Piano Lessons For Kids
Music ignites all areas of child development and skills for school readiness, including intellectual, social-emotional, motor, language, and overall literacy.
Let's Learn The Fun Way!
Our lesson plans focus on appealing to your child’s sense of wonder and curiosity. Our approach to early childhood music instruction is research-backed, and features developmentally appropriate curriculum to gently build your child’s musical skills.
We pride ourselves on offering a blend of group classes, shared, and private lesson options designed to provide positive, encouraging musical experiences, and give students the tools necessary to make music a vital part of their life.
Explore our lesson options below!
Our curriculum includes:
Healthy piano technique
Game-based instruction in music theory and note reading
Exposure to traditional classic repertoire
Improvisation and beginning composition
Playing by ear
Efficient, fun practice techniques
Performance etiquette
Musicality
Option to participate in the Royal Conservatory's examination program
Watch an MCB Student in action!
what our students have to say
Ages 0-3
Family Music Group Class
Our movement and music classes help you engage your child in musical activities that are fun, exciting, and contribute to development of large and small motor skills, sensory development, auditory processing abilities, and social interactions.
Classes include singing, dancing, finger plays, rhythm instruments, and musical stories, all carefully sequenced to match the developmental needs of early childhood learners. Children attend with a participating adult caregiver.
WEDNESDAYS, 12:30-1pm
THURSDAYS, 9:30-10am
Ages 3-5
Mini Musicians Group Class
Small group classes of 3-4 students designed to introduce your child to the fundamentals of music through singing, movement, rhythm instruments, games, and exploration at the piano
By the end of the year, your child will
- read simple rhythm notation
- recognize the names of the white keys at the piano
- practice singing on pitch
- learn simple folk songs at the piano
- improve listening skills through group improvisation
- learn finger plays and musical patterns to develop fine motor skills
- participate in guided listening activities to explore different instrumental sounds
THURSDAYS, 1:45-2:15PM
FRIDAYS, 10:00-10:30AM
This 30 min class meets weekly for 35 weeks our studio in downtown Washougal
Ages 6-9
Piano Launchpad Beginning Group Class
This small group class of 4 students provides all the focused instruction of a private lesson, plus the social motivation and encouragement of a group class
By the end of the year, your child will
explore beginning piano technique
play solos and duets with classmates
practice reading rhythm notation
understand how to figure out note names on the grand staff
learn music theory through games
improvise music in a group
MONDAYS, 4:00-4:50PM
THURSDAYS, 3:30-4:20PM
This 50 min class meets weekly for 50 minutes
ALL AGES
Private or Buddy Lessons
A warm, supportive environment to help students build confidence and with customized lesson plans to match their individualized needs. 30, 45, and 60 minute lessons available. All levels welcome!
Ask about our buddy lesson program for double the fun! Buddy lessons provide a unique hybrid format combining both private and group learning time. In a buddy lesson setting, each student gets individual instruction, with some overlapping time in the middle. Sign up with a friend, or ask to be paired with a new piano buddy!
Lessons & Rates
Private and buddy lessons run year round, with tuition charged at a flat monthly rate. Tuition includes 40 weeks of private lessons, recitals, and group piano parties throughout the year, plus individual lesson planning and support
Family Music group class runs in 15 weeks semesters, with 5 or 10 class pass options available.
Mini Musicians and Piano Launchpad are 35 week classes- monthly or upfront payment plans are available
An $50 annual registration fee is due in August each year for Mini Musicians and Piano Launchpad. A $100 annual registration fee is due in August for private lesson students
| Lesson Plan | Rate | Duration | |
|---|---|---|---|
| FAMILY MUSIC | $150/semester | 30 min | |
| MINI MUSICIANS | $65/month | 30 Min | |
| PIANO LAUNCHPAD | $130/month | 50 Min | |
| PRIVATE LESSONS | $160/month | 30 min | |
| $240/month | 45 min | ||
| $320/month | 60 min |
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you teach children with special needs?
