TOS Review: KinderBach

Research suggests that preschool children who participate in music, especially piano lessons, have higher Math and Language skills than nonmusical children and often have higher academic achievement in later years.  This is music to any parent's ears until you find out the cost of piano lessons!

I was thrilled to review KinderBach, an inexpensive music curriculum, that was created to be used by parents, regardless of their music background.  The KinderBach curriculum, which is aligned with the MENC National Standards for Pre-K, provides children with a solid music foundation that can be translated to any instrument.  The KinderBach curriculum is designed for children ages 3-7.  A simple, but effective, approach is the basis of the KinderBach teaching method.  Concepts are presented in a variety of ways, such as interactive videos, fun characters, and hands-on activity pages and games, so that every child can learn to play piano.

The KinderBach curriculum consists of 6 different levels, each containing 10 weeks.  Each week has an introduction and four sessions.  The introduction clearly states what is going to be learned during the week and lists any materials that may be needed.  The sessions are plainly paired with the accompanying activity pages in a PDF format which may be downloaded and printed before viewing the video session.  Throughout the levels, children will learn music vocabulary, note reading, rhythm, physical technique, listening skills and music composition.  Please click here for a full Scope and Sequence of the KinderBach curriculum.

KinderBach is currently offering the first 2 weeks of sessions FREE!

Click here to sign up for FREE Sessions!

As I member of the Schoolhouse Review Crew, my family received a 6-month online membership to KinderBach at Home.  The KinderBach Online Membership provides access to all web lessons by computer, iPad, Android, Tablet, Kindle Fire or Nook.

Online Membership Prices

$19.99 per month for a 12-month membership, billed monthly.

**Save 60% by choosing to purchase a 12-month membership and pay in full, for only $95.88, that's only $7.99 per month!**

As an extra special treat, KinderBach is giving my readers an additional 30% off any order - homeschool, classroom, online or DVDs.

Coupon Code:  TOS_crew2012
Expires: 12/31/2012

Also the KinderBach App is on sale this Friday, Oct. 19th, 2012 ONLY.  The app will be discounted over 50%, down to $12.99! No code needed just the link to the Classroom KinderBach app in the App store:
https://itunes.apple.com/app/classroom-kinderbach-school/id534998629?mt=8


 Our experience with KinderBach:
 

Izzie (6 years old) and Mac (3.5 years old) have no piano experience.  Izzie just received a keyboard as her 6th birthday present in September.  The girls have been LOVING the KinderBach curriculum!  Here's a glimpse of their first 6-weeks using the program.

  

Level 1, Week 1

The girls enjoyed actively participating in an aural discrimination listening game.  If the music was high, they were to touch the sky and if the music they heard was low, they were to touch the ground.  They giggled and giggled throughout the game and once done, they begged to complete another session!  So, they continued with Session 2, where they were introduced to Dodi, a donkey who lives on the two black keys of the piano keyboard.  The graphics are simple, but adorable.  They enjoyed completing the coloring page of Dodi. 

     

 

The girls couldn't get enough of KinderBach, they were so excited that we completed an entire week's worth of material in one day!  During the third session, they were entertained with dancing hands, while learning the correct finger numbers.  The dancing hands video was a huge hit, again, giggles were abundant!  And, finally, they had the opportunity to use the correct fingers to play the two black keys, while learning that some black keys make high sounds and other black keys make low sounds.  I love the way everything they learned in the first four sessions was nicely tied together.  

Level 1, Week 2 

During Week 2 sessions, the girls played another aural discrimination game, only this time they had to color the correct apple (apples in the tree for high sounds and apples on the ground for low sounds) for each sound.  In addition, they were introduced to a new character, Frisco, the quarter note.  I really like how KinderBach introduces the music notes as symbols first.    

 

    

Kinderbach teaches children to listen to a rhythm, decipher it and clap it back and incorporates well know melodies for the children to play on rhythm instruments. This week, the girls sang Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star while tapping the rhythm on different body parts and they played the song with rhythm instruments!

    

  
 Level 1, Week 3

Week 3 sessions began by reviewing the landscape of the piano keyboard.  The girls had to locate Dodi's house on the keyboard and remember the correct two fingers to use to play the two black keys.  In addition, they reviewed "Frisco Walking" or quarter notes. 

     

 

 Izzie was super excited to play a song on the keyboard!  Here she is playing Dodi's House using quarter notes on the two black keys.

Level 1, Week 4

During Week 4, the girls began to track left to right, while decoding quarter note symbols and finally reading mature quarter notes. 

    

In the above pictures, they are decoding quarter notes, while playing Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star with rhythm instruments.

 Level 1, Week 5

The girls were introduced to the three black keys or the Train Station on the keyboard piano.  They were able to identify the three black key groups and were taught the correct fingers to use for the three black keys. 

In addition, they played a new song, Chug, Chug, Chug using rhythm instruments and the keyboard piano.

  

Level 1, Week 6 

For Week 6, the girls were introduced to "Piano" for music dynamic vocabulary and played a finger number card game for review. 

      

    

They were super excited to begin reading mature quarter notes for Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star, while playing an rhythm instrument.  They both did a fabulous job!

         

  

In summary, the girls are enjoying each session, while learning to play piano!
 
As a homeschooling parent, my favorite features of KinderBach at Home Online Membership include:

• No piano background is necessary, as KinderBach provides everything that I need to teach my children piano! 

•  It’s simple and easy to follow - click, print, play!

• We don't have to leave the house for lessons.

• Inexpensive membership.

• The membership is for everyone in our family, yes, I'm learning to play piano too! 

•  Each child can work at her own pace. 

  To see what other Crew Members had to say, click HERE.

Disclaimer: As a member of the TOS Crew, I received a free 6-month online membership from KinderBach in return for an honest review.