Piano Made Fun for the Young: The Best Piano Method for Young Beginners You’ve Never Heard Of

Chances are you’ve never seen Piano Made Fun for the Young pop up on your radar before today.  You won’t find Facebook groups dedicated to it.  You won’t see it advertised on Amazon.  And you’ll probably not stumble across it at the local music store.

But this completely unique approach to the first years at the piano is definitely worth a look!  And because of a recent publisher acquisition, it’s easier than ever to order and try out in your studio.

As a veteran piano teacher of nearly two decades, I’m going to walk you through my personal 10 criteria for comparing piano method books.  

By the end of this post, you’ll understand the unique qualities of the Piano Made Fun for the Young books and if they could find a place in your studio.

Reviewed By Experience

I only review products that I have personally purchased and used with students in my own studio long enough to determine how effective they are and gain insights on their qualities, pros and cons.  

I have personally used Piano Made Fun for the Young for many years, so I feel confident that I can provide an in-depth review of the series as a whole, and the individual books.

My 10 Categories For Comparing Piano Method Books

When I first started teaching, I excitedly drove down to my local music store to peruse the shelves for beginner level piano method books for my new students.  I was overwhelmed by the choices!  As I opened each first level lesson book, I thought, “Well, this looks nice.  And this one looks good.  And I like this one, too.”

In a sea of choices when it comes to beginner level piano method books, having specific categories in place to think about, score, and compare can make all the difference in choosing the best one for you.

Let me share my categories for comparison and then in the next section, we’ll score the Piano Made Fun For the Young books in all 10 of these categories.  

The categories are:

• Pacing
• Postitions
• Notation
• Theory
• Technique
• Levels/Path
• Aesthetics
• Song Selections
• Pricing
• Availability

For a more in-depth explanation of what each of these categories entails, please check out my blog post Best Piano Method Books For Beginners: My Top 3 Picks where I break down each one in detail.

Piano Made Fun for the Young: An In-depth Review

Time to dive into the Piano Made fun For the Young piano method book series and use the above categories to give us an overhead view of how well this would work for our beginning piano students.

Pacing: Very Slow Pace

A Uniquely Slow Start

Let’s put it this way–if you handed a nine-year-old the Starter Book in the Piano Made Fun for the Young series, they would be able to learn all of the songs in less than a week.

However, if you hand the Starter Book to a four-year-old and explain the notation, they will be very comfortable learning a few new songs each week.

The uniquely slow pacing of Piano Made Fun for the Young will make more sense as we look more in-depth at the introduction of hand positions and the notation in the next two sections.

Built-in Review

Part of the slow pace of Piano Made Fun for the Young is the return to the same notes and same concepts week after week.  With young students this mimics the routine of a day in the Kindergarten classroom making the structure very comfortable.

Some examples of built-in review are:

• A note chart appears every few pages when a new note is added or a new position is introduced.  
• A keyboard position picture appears at the top of every song page.
• Suggested weekly review of theory concepts appears at the beginning of every unit.

Positions: One Hand Position Per Level

Philosophy of Positions

Similar to Wunderkeys, Piano Made Fun for the Young sticks to one hand position until it is mastered and all notes are thoroughly absorbed before moving to a new position.  

In general, there are one to two hand positions throughout each level of Piano Made Fun for the Young.  There is no switching back to previous hand positions, but instead the authors keep the position consistent until a new position is introduced.

Starter Book (Pre-Reading Level)

In the Starter Book called Pre-Reading Made Fun, students play only on the black keys for the entire book.  First the two-black-key group is introduced, and later the three-black-key group.

At the end of the book, students learn each white key name individually, but are not yet introduced to a white key position.

Book 1 (Note Reading Made Fun)

In Book 1, students are introduced to Middle C Position (where thumbs share Middle C).  They stay in this position for all of Book 1.

Book 2 (Note Reading Made Fun)

In Book 2, the Left Hand moves down to the C Pentascale.  The C Pentascale is the position for most of Book 2.

At the end the Right Hand moves up to the Treble C Pentascale.

Book 3 (Note Reading Made Fun)

In Book 3, students move the Left Hand down to the lower G Pentascale. Right Hand also learns G Pentascale. Next, Left Hand learns the higher G Pentascale.

