Whenever I have the chance to incorporate holidays into my piano lessons, I try to. Not only does it make a lesson more engaging, but it’s a fun way for me to teach and for my students to learn. (Plus, anything that involves chocolate is always more fun.)
As Valentinte’s Day approaches, I’ve been on the hunt for some great Valentine’s activities. Turns out, there are a lot of great ideas out there! Here are some of the best ones I’ve found:
1. While these have no educational value, these cute red pianos are a great way to show students how much their teacher loves them! This blog even has free printables and a tutorial on how to make them.
2. I will be using these Valentine’s note-hunt worksheets during my lessons this week. The boxes of chocolate on the worksheets have gotten all mixed up. Students must match each note with the correct letter inside the box of chocolates. This is a wonderful excerise for beginner students who are still learning how to read music. I’ve decided to do a variation of this idea and give out a piece of candy if the students gets the whole worksheet correct.
3. This musical heart game is perfect for a group piano lesson. Similar to musical chairs, students stand on a heart-shaped piece of paper that has musical trivia on the back. For example, students could be asked to clap out a rhythm, name a note or define a musical term. Lay the hearts out and play a song on the piano while the students move from heart to heart. When the music stops, each student has to answer whatever is on the back of their card correctly to move onto the next round. The last one standing, wins!
4. As a way to say Happy Valentine’s Day to my students, I made my own version of these music Valentine’s messages. I like to think of them as a musical version of the game hangman. I used cut out hearts using pink construction paper and white cardstock underneath (so that they are a little more sturdy.) Then, I thought of a message that would incorporate some letters from the musical alphabet. For example, mine say “Have a great Valentine’s Day”. I color coordinated each note so that the line it belongs on is the same color as the note. I also gave them a couple free letters to help them figure out the words.
Of course, what would Valentine’s Day be without chocolate? I found some adorable chello bags at Target and filled them with a variety of chocolate bars.
Know some fun Valentine’s teaching activities? I’d love to hear your ideas! Happy Valentine’s Day!
The Passionate Piano Teacher 
Very creative!
Great activities Monique! Your students are lucky to have you as their piano teacher!
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