Wondering what the best piano applications for kids in 2022 are? Let’s explore a list of the best apps to start learning piano.
Learning to play the piano through an app can be fun for kids and a time-saver for their parents. Instead of spending a few hours a day running kids to piano lessons across town, your kids can use that time to practice piano.
Apps are designed to be fun and friendly. Most of them prepare material in simple soundbites. The child can play through different skill-building exercises and piano pieces, then move on when they master a lesson.
If your child loves playing video games, a piano app can be a fun and motivational tool for learning to play the piano. We’ve put together a list of the best piano applications for kids today.
Menu
- How to find the best piano applications for you.
- The five best piano applications for kids today.
- 1. Simply
- 2. Flowkey
- 3. Pianokids
- 4. Gismart Piano
- 5. Playground Sessions
- Download an app, and your kid can start playing today!
- FAQs.
How to find the best piano applications for you.
With so many piano apps for kids available, the choices can be overwhelming! Different piano apps focus on various skill levels and learning goals. Some are more game-oriented, and others put a greater emphasis on piano notes and theory.
The good news is there are plenty of options to choose from! The following criteria can help you narrow down your choices.
Is it Android or iPhone compatible?
Before you fall in love with a particular app, make sure you can download it to your device. Many piano apps are compatible with Androids and iOS devices. You can even download some piano learning apps for kids across multiple devices.
Is it compatible with an acoustic piano, digital piano, or keyboard?
Some apps connect with digital pianos or keyboards directly. Others, like Simply Piano, are also compatible with acoustic pianos. Make sure the app you choose can work with your instrument.
How much does it cost?
Many piano apps offer a free trial period before you buy a program. This is a great way to decide if the app fits your learning style, no strings attached!
Once you decide on the right app, you can choose a monthly or year-long subscription. Many piano apps cost as little as $150 per year. Considering that you can spend $50 to $100 on just one in-person piano lesson, that’s a bargain!
Is the app designed for beginners or advanced players?
What level is your child as a pianist? Some apps take a child from beginner to intermediate or even advanced piano skills. Look for an app to meet your child at the right level and grow with them.
Or, let your child start with a beginning piano app for a few months. Then, when the subscription is up, you can move on to an app where your child can learn more advanced skills.
How easy is the app to navigate? Is it user-friendly?
When you search for the right app for your child, you want to find one that motivates children to learn. Is it easy for a child to navigate? Is it fun and friendly?
Some offer kid classics, popular songs, classical music, or combinations. Does the music selection suit your child’s tastes? Try out a trial version of the piano app for kids to see if it is a good fit.
The five best piano applications for kids today.
1. Simply
The Simply Piano app is a well-known app popular with children and adults. The music selections range from pop songs on the radio to the classics. You can learn where the notes are on the piano, how to read sheet music, and how to play the treble and bass clefs.
This app is compatible with acoustic pianos, electric keyboards, and digital pianos. It uses a microphone to listen as you play and gives you valuable real-time feedback. This can help you recognize and correct your mistakes as you go.
If you don’t have a piano yet, this app can still walk you through the basics. The Touch Course allows a phone to serve as a backup piano that a child can take with them on the go.
With the Simply Piano app, you can even purchase a family package. The whole family can learn piano on personalized profiles at a reduced rate.
Playing the piano has never been easier with this piano app. With over ten million downloads, Simply Piano is one of the most popular apps on today’s market.
2. Flowkey
Flowkey is a simple yet comprehensive learning platform for kids. This app includes piano theory, some history of the instrument, and a good selection of tunes to play on the piano.
Flowkey is helpful for both beginning piano students and those with more advanced skills. Kids can build their repertoire as they play and master various songs in the program.
Whether you have an acoustic piano or a MIDI keyboard, this app can keep your fingers on the right keys. It uses a microphone to listen to the notes you play and lets you know when you strike a wrong chord.
You can watch videos to learn more about the piano and play along with the music on your device. The Flowkey app works on both Android and iOS devices and is a great supplemental learning tool for children enrolled in piano lessons.
3. Pianokids
Pianokids target a younger audience. It uses simple practice exercises to teach kids notes —breaking down simple music lessons with educational games and puzzles.
Young children play music and games directly on a tablet or phone. You can also print off worksheets from the app. The Pianokids app inspires a love of music in children and teaches them short soundbites of information.
If you are looking for a way to introduce your child to music early, this app can be a fun-packed way for a kid to learn.
4. Gismart Piano
Gismart Piano can be a fun tool for kids who love to learn through play. This app turns a phone into a piano keyboard and uses games to teach your child piano.
