A first piano lesson is short and friendly. The teacher gets to know your child, shows how to sit, tours the keyboard, and teaches the finger numbers. Most children leave with a first tune or pattern to play at home. Little or no music reading happens on day one. A first lesson is often 30 minutes long.
What happens, step by step
| Part of the lesson | What the teacher does | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Hello | Asks about your child’s age, favorite songs, and any music they know | To set the level and help your child relax |
| Sitting | Sets the bench and shows how to sit and where the feet go | Good habits are easier to start than to fix |
| A tour of the keys | Shows high and low, and the groups of two and three black keys | The black keys are the map of the keyboard |
| Finding a key | Finds C or D with the help of the black keys | It is the first landmark |
| Finger numbers | Numbers the fingers from 1 to 5 | Music books use these numbers |
| A first tune | Teaches a short pattern by copying, often on the black keys | Your child makes music in the first lesson |
| Rhythm | Claps or taps a steady beat | The beat comes before note reading |
| The assignment | Writes down what to practice | So that home practice is clear |
Teachers change the order and leave parts out. A lesson for a five-year-old has more games and movement. A lesson for a ten-year-old may open the book in the first week.
What does not happen
- A long piece. The first music is a few notes long.
- Hands together. That comes later in the first year.
- Scales. They wait until the hand has its shape.
- A test. The teacher is watching how your child learns, not grading.
What to bring
- A notebook. Some teachers supply one. The assignment goes in it each week.
- Books, if the teacher has named them. Many teachers choose the books after they meet the child. Ask before you buy. Read piano method books compared.
- Short fingernails. Long nails click on the keys and flatten the fingers.
- A bag that holds the books and stays by the piano at home.
Your child also needs an instrument at home from the first week. Read piano or keyboard for a beginner.
Before the lesson
Tell your child what will happen: “You will meet your teacher, learn about the keys, and play a little.” A child who knows the plan walks in calmer.
Arrive five minutes early. Visit the washroom first.
There is no need to teach anything ahead of time. Teachers expect to start from zero.
What the parent does
With a young child, ask the teacher if you may stay. Sit to the side, stay quiet, and take notes. You are the one who will run practice at home. Read should parents sit in on music lessons?
Before you leave, ask three things.
- What do we practice this week?
- How many minutes a day, and how many days?
- How do I know that it is right?
The first week at home
Practice the same day. A short review on the day of the lesson holds the new ideas in place.
Keep it short. For a young beginner, five to ten minutes a day is plenty. Read how long should kids practice music each day?
Pick a time. Tie practice to something that happens every day, such as breakfast.
Do what is on the page. Play the assignment, check the sitting position, and stop. Add nothing new.
Read how to get kids to practice music without a fight.
Signs that it went well
- Your child wants to show you what they learned.
- Your child can say one thing the teacher asked for.
- The assignment is clear enough that you could follow it.
- Your child is willing to go back.
A quiet or shy first lesson is common. Give it three or four weeks before you judge the fit.
Other kinds of first lesson
Suzuki piano lessons start with listening at home, a bow to the teacher, and the first Twinkle rhythm. The parent learns beside the child. Read Suzuki piano for kids.
Group classes put several children at keyboards, with games and singing. Read private vs. group music lessons.
A trial lesson is a first lesson with one more job: to see if the teacher and the child fit. Read questions to ask at a trial music lesson.
Print and play
Print the lesson notes page, the piano keyboard chart, and the weekly practice chart. Read piano finger numbers explained, how to sit at the piano, and traditional piano lessons: what the first year looks like.
More from this guide
This article is part of Music lessons for kids: a parent's guide to starting, choosing, and practicing.
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Use it with your kids
Print a listening page, a practice chart, or a composer fact sheet. Or try a tool, such as the composer timeline or the piece picker.