At the end of Book 3, students learn the F Pentascale (with B-flat) and the D Pentascale (with F-sharp).

Schedule of Hand Positions in Piano Made Fun for the Young

1. Pre-Reading Made Fun (Starter Book): Black keys (white keys learned at the end)
2. Note Reading Made Fun (Note Reading Book 1): Middle C Position (thumbs share C) 
3. Note Reading Made Fun (Note Reading Book 2): C Pentascale; Treble C Pentascale at the end 
4. Note Reading Made Fun (Note Reading Book 3): G Pentascale (Left Hand on low G, then high G); F Pentascale & D Pentascale

 Notation: Very Clear Intros & Review; Introduced Diatonically

Clear Notation

Here is where I believe Piano Made Fun for the Young really meets a need that no other piano method book series is meeting right now:

Piano Made Fun for the Young makes at-home learning SO easy.

A DIY Piano Method For Kindergarteners?

Has this scenario ever happened to you?  You start a young beginning student in a piano method book such as My First Piano Adventures.  You demonstrate how to play a song on the black keys that is displayed in off-staff notation.  They try it and do well.  Next lesson, they say, “I didn’t know what to do.”

You see, although other piano methods will change notation, position, and instruction from page to page.  While these books are colorful and interesting, they may leave some younger students behind.  And if they can’t remember how to play the songs at home, they’ll feel discouraged and lost.

The beauty of Piano Made Fun for the Young is that even children as young as three years old can understand the notation of the Starter Book and replicate the song at home with ease.

And in the later levels, consistency in how notes are introduced, reviewed and charted in the book make students their own little detectives at home.  Instead of asking for help, they know how to find the answer to a note question!

Starter Book (Pre-Reading Made Fun): Key Pictures As Off-Staff Notation

By using pictures to depict notes in the Starter Book, students can easily follow the flow of the song without any help.

Here are some of the advantages I have seen from using the Starter Book with my young beginners:

• Students understand immediately what to do on the keys when they open up to the first page
• Students can play an entire song within five minutes of their first lesson building pride and confidence
• Students remember how to play their songs at home without assistance
• Students gain a sense of meter long before they understand quarter notes, half notes, etc.
• Students are able to sing the words easily as they follow the key pictures 
• Students build great practice habits right away because they find the notation easy to read and want to open the book
• Students master finger numbers and finger independence after completing the Starter Book
• Students are begging to learn the white keys by the end of the book and memorize them with enthusiasm

Book 1 and Beyond (Note Reading Made Fun): Animals Make Staff Reading Easier

Cat Note C, Dog Note D

The authors of Piano Made Fun for the Young, Kevin and Julia Olson, are not the first to pair animals with notes on the staff.  But they take this concept to the max and use animals to aid in note reading comprehension throughout Book 1, 2, and 3.  There is even a song to accompany each and every animal/note name!

Differentiating Octaves

Have you ever had a student who consistently played the right notes in the wrong octave?  Some of my older kids even do this!  At times it seems my explanation of where the note appears on the staff (high or low) is all in vain.

However, I have noticed that the kids who started with the Piano Made Fun for the Young series do not have this problem.  

They understand to their core the difference between Camel Note C – Cat Note C – and Cow Note C.

A Slow Note Approach = Good Note Readers

Here’s the layout of Piano Made Fun For the Young Book 1-3…  

1. Introduce a New Note 
2. Show a Note Chart
3. Play 6 Songs Featuring the New Note

The result?  Lifelong amazing note readers!

I have noticed a difference in the students who started with Piano Made Fun for the Young. As they grow and move on to other series, they are self-sufficient note readers!  They know their notes!  

Diatonic Introduction of New Notes (No Guide Notes)

If you’ve read my review of the Wunderkeys piano method books, than you already know my opinion on the great note debate:

Guide Notes vs Diatonic Note Introduction

What’s the difference?

• The Guide Note Approach uses strategic notes (spaced far apart) as memorized guide notes to help students navigate the staff as they’re learning new notes.  An example would be memorizing F3, C4, and G4 first on the grand staff.
• Diatonic Note Introduction instead introduces notes in a stepwise pattern.  An example would be introducing C4, then D4, then E4.  Then learning the Left Hand notes in the other direction: C4, B3, A3.

