88 Instruments – Story and Activities



Watch and Listen


Watch as the main character strums, picks, and plunks his way to finding the perfect instrument for him, the piano!


Hands-On Piano Activities


Paper Piano – Babies to Elementary

If you don’t have a piano or keyboard at home, this 2D piano is a great way for young ones to get hands-on. Make the piano ahead of time for babies and young toddlers. Preschoolers and older children can make their own pianos. Follow this simple video to watch how to make a paper cutout piano or just draw your own.


Outdoor Chalk Play – Toddlers and Older

A chalk piano is a great learning tool for children of all ages. It can help familiarize toddlers with the keys of a piano and the way they’re laid out while also encouraging older children to engage even deeper. There are many ways older children can play with this piano:

  1. Have them draw it themselves and fill in the note names (A, B, C, etc.).
  2. Play a game of Piano Twister. Call out different body parts and different notes they have to touch. For example, “Put your left hand on C and your right foot on F.”
  3. Piano students can play a song using their feet. Have them step or jump on notes to play a song they’re familiar with. Make this more challenging by making sure not to touch any wrong notes or by singing the song along as you play it.

Origami Piano – Elementary and Older

Older children can try their hand at making this origami piano.


Virtual Piano


Want to hear some real piano sounds or tinker around with some melodies? Play piano on your computer using this virtual keyboard. You can click on the keys on the screen or play it using your computer keyboard.


DIY Instruments


The main character in our book has a hard time choosing which instrument to play and tests a lot of them out before finally settling on the piano. Make and test out your own instruments at home with this great master list of at-home instrument DIYs.


Playlist


Listen to music that features many of the instruments of the orchestra. Maybe you’ll hear a sound that you like best, just like the main character in the story did!

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