We’ve all been there. Your child is learning the one thing you know nothing about. Either you took piano lessons at their age and remember little to none of it, or you never got the chance at the instrument and want them to have all of the benefits of piano lessons. Either way, how are you supposed to help your child unlock their musical potential at home if you yourself have no knowledge of piano?
Look no further! Your own piano skills, however limited, can take you further than you think. Here are five songs that you can play with your child, no matter their (or your!) skill level.
How to Play: Mary Had A Little Lamb
This classic tune is playful, recognizable, and only requires three notes! When children (and you!) can play songs they recognize, the reward centers in the brain are activated and playing piano goes from a chore to something fun. Find any group of three black notes on the piano, and start with the one furthest to your right. We’ll call that one number 3, the next to the left will be 2, and the furthest to the left will be number 1. Sing along while you play and listen to the melody take shape!
3 2 1 2 3 3 3 2 2 2 3 3 3
Ma-ry had a lit-tle lamb, lit-tle lamb, lit-tle lamb
3 2 1 2 3 3 3 3 2 2 3 2 1
Ma-ry had a lit-tle lamb whose fleece was white as snow
How to Play: Old McDonald
This song is another recognizable hit with a fun level-up – two hands! Place your right hand on the three black keys from before, one finger per key. Then place your left hand on the group of two black keys to the left. We’ll again name these keys from left to right, one through five.
3 3 3 1 2 2 1 5 5 4 4 3
Old Mc-Don-ald had a farm E-I-E-I-O
3 3 3 1 2 2 1 5 5 4 4 3
On that farm he had a dog E-I-E-I-O
1 1 3 3 3 1 1 3 3 3
With a woof-woof here and a woof-woof there
3______________________________________________________
Here a woof, there a woof, ev-ery-where a woof-woof
At the end, simply return to the beginning of the song and play the first line once more. This song can keep going and going as long as the laughs do!
How to Play: Twinkle Twinkle Little Star
This song doubles as the alphabet song for extra educational power. It’s also the first song that many people learn on the white keys! First, find a group of two black keys. Then, begin on the white key that sits just to the left of them.
This we will call number 1 and, just like before, number the keys left to right. Go all the way up to 6!
1 1 5 5 6 6 5 / 4 4 3 3 2 2 1
Twink-le twink-le lit-tle star / how I won-der what you are
How to Play: Ode to Joy
This instrumental song is another classic that comes with bragging rights. When you master this with your child, you can tell everyone that you play Beethoven! There are no words, but thankfully each note gets about the same amount of time. Just keep your pace steady and the tune will flow!
Begin by finding the same note from “Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star” (same numbers, too) and play:
3 3 4 5 5 4 3 2 1 1 2 3 3 2 2 / 3 3 4 5 5 4 3 2 1 1 2 3 2 1 1*
Watch out for the final three notes! They’re just a bit different than what you might expect.
How to Play: Jingle Bells
Once you’ve been learning and laughing alongside your piano student for a while, you’re ready to tackle this ultimate crowd pleaser. From the first three notes (which are all the same note!) the holiday spirit descends seemingly out of nowhere. Anyone within earshot of this song simply can’t resist an impromptu sing-along.
Begin with, you guessed it, the same note from “Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star” and “Ode to Joy” and play:
3 3 3 3 3 3 3 5 1 2 3
Jing-le bells, jing-le bells, jing-le all the way
4 4 4 4 4 3 3 3 3 5 5 4 2 1
Oh what fun it is to ride in a one horse open sleigh!
These tunes are but a gateway into the magic, discovery, and just plain fun that piano can bring to life. Music connects us all and bonding with your child through the arts makes memories that can last a lifetime.
If your taste for musical adventure has been ignited, stop in to Highland Music Studio to book an introductory piano lesson for 50% OFF! You might instead prefer guitar, drums, violin, ukulele… we have it all! You can even CLICK HERE to book your lesson right from your couch.
Send us a DM in Instagram or Facebook (search Highland Music Studio) for more in-depth tutorials for these songs, or for helpful color-coded handouts.
Happy musicking!