Piano Made Fun for the Young does not use guide notes.  These books introduce new notes diatonically.

Personally, I believe that diatonically is the better way to introduce new notes to young beginners.  In my experience, this is how their young minds want to organize the notes and to try to use the guide note system feels like it “fights” against their natural instincts.

I do understand that other teachers may not agree on this topic, and I completely respect that!  If you are one of those teachers who loves using guide notes, carry on, my friend!  Do your thing!

Theory: No Workbook; Fun Songbooks

No Workbook

There is no accompanying writing book to go along with Piano Made Fun For the Young.  The main lesson books contain no writing assignments whatsoever.

Theory Made Fun Books

There are, however, some delightful Sing-Along Activity Books available as part of the Piano Made Fun For the Young series!

• Theory Made Fun features an opening song entitled Piano Day, and songs to learn musical symbols such as tempo and dynamics.
• Counting Made Fun teaches note and rest values in an adorable way with songs and tapping activities.
• Notes Made Fun includes a cute song to accompany every note introduced throughout the series (along with the animal name associated with each note).

I have had so much fun over the years using these little activity books with my students.  The tracks that accompany the books feature kids singing and are easy to sing along to.  We have a blast making up actions to the songs–crawling around the room like a turtle for Largo or racing across the room like a cheetah for Allegro.

My older kids can still sing Piano Day or Allegro and those theory concepts stick with them for life.  

Technique: Companion Series Available

The Perfect Start as a Technique Book

Technically there are no dedicated technique books as part of the Piano Made Fun For the Young series.  However, the authors have another series that pairs well called The Perfect Start.  This series follows roughly the same levels as Piano Made Fun Books 1, 2, and 3.  It offers the following books for each level:

• The Perfect Start For Note Reading
• The Perfect Start For Finger Exercises
• The Perfect Start For Solo Playing

So, here’s what I do… 

I pair The Perfect Start For Finger Exercises with Note Reading Made Fun.  

This gives students a main lesson/songbook plus a technique book.

Musicianship From Day One

Here’s what I love about The Perfect Start For Finger Exercises: 

Each mini-song includes checkboxes to play with different touches…

• Slow (turtle)
• Fast (racecar)
• Soft (mouse)
• Loud (thunder cloud)
• Smooth (sailboat)
• Staccato (popcorn)
• Move Up an Octave (octopus)

These challenges give students an opportunity to play musically before their literature asks them to do so!  I find that these students are already adept at these techniques the first time they officially see a slur or staccato in their music.

Levels/Path: 4 Levels; Up to Elementary Level

All Levels of Piano Made Fun for the Young

Here are the levels of Piano Made Fun for the Young:

1. Pre-Reading Made Fun, Starter Book
2. Note Reading Made Fun, Book 1
3. Note Reading Made Fun, Book 2
4. Note Reading Made Fun, Book 3

By the end of Book 3, students will be playing at an Elementary level. This is truly a beginner-only series.

An Example Path Through Piano Made Fun for the Young

Here is an example of what books I would pair together when taking a student through the Piano Made Fun for the Young series:

First Six Months* of Lessons

• Pre-Reading Made Fun, Starter Book
• Theory Made Fun (first half)
• Counting Made Fun (first half)

Next Six Months of Lessons

• Note Reading Made Fun, Book 1
• The Perfect Start for Finger Exercises, Book 1
• Theory Made Fun (second half)
• Counting Made Fun (second half)
• Notes Made Fun (p6-15, 30-39)

Second Year of Lessons

• Note Reading Made Fun, Book 2
• The Perfect Start for Finger Exercises, Book 2
• Theory Made Fun (review)
• Counting Made Fun (review)
• Notes Made Fun (p6-15, 20-45)

Third Year of Lessons

• Note Reading Made Fun, Book 3
• The Perfect Start for Finger Exercises, Book 3
• Theory Made Fun (occasional review)
• Counting Made Fun (occasional review)
• Notes Made Fun 

*Time estimates are very, very flexible.

