Teaching piano to a preschooler?

My 4.5 year old is showing an interest in our otherwise unused piano. I've always had a soft spot for piano rags like Scott Joplin so maybe we can learn it together. Any suggestions?

I learned to play guitar by ear, since we didn't have money for lessons. I'd say let the kid play as much as they want and gradually work on learning how to read music. Make it fun, play copy cat where you play three notes and they play the same three and add one, then you have to play those four and add one, etc. Try playing only with the weaker hand, whatever you can do to make it fun and interesting. Kids can sometimes have fleeting interest in things, but it may be worthwhile to have the piano tuned if it hasn't been tuned in a while. As a kid I lost interest in the piano that we had, because my ear couldn't deal with the "bad" notes. With the guitar I could tune it myself and that kept my interest in it going because I could "feel" the notes better, if that majes any sense.

My father just started taking piano lessons last week. He is 83.

Go to a music store and get a method book. There's one called "Teaching Little Fingers to Play" that's specifically geared towards kids.

http://www.sheetmusicplus.com/title/teaching-little-fingers-to-play-sheet-music/407362

1988RedT2 wrote: Go to a music store and get a method book. There's one called "Teaching Little Fingers to Play" that's specifically geared towards kids. http://www.sheetmusicplus.com/title/teaching-little-fingers-to-play-sheet-music/407362

Jesus. That book was clearly named in a time when things were very, very different. Kind of like this one:

As to the subject at hand, I'm all for music education for anyone, anytime. Let the kid go at a pace he decides and he'll probably enjoy it more and get more out of it ultimately.

+1 on letting them go at their own pace. As long as they are enjoying it and want to play go for it, but nothing kills an the fun or interest in something like it being forced upon you to the point it becomes a chore.