Teaching piano to young students (ages 4-6) differs from teaching piano to average age beginners (ages 7-9). The following principles will aid the teacher in working with early childhood students:
1. The materials used in the lesson should be much less performance oriented than those used with average age beginners. Young children should be introduced to a variety of music activities that proved a general introduction to music.
2. The materials used in the lesson should take into account the small hands of the child. Very young children should not play three note chords or music with many independent voices split between the hands.
3. Students would experience music and the keyboard before being introduced to notation and staff reading.
4. Young children love repetition and they are accustomed to trying over and over again. They can repeat songs that they like for weeks and even months.