What Comes After Piano Made Fun for the Young?

Some students do so well in this series that I take them all the way through Book 3 before transitioning to another series. But depending on the age and growth of a student, I often introduce Piano Adventures Level 1 or another similar series sometime during Book 2 and I forgo Piano Made Fun for the Young, Book 3 entirely.

After completing Book 3, I would evaluate how the student is doing with the newly introduced F Pentascales and D Pentascales.  

• If they really need some review on reading those newer notes or positions, or if they are struggling with reading sharps and flats, I would take them into either Piano Adventures Level 1 or Alfred’s Premier Piano Course Level 1B.
• If they are doing great with the last units of Book 3, I would take them into either Piano Adventures Level 2A or Alfred’s Premier Piano Course Level 2A.

If you’re interested, I have a full series review of:

• Faber Piano Adventures
• Alfred’s Premier Piano Course

Aesthetics: Black and White; Surprisingly Engaging

Black and White Pages

Compared to its competition, Piano Made Fun for the Young looks pretty bland at first glance.  It cannot compete aesthetically with the multi-colored pages of My First Piano Adventure or Wunderkeys Primer books.  Even the illustrations are super simple, small line drawings at the top of each song page.

When I first discovered this series and decided to give it a try with a new student, I wondered if they would find it boring.

To my surprise, this has been one of the most engaging piano method book series I have ever used with young beginners!

What Piano Made Fun for the Young books lack in color and design, they make up for in accessibility and imagination!

Accessibility

Students are drawn in by the accessibility.  All the colorful pages in the world will not motivate a student to play the piano if they don’t know what to do.  I think the fact that the pages are simple and understandable to young eyes make it more appealing than you would think.

Imagination

But by far the biggest draw to young beginners is the imagination built into this piano method book series.

Let’s look at the Starter Book as an example.

• Each unit has its own theme making the songs into sort of a story.  Unit 1 is all modes of transportation.  Unit 2 is bugs.  Unit 3 is food.
• Each song title and lyrics are easy to understand and are amusing to young minds.  They love to explain what they think the song is about or continue the story the way they think it should go.
• Along with that, the lyrics are easy to read and students love to sing them while they play.

Song Selections: Short, But Cute

Short Songs

All songs in Piano Made Fun for the Young books are one-page songs (with the exception of a few two-page songs in the key picture format of the Starter Book).

The songs do not increase in length playing into the philosophy of consistency and structure.

The songs sound pleasant, but there are no familiar tunes included.  Only original songs.

Students are, however, captivated by the titles and lyrics of each song.

Duets

The duets included with each song are easy to play and sound very nice.

There are also accompaniment tracks available for almost all songs.  In my experience, those students who use these tracks become expert steady players!

Pricing: 

Piano Made Fun for the Young books are reasonably priced for how many songs are included.  The main book is about $8-$10 at the time of this post.  That includes the accompaniment tracks.

You can add on The Perfect Start for Finger Exercises as a technique book for Book 1, 2, or 3. This book is around $8. 

And the Theory Made Fun books are also available at about $8-$9 each as well.  This price also includes the accompaniment tracks.

Published Prices

Piano Made Fun for the Young is published by FJH Music Company, Inc.  Recently, all FJH piano publications became available through Alfred Publishing, which means more sales throughout the year and faster shipping!

Here is my recommended starter pack:

• Pre-Reading Made Fun – Starter Book
• Theory Made Fun

Ways to Save

Amazon

Most of the Piano Made Fun for the Young books are available on Amazon.  However, they are rarely listed at less than the publisher list price.  

I do like to order from Amazon in the event that I need a book before my student’s next lesson by taking advantage of Amazon Prime two-day shipping.

If you’d like to check the prices of these books on Amazon, here is a full list of books in this series:

• Pre-Reading Made Fun, Starter Book
• Note Reading Made Fun, Book 1
• Note Reading Made Fun, Book 2
• Note Reading Made Fun, Book 3
• Theory Made Fun
• Counting Made Fun
• Notes Made Fun
• The Perfect Start for Finger Exercises, Book 1 
• The Perfect Start for Finger Exercises, Book 2 
• The Perfect Start for Finger Exercises, Book 3 

SheetMusicPlus

SheetMusicPlus.com offers occasional sales on piano method books (sometimes up to 40% off) as well as 8% cash back rebates for music teachers.  