Even if your child isn’t familiar with music or keyboards, they can still play along with the app’s guidance. Kids can choose to play games or record their own songs.
Gismart Piano allows a child to experiment with sounds in different octaves on the piano or other instruments. Some sounds that the app includes are the grand piano, guitar, harpsichord, organ, and accordion.
This app is more of a game than an instructional program. However, through games and experimentation with sounds, your child can develop a love for music that can spark a life-long interest in the piano.
5. Playground Sessions
With Playground Sessions, kids start in Bootcamp to learn the basics. Bootcamp takes a kid from ground-level skills to advanced levels.
Once kids succeed in a level, they can unlock more learning tools and games to advance. Each child gets a score and points for their performance to mark their progress on a level. Your kid can even compete against others as they level up.
This app includes the opportunity for supplemental courses, in-depth theory, and improvisation.
It can be a good fit for kids who love a challenge and competition.
However, unlike other apps, Playground Sessions is exclusive to MIDI keyboards and is incompatible with acoustic pianos.
Download an app, and your kid can start playing today!
Apps can be a fun way for kids to learn piano. These kid-oriented platforms allow kids to succeed without the fear of failure. You can combine an app with in-person lessons or allow your child to be the master of their progress.
For more ideas on encouraging your child’s learning experience, you can also check out this Ultimate Guide to Beginner Piano Lessons for Kids.
Download your app of choice, and your child can start learning to play piano today!
FAQs.
What is the best way for kids to learn to play piano?
Kids learn well through play. If you make the experience fun and comfortable for a child, they are more willing to develop their skills. First, find an acoustic piano, digital piano, or keyboard with a good sound for your child to learn.You can play along with your child on the piano, find popular songs your child enjoys, or download an engaging app. Make the learning experience fun, and instill a love for the piano in your child.
What is a good age for a child to start learning piano?
Kids of any age can learn the piano. A good age for children to learn the piano is between six and nine. Kids in this age range have the basic motor skills and coordination they need to learn piano.However, you can introduce your child to the piano earlier through fun games and activities. Older children can direct their own learning experience and are often self-motivated to practice.
How do I teach my 5-year-old piano note names?
To teach note names, you can label piano keys for beginners. This can be helpful for young children. Each time they play piano, the visual aid stimulates their memory. After several months, you can begin to remove note names.Other helpful ways for kids to learn note names are flashcards, sight-reading exercises, and five-finger scales. You can also color-code note names as an extra reinforcement.
FAQs
What is the best free online piano lessons? ›
- Piano Lessons.
- Pianu.
- Skoove.
- flowkey.
- TakeLessons.
- Piano Nanny.
- HearandPlay.
Flowkey will also work with any USB keyboard or MIDI keyboard. However, there's no option for using an on-screen keyboard. The Winner: We think Simply Piano wins this one, since you can use an on-screen keyboard as a beginner.
How much is Flowkey per month? ›Flowkey also features informational videos on piano posture, sight reading and learning basic music theory. The app is $19.99/mo, and has cheaper options depending on how long your subscription lasts.
Is there a completely free piano learning app? ›Another common type of free piano apps are those associated with programs like Flowkey, Simply Piano, and Skoove, which are free at first but require payment to access most content.
Is Flowkey worth it? ›Is Flowkey Worth It? Flowkey is a great option to learn the piano. If what you're looking for is a basic foundation in music and a large library of songs to learn from then Flowkey is one of the best options out there for this. Because it's an interactive app, it's a very effective way to learn the songs that you love.
How often should a 7 year old practice piano? ›Children Age 7-10: 30 minutes, 3 times per week.
If you don't schedule specific times to practice it will simply not happen. At this age, scheduling a specific time to practice piano daily is crucial. Depending on how busy your child's life is: schedule three 30 minute practice sessions per week at a minimum.
So as contradictory as it sounds, the fastest way to learn piano, and arguably the best way, is to practice slowly. Remember the mantra “slow is the way to go” for better practice and ultimately, faster learning.
Is Flowkey completely free? ›You can download the flowkey app for free and immediately gain free access to selected songs and course content. For full access to all songs and course content, you will need to purchase a flowkey Premium subscription. You can access flowkey Premium content on all your devices.
How many hours a day should a beginner practice piano? ›Most piano teachers recommend practicing anywhere from 30 minutes to 4 hours daily. To facilitate this, consider making a schedule for when you'll play and for how long. You may find that some days you may be able to dedicate more time than others.
