Jaykob age 3 first month with soft mozart

Wow my son actually wanted to have a go and he loved it. His attention span meant his practice lasted just a few minutes. He didnt want me to help him and he got cranky at his sister for trying to help so I just stood back and let him figure it out. He realised quite quickly that the spider shows were the key he hit is and after a while he figured out that he could go up or down from the spider to find the right note. As we dont have any Piano stickers or guides on yet (I wrote the letter names on the keys in pencil ) it was less supported than I would like. He played Hot Cross Buns with his right hand twice while figuring out how the program works. He scored 12/15 at 71 and 8/15 at 39. The 8 was because he was playing with the spider. He was using three fingers too. He was keen to show nana his music but I decided against it. Nana is a piano teacher and teaches the traditional way....
Today , MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE , he is too busy playing with his new toys to practice. I am posting because I am too full of christmas food to move!
I am really impressed that he had a good crack at figuring it all out. I am writing notes on feelings and questions as I record the scores so I dont forget anything

Well he had another try today, it was his idea so that is good Hot cross buns 11/15 plus 44 right hand. His problem is a lack of concentration. Probably half of the 44 was him talking or fidgeting.
He is reluctant to allow me to help him. If I guide his fingers he gets cranky at me. He wants to play, he tells me he wants to play faster. The program is very supportive giving him the answers he needs even when I don't. I think he really needs to learn the solfege symbols better before he gets frustrated. Nadia it was a very good idea to start learning this before the program even gets plugged in. This week I will teach him the pictures, he already sings the scale up and halfway back but he hasn't linked that to the pictures very well, which he needs to do in order to follow the piano guide and stickers. For his age I think he is doing quite well, even if he does insist on doing it his own way!

Jaykob asked me if he could play again today I told him he could only play if he concentrates really hard for mummy. He was much better today. He is still stuffing about and deliberatly hitting the wrong keys/holding them too long and using silly fingers but its improving.
I think I am abit frustrated because I know what he is capable of and he is definately not doing his best or even close to it. He is nearly 4 and quite advanced for his age. I know he is doing fine and he is still improving. I am being patient with him and making it fun so we will get there.
His scores for today right hand only Hot Cross Buns 11/15 and plus 61 then 14/15 and plus 65. this second one was a huge improvement in his concentration and less sillyness. one thing the scores dont show!
I have a video it indicates the problems quite well. It is obvious he needs the stickers on the keys. He can find the keys with the guide but the guide needs reprinting to about 90 smaller, it doesnt quite line up and this is confusing him. Plus he moves it!
The girls in the room are obviously too distracting for him also, but for the video I need them there or we dont get video
Like all things teaching little kids requires patience and imagination!

Yes I know. He really does need the stickers they are in the post. Hopefully they will be waiting at the mail box when we get back from camping My frustration is more because I know he hasn't given me his best yet. Perhaps you are right the stickers might give him the extra bit of focus so he can do his best. I have spent my effort today on Tiana ( we scored a few extra hours at home waiting for a motorbike repair part) I think Jaykob will do better watching and singing until the stickers come. If they weren't coming I would glue on the key guides
I realized playing with him today that he knows the solfege pictures much better than I gave him credit for, he even knows that door is DO and that the circle thing is MI! Why teach him mirror if he already knows MI! He told me " I know mummy the pictures tell me that" so he is still learning lots. I will see how he goes putting them in order while we are camping. Thanks for the support

Mandabplus3 wrote: Jaykob asked me if he could play again today I told him he could only play if he concentrates really hard for mummy. He was much better today. He is still stuffing about and deliberatly hitting the wrong keys/holding them too long and using silly fingers but its improving.
I think I am abit frustrated because I know what he is capable of and he is definately not doing his best or even close to it. He is nearly 4 and quite advanced for his age. I know he is doing fine and he is still improving. I am being patient with him and making it fun so we will get there.
His scores for today right hand only Hot Cross Buns 11/15 and plus 61 then 14/15 and plus 65. this second one was a huge improvement in his concentration and less sillyness. one thing the scores dont show!
I have a video it indicates the problems quite well. It is obvious he needs the stickers on the keys. He can find the keys with the guide but the guide needs reprinting to about 90 smaller, it doesnt quite line up and this is confusing him. Plus he moves it!
The girls in the room are obviously too distracting for him also, but for the video I need them there or we dont get video
Like all things teaching little kids requires patience and imagination!

Manda, I watched the video of Jacob and have to complement you about your son. First of all, your child is having very well developed corpus callosum – the bridge between right and left hemispheres: he learns by using and feeling and reasoning at the same time and using both (right and left) hands equally. I see great intellectual and music potential in him, because to be and creative and logical at the same time IS a gift.

Second: he has a slow start for several reasons. I agree with Nadia that he needs stickers. I agree with you (he feels distracted by members of his family) and I see one more obstacle – our expectations. We are already trying to compare his progress with older siblings. Let’s stop doing this! Every child is different and unique. From what I see I can say: you will be surprise to see his progress very soon.

I would recommend you to give him ‘Guess key’ game for 1 min more often and record his score every time. I think, it also would contribute to learning the piano keys layout.

In order to help his eye focus you may cut 2 stripes of paper and place it between B and C of the first and second octaves. Let him work with the notes of 1 octave at a time for ‘Guess Key’ game and ‘HCB’ song.