4 year olds - recommendations of methods/programs please :)

[green]

I was going to use Play-a-story for this, but before investing in that program, can anyone advise on teaching piano to this age group? They have gone through an Orff-like program called Music Together based from the USA, and they loved that. Thx

[arafelsings]

hi.
Faina Bryanskaya used to have a fabulous method for very young children, but i've had a tough time finding replacement materials, since she disappeared.  I now use N Jane Tan's method; if the kids have early Orff, then they should love her approach.  Primer plus "play story's" are great.  (and the subsequent materials. 

Check our her method/resources at wppinstitute.com
Good luck

[green]

A structured system of games that gradually introduces the basics through a fun, colorful, and interactive approach would be awesome. I'm exploring at the moment and will report back.

I had a bit of a bomb lesson today, this one 4 year old is very rambunctious, attention wanders like mad. She got the previous lessons great, her mother sits with us and helps out, so that is a huge advantage. We were both surprised and very pleased with her sudden move to playing on the keys, groups of two black notes, but this week while what she got and showed me was wonderful, it was done in less than a few minutes and it was just too soon to do anything new. She resisted and was difficult the rest of the lesson, which was a bit embarrassing because I really couldn't do what I had planned.

I'm still new to teaching this age group, but I really do enjoy it. I need an approach that will really be fun and gradually introduce new concepts which get her up and active. She loves listening and playing along to songs, but its just the attention level is so quick that you really do need a wide range of places that you can go at any moment.

[awesom_o]

I recommend the Suzuki method!

[green]

I was thinking that stories may be a good way to structure the content off lessons, for  example to take a story they may know well, like peter rabbit, something with big colorful pics, and to do structured improvs as duets to 'paint' scenes from the book.

Also to take a video like fantasia, or something short would be better, and pause as we go through to make predictions about what happened, or what might happen next, and what kind of music we could create to show that.

Its a way to make lessons relevant and meaningful to them, after learning hot cross buns with great success, I'm finding it difficult to find other very simple songs to start off with. Even mary had a little lamb is a quite a big step.

I am going to try using color coding between keys and the page, using the hal Leonard all in one book A, as a structure of pieces with CD. She loves playing with the CD.