What is simple piano app? ›Simply Piano is a piano learning app developed by JoyTunes (of apps Piano Dust Buster and Piano Maestro). It is highly popular and has even won awards such as Apple's Editor's Choice Award, Parents' Choice Award, and Best App from Google Play.
Which piano learning app has the most songs? ›
The La Touche Musicale learning app offers more than 2,500 songs to play easily on the piano. Connect your piano to your device and learn to play them at your own pace while having fun.
Is Simply Piano worth buying? ›Yes, from a teacher-to-student perspective, Simply Piano is worth the money. Consider that piano lessons, at a minimum, would cost around $125 per month. This app is much cheaper, and while you won't learn nearly as much as you would in lessons, it's a great introduction or supplement to in-person instruction.
Is flowkey good for kids? ›While kids with intermediate or advanced knowledge of piano may benefit from a more rigorous course, if your child is just beginning on the piano flowkey is a surprisingly effective and fast way of them interested and starting to play.
How much is flowkey a year? ›Annual Premium subscription
The annual plan costs 119.88 USD/EUR. The 12 months are paid in advance. You can unsubscribe from your annual plan whenever you want but no later than 24 hours before the renewal date. Even when you unsubscribe, you will keep your Premium access until the 12 months are over.
Register your qualifying purchase of an eligible Yamaha keyboard or piano and get a 3-month subscription to flowkey Premium (a $60 value) absolutely free! That includes access to the entire flowkey library of 1,000+ songs as well as piano theory courses to improve your playing technique.
How long does it take to learn piano with flowkey? ›Length of course: As long as you need. Part of the beauty of Flowkey tools is that you can take as long or as little as you like practising and going over the song you're learning. Other courses on the site often contain 5-6 video lessons, each of which takes around five minutes to complete.
Does flowkey do full songs? ›If you're someone who already takes lessons and you're just looking for additional help with learning songs, Flowkey would be a great thing to add. With the free version, you aren't given as many songs to view and you also can't learn the full songs. With the paid, you have access to their full catalog.
Can you really learn piano with an app? ›Yes, technically, you can learn piano with an app. Modern piano apps will teach you how to read notes in both treble and bass clefs, play those notes on the keys of the piano, use good hand position, play chords, and so forth.
Does flowkey work with any piano? ›Absolutely! Our note recognition software can detect the sound from acoustic pianos using the built-in microphone of your device.
How many songs are on flowkey? ›Your benefits with the learning app flowkey:
Over 1,000 songs to choose from, from classical to pop. Courses on reading notes, chords, playing technique & more. Always available on your laptop or tablet.
Is flowkey free with Yamaha? ›
When you buy a Yamaha keyboard or digital piano you become eligible for three free months of flowkey Premium. In order to activate your promotional membership and receive a voucher code, you'll need to create a Yamaha account and register your instrument.
Who is the No 1 pianist in the world? ›Martha Argerich (1941-)
The world woke up to the phenomenal talent of the Argentinian pianist Martha Argerich in 1964 when she won the International Chopin Piano Competition at the age of 24. She is now arguably the greatest living pianist and can sell out concerts in minutes.
If you want to be a professional classical performer, you're looking at a minimum of 10 to 15 years of concentrated study with a master teacher, and hours of practice every day. Most people who want to learn piano to play for their own enjoyment can get great results within three to five years of study and practice.
Are there self taught pianists? ›Two famous pianists who self-taught piano and their approach. The two self-taught piano players that will be explored are Lucas Debargue and Paul Lewis.
What is the hardest thing to learn on piano? ›- Liszt – La Campanella. ...
- Ravel – Gaspard de la Nuit. ...
- Conlon Nancarrow – Studies for Player Piano. ...
- Sorabji – Opus clavicembalisticum. ...
- Charles Valentin Alkan – Concerto for Solo Piano. ...
- Chopin – Étude Op. ...
- Scriabin – Sonata No. ...
- Stravinsky – Trois mouvements de Petrouchka.
Learn How to Play Piano with the Musical Alphabet
Each of the white notes has a letter name. These letter names make up the musical alphabet, which is one of the first things a piano player should learn. The letter names of these notes link the piano to all other instruments and also to written music.
Learning to play the piano as an adult can be intimidating. Many people limit themselves because they think they are too old or that it's too late to start something new. The good news is, it's never too late to start.
How many minutes a day should I play piano? ›Pianists should practice between 30 minutes to 4 hours per day. Beginners will benefit most from shorter practice sessions while advanced pianists will be more accustomed to longer days. Each practice session can be split into segments to help avoid physical and mental fatigue.
How many times a week should I play piano? ›Teenage and