We believe music should be for everyone and strive to adapt our teaching to suit the needs of all students. We have experience working with autistic students, students with dyslexia, and students using mobility aids. While we may not be experts in your specific diagnosis, we are happy to learn and work with you to develop a lesson plan that will fit your unique learning style and abilities.
What times do you have available for lessons?
Our fall private lesson schedule is being set as we speak. Please reach out for the most up-to-date info about private lesson openings, or contact us to join our waitlist and receive notification as new times open
Do you offer online lessons?
Yes! We have dual camera setup that allows us to demonstrate side view, zoomed in hand placement, and overhead keyboard views. Our lessons were entirely online for over a year due to the Covid-19 pandemic, and many students loved that format so much that they ended up staying permanently online to work with us after moving out of state. We currently serve students in 6 different states and all four time zones of the US
What tech do I need for online lessons?
Can we do in-person lessons?
Yes! In-person piano lessons take place at our studio in downtown Washougal, WA
What books and materials will I need?
To enroll in private lessons, you’ll need an acoustic piano or full sized, 88 key digital piano for home practice. After spending a few lessons getting to know your particular learning style, we’ll also recommend purchase of a beginning music book. Books and materials for Musikgarten and Mini Musicians group classes are included as part of tuition.
Do I need an instrument at home to practice on?
All students enrolled in private and buddy lessons must have access to a piano or digital piano for daily home practice. Students in Family Music and Mini Musicians group classes do not need home access to an instrument.
What kind of keyboard should I buy?
If you are planning to get a digital piano, you’ll want to watch for three features:
Can you help me find a piano?
Sure! Contact us and we’ll work with you to find an instrument that fits with your needs.
My young child would like to learn piano. How do I know if they’re ready for lessons?
To succeed in private lessons, young children should be able to count to 5, recognize and name alphabet letters, hold focus on a single activity for 3-4 minutes at a time, and remember and follow multi-step instructions such as “clap your hands three times and then jump up and down” or “find the green crayon and put it on the table.”
If your child isn’t quite there yet, they may be a better fit for our Mini Musicians group class, designed to introduce young children to music fundamentals and establish a strong foundation for later learning.
How much do I need to practice during the week?
Students with a consistent practice habit will progress much more quickly as we develop all the physical, aural, and mental skills needed to make music at the piano. To avoid procrastination and practice battles, we recommend scheduling piano practice into your daily routine, just as you would for eating lunch, working out, or brushing your teeth. Exact guidelines will vary from person to person and increase as we move into longer and more complex music, but in general, for beginners we suggest 5 min/day for 4 year olds, 5-10 min for 5-6 year olds, 10-20 for 7-10 year old beginners, and 15-20 min for adult beginners. We’ll give you more guidance on how and what to practice as part of your weekly lessons.
Do I need to sit in on my child’s lesson?
In general, we leave that decision up to each family. Young beginners age 4-7 will need some extra parental support during home learning time, so we recommend more frequent parent check-ins at that age. For online lessons, young students will need a parent available nearby to help with any tech issues and to act as an occasional in-person pointer to help the student locate keys on the piano and symbols in their music book.
What piano methods do you use?
We teach most beginners using the Piano Safari method, based on Dr. Julie Knerr and Katherine Fisher’s doctoral dissertation on teaching piano technique to young beginners. Piano Safari engages the student’s imagination and incorporates elements of improvisation, composition, and learning by ear alongside a solid foundation in healthy piano technique and music reading to develop well-rounded, creative, expressive musicians.
Can you come to my home for lessons?
Online lessons are a great fit for students looking for the convenience of in-home instruction. You’ll still get access to all our games and learning tools, all from the comfort of your living room. In-person lessons are offered only at our studio located in Washougal, WA. We teach using a wide variety of games, hands-on learning, and rhythm instruments and we’ve found we can’t provide the same quality of flexible, varied instruction when traveling to student homes.
Ready to get started?