PPP383: Your Child’s Sixth Sense: Proprioception at the Piano

What Patrick Mahomes has to do with piano lessons

If you’ve watched Patrick Mahomes throw one of his famous no-look passes, you’ve seen an impressive example of coordinated movement without constantly watching the moving body part.

I have a fun personal connection to Patrick: he was actually in my kindergarten music class years ago! I live in the town where he and my four children graduated from high school. He wouldn’t know me from Adam, but I believe all his success is because of that kindergarten music class. LOL

Pianists develop a similar kind of body awareness as they learn to navigate the keyboard while keeping their eyes on the music.

Why does my piano kid keep looking at their hands?

Beginning students are learning several things simultaneously. They must recognize notes on the page, locate those notes on the keyboard and decide which fingers to use.

That’s a lot of information!

As students become more familiar with the keyboard and develop greater confidence in their movements, they can gradually spend less time looking down at their hands.

The doghouse and the garage

One way I introduce keyboard geography to my youngest students is through two simple pictures.

The doghouse: The group of two black keys helps us find D, with C and E on either side.

The garage: The group of three black keys helps us locate F, G, A and B.

Once students become comfortable with these keyboard landmarks, we can begin practicing finding notes without constantly looking.

Try the hand-towel trick!

Here’s a simple activity you can try with your piano kid.

1. 1. 1. Choose three familiar notes, such as C, D and E.

      2. Have your child place three fingers on those keys.

      3. Call out one note at a time and let your child play it.

      4. Once they’re comfortable, gently drape a small hand towel over their hands.

      5. Repeat the activity and see whether their fingers can find the notes without help from their eyes!

Keep it playful. The goal isn’t to prevent your child from looking at their hands forever. It’s to help them develop greater confidence and awareness at the keyboard.

More ways to explore proprioception

We also discuss keyboard leaps, controlling the amount of force used to play notes, and everyday activities that involve body awareness.

You might try tossing a soft ball back and forth, playing simple balance games or exploring the difference between gentle and firm movements.

Remember, learning piano involves coordinating several senses. A student who frequently looks at their hands isn’t necessarily experiencing a proprioceptive problem.

Resources

Cleveland Clinic: What Is Proprioception?

Explore more episodes of The Piano Parent Podcast

I’d love to hear from you! Have you noticed your piano kid becoming more confident navigating the keyboard? Or are you a physical therapist or other professional with additional insight into proprioception?

Email me at shelly@pianoparentpodcast.com.