Here’s another new freebie I’ve created for November!

November Note Detective is a set of turkey-themed piano worksheets that can be used for note reading, sightreading, or ear training.

And because I’ve included four levels, you can use them with a pretty wide range of students!

Each worksheet features four pairs of turkeys, labeled A and B. Inside each turkey is a short, four-note melody.

The two melodies in each pair are almost identical. Three notes are exactly the same, but one note is different.

The student’s job is to find that changed note!

Four Levels Included

Each level focuses on a different interval:

• Primer: Skips
• Level 1: Intervals of a 4th
• Level 2: Intervals of a 5th
• Level 3: Intervals of a 6th

I’ve also included a table of contents showing the notes covered at each level, so you can choose the appropriate worksheet for each student.

But here’s what I really like about these worksheets: there are three different ways to use them!

Option 1: Note Reading and Writing

Have your student compare the two melodies in each pair.

Ask them to identify which note is different, circle that note in both turkeys, and write the names of the two circled notes in the blanks.

Then comes the interval challenge!

Each pair contains one turkey with the specific interval for that level. Students find the correct turkey and color it in.

This is a great way to practice reading notes carefully, recognizing patterns, and identifying intervals rather than simply naming isolated notes.

Option 2: Sightreading

You can also skip the writing portion and use these as short sightreading exercises.

Have your student identify the first note in each turkey and then play both melodies.

Once they’ve played the two versions, ask them what they noticed.

Which note was different? Was it higher or lower in the second version? Which melody did they like better?

Sometimes just changing one note makes a melody sound quite different!

This approach gets students reading and playing short musical patterns while paying attention to the details.

Option 3: Ear Training

And here’s a third way to use the exact same worksheets!

Choose either Turkey A or Turkey B from the first pair and play the melody for your student without letting them see your hands.

Their job is to listen carefully and identify which melody you played.

Have them circle or color the matching turkey.

You can play the melody again if they need another chance to listen.

This is a fun little ear-training challenge, especially for students who are beginning to recognize melodic patterns by ear.

You can even use the same worksheet in multiple lessons, choosing a different approach each time.

Download the FREE November Note Detective Worksheets

Looking for More Thanksgiving Piano Games?

Of course, it wouldn’t be November in my studio without a few Thanksgiving music games!

My students love seasonal games, and I love that they’re an opportunity to review note reading, rhythm, intervals, and other music theory concepts.

I’ve actually put together a separate blog post featuring seven Thanksgiving music activities, including:

• Thanksgiving Rhythm and Note Bingo
• Pumpkin Pie Rhythm Puzzles
• Thanksgiving Music Theory Worksheets
• Thanksgiving Color-by-Note
• Thanksgiving Compose with Dice
• Thanksgiving Music Theory Puzzles

In that article, I explain what each resource covers, which levels they’re appropriate for, and how to use them in your piano lessons.

Read: Thanksgiving Music Activities, Games & Worksheets Your Students Will Love

A Little Thankfulness Goes a Long Way!

November can be such a busy month for piano teachers. Between preparing students for holiday recitals, keeping up with regular lesson material, and getting ready for the end of the year, it’s easy to forget about doing something just for fun.

But these November piano lesson ideas don’t require an entire themed lesson.

A few minutes spent adding a pumpkin to your Thankful Wall, coloring a music worksheet, or playing through a couple of turkey melodies can be a fun change of pace.

And with the two free Thanksgiving piano worksheets, you’ve got something ready to print for several different levels.

I hope you and your students enjoy these activities this month!

And one more time, thank you for being here and supporting The Tattooed Piano Teacher! 🤎