On top of the 8% rebate, you can also earn 4% back on all SheetMusicPlus purchases through Rakuten, my favorite no-fuss cash back browser extension that pays you to shop online.  (Check out Rakuten here.)

You will pay shipping on SheetMusicPlus purchases, but it is reasonable.

Here’s a link to check out the prices at SheetMusicPlus (and see if they are currently having a sale!):

• Piano Made Fun for the Young books – Check Price
• The Perfect Start for Finger Exercises books – Check Price

Availability: 6/10

Now that Piano Made Fun for the Young books can be ordered through Alfred Publishing, they are easier to obtain than they used to be.  However, you still may not find them in every music store or on every sheet music site.

Shop for Piano Made Fun for the Young at: 

• Amazon.com
• SheetMusicPlus.com
• Alfred.com
• FJHmusic.com

Do I Recommend Piano Made Fun for the Young For Beginners?

The short answer: Yes, if it’s the right student.

Do I think you should replace your current young beginner piano method books with this series for every, single student? No, probably not. But, for the right student, this series can be a powerful tool on your studio shelf!

When I Would Use Piano Made Fun for the Young

I love using Piano Made Fun for the Young with a young beginner who needs the type of structure these books offer.  How do I know what a student may need?  I always schedule a trial lesson with students age 3-6 because their cognitive, behavioral, and physical growth can vary so much during these years.

Here are some examples of when I would lean towards using Piano Made Fun for the Young over other beginning piano methods…

• I would use Piano Made Fun for the Young for a young student with a big imagination!  This series is ideal for students that make up their own songs, stories, or get lost in their own little world. These students don’t need fancy pictures or graphics to entertain them.  They are their own entertainment and they will thrive in this series.
• I would use Piano Made Fun for the Young for a neurodiverse student who might benefit from the repetitive structure, easy instructions, and key pictures found in this series.
• I would use Piano Made Fun for the Young if neither parent plays piano or wants to be actively involved during the lessons.  Because of the easy-to-understand layout and notation, this method series is ideal for young students who are on their own at home!
• I would use Piano Made Fun for the Young for a student that gets very confused looking at busy pages.  If during the trial lesson I find the student doesn’t instinctively know what to do with off-staff notation as it appears in other series, I might pull out the Starter Book!
• I would use Piano Made Fun for the Young for a student that has trouble remembering a demonstration.  How do I test for this?  I show a new student how to play a simple song at the beginning of a trial lesson.  After another activity, I return to the same instruction and see if they can remember where and how to play the short, simple song.
• I would use Piano Made Fun for the Young for a student that is struggling with finger numbers.  If a student is really mixing up their finger numbers while trying to navigate another piano method book, I might switch over to the Starter Book for a while.
• I would use Piano Made Fun for the Young for a student that is struggling with note reading in another method.  I have switched students over to Note Reading Made Fun, Book 1 if they are having a hard time spotting the difference between E4, F4, and G4, for example.  The structure and repetition in this book, along with the memorable animal names, works magic and can make a great note reader out of any student.

On the other hand, I would NOT use Piano Made Fun for the Young in these scenarios…

• I would not use Piano Made Fun for the Young with a student over the age of 7 (except in the case of a special needs student).
• I would not use Piano Made Fun for the Young with a new student who has any prior musical experience simply because they would find the first two levels too slow-paced.
• I would not use Piano Made Fun for the Young with a gifted student who needs variety and challenges each week. These students may get bored with the repetitive structure of this series.
• I would not use Piano Made Fun for the Young with a student who has a very musical parent. The DIY nature of these books would not be needed in this case, and a professional musician may find the tedious structure and simplicity of the songs to not meet their musical expectations for their child.

What Other Piano Method Books Would You Recommend?

Still want to browse for other options?  I get it!  I like to shop around before making a decision too.

Check out my blog post: Best Piano Method Books For Beginners: My Top 3 Picks.

And here’s a blog post about methods for young beginners: Best Piano Method Books for Young Beginners: My Top 3 Picks