For parents, grandparents, and teachers
Classical music for kids, explained for the grown-ups
Plain guides to the music, the composers, the teaching methods, and the exams. Each guide comes with pages to print and simple tools to use with a child.
Start here
What do you need today?
Play music at home
Where to start, which pieces to play first, and how to keep a young child listening.
Follow one famous piece
Listening guides to Peter and the Wolf, The Nutcracker, Carnival of the Animals, and more.
Meet the composers
Bach, Mozart, Beethoven, and the rest: who they were and which piece to play first.
Choose a way to learn
Suzuki, Kodály, Orff, Dalcroze, and traditional lessons, explained side by side.
Understand music exams
What the Royal Conservatory levels and the ABRSM grades are, and what each one asks for.
Teach music at home
A simple plan for composer study, with a page to print for every week.
Start music lessons
When to begin, how to pick an instrument and a teacher, and how to set up practice at home.
Follow the theory
The staff, note names, rhythm, and the Italian words on the page, for parents who do not read music.
Learn the instruments
Strings, woodwinds, brass, and percussion: what each family is and how it sounds.
Play music games
Games that need no equipment, instruments to make at home, lesson plans for famous pieces, and trivia.
Printables
Pages to print and hand to a child
Listening pages, composer fact sheets, practice charts, and staff paper. Each one has short notes for the adult on how to use it.
Listening journal page
One page to fill in after any piece: what you heard, how fast it was, and a box to draw in.
Instrument families listening chart
The four families of the orchestra on one page, with a box to tick each time you hear one.
Orchestra seating chart
Where each group sits in the orchestra, with a blank copy to label.
25 classical pieces to hear: a checklist
25 pieces in five groups, with a box to tick and stars to color for each one.
December listening calendar
One short piece for each day from December 1 to 24, with one thing to listen for.
Nutcracker listening map
The eight dances of the Nutcracker Suite in order, with what to hear and how to move.
Tools
Small tools that do one job
Pick a piece for tonight. See which composers lived at the same time. Make a practice chart. Keep a steady beat.
Composer timeline
See who lived when. Slide to any year and find out which composers were alive.
Classical piece picker
Pick an age, a mood, and a length. Get a short list of pieces to play today.
Which music method fits your family?
Seven questions about your child and your week. See which methods match.
RCM certificate requirements by level
Choose a level and see which exams a student needs for that certificate.
Practice chart maker
Type a name and this week's tasks. Print a chart made for your child.
Metronome for kids
A big, simple metronome that also teaches the Italian words for slow and fast.
New on the site
The latest articles
ABRSM Grade 1 piano: what the exam asks for
What ABRSM Grade 1 piano asks for: three pieces, scales and arpeggios, sight-reading, and aural tests, with the marks and ways to practice at home.
ABRSM piano syllabus 2027 and 2028: what changed
What is new in the ABRSM piano syllabus for 2027 and 2028, what stayed the same, the dates that matter, and which book to buy for an exam in 2027.
Air on the G String by Bach for kids: what to hear
A parent's guide to Bach's Air on the G String: where the nickname came from, the walking bass and long notes to listen for, and calm things to do.
Album for the Young by Schumann: a guide for piano families
A parent's guide to Schumann's Album for the Young: the 43 piano pieces he wrote for his children, ten to hear first, and his rules for young musicians.
Alexina Louie for kids: her life, her music, and what to play first
Alexina Louie explained for parents and kids: the Canadian composer from Vancouver, her music of East and West, her piano pieces about the stars, and things to do.
Alto clef and tenor clef explained for kids
Alto clef and tenor clef explained for kids and parents: where middle C sits, the notes on the lines and spaces, who reads each clef, and games.
Who this site is for
This site is written for adults who want a child to know and love classical music. No music training is needed. Each page answers one question in plain words and names the next small step.
Kids Classical Music is independent. It is not part of any music school, method, or exam board. Read how the site works.