Let’s face it – kids LOVE games! A great way to keep their attention and focus during a lesson is turning simple tasks into games. For example, I always have my students warm up their hands by playing some very basic exercises from a method book. This is a great way to warm up their hands and improve dexterity but it can also get a little boring.

Variations Sound Cool

Sometimes, I will turn it into a game of tic-tac-toe. I will put a different exercise number in each box and they will have to play that exercise four times in a row with a metronome without stopping to get the box. In order for me to get a square, I will have to play the exercise as well but way faster. This allows them to see that performing these exercises fast is both possible and actually sounds pretty cool.

Music Student Vs. Music Teacher

The fact that it is a competition against the teacher gives them added motivation to get the exercise correct. This is a very simple way to turn a simple mundane task that they wouldn’t normally like into their favorite part of the lesson!