If you are looking for a simple game for beginners for the holidays, you might be interested in this game.
There are four cards in this PDF. I suggest laminating them if you want to keep them, because home printer ink will smear. The teacher calls out a letter and the students cover it with a bingo token. Students can win by covering all of one color or row. Younger children like to play several short games. Older beginners will want to play “black out” and cover all the ornaments.
If you have a few students in your group who are not beginners, make it more difficult for them. Give them a big staff and let them place a token on the staff note as well as the piano key. I have many big staves on my website you can use. There are always ways to make music games more difficult if you think about it.
I used to have some students who had trouble learning piano keys, no matter what cute little ideas I used at the piano. But once I started playing games like this, they learned the keys very quickly. It is a fact that if something is fun, students learn faster. Maria Montessori showed teachers a long time ago that children learn through play.
You know what’s fun for a Christmas group lesson? Instead of using bingo tokens, use green and red M&M’s.
Wow! I just happened upon your blog because I am looking for more ideas for piano group classes. I LOVE all of your ideas – you are amazing!!
Thanks, Mindi. I’m glad you can use some of my material!
Thank you so much! We played this at our Christmas party. Since I had nine kids coming, I printed out an extra set, just adjusting one row and column for the duplicates so that each card was different. (White-out and a black marker made the process simple.) I printed out some more of the cards to cut out and put into a basket so that there would be no duplicates when I called out the color and letter name. Dollar silly gifts added to the fun!
Pat, that’s a great idea! I’m glad you were able to make that game work for your group lesson.
Hi Susan!
Happy Holidays and once again a HUGE thank you for sharing all these wonderful games and music with us! The kids just love these and so do I!!!
Best Wishes!
Ashley
Thank you so much! Just in time for my Christmas Piano Camp. I can’t wait.
What I especially like about this game is that the whole range of middle C hand position notes are shown. Gives an overview and orientation for the beginners!!
Thanks much!
Lovely!
I just love all your ideas! Thanks for posting them and making them available for others. We’re having a Christmas Performance on Monday & after the students perform, they will be pulling out the games that I’ve used from your website to “teach” their own parents. They will have a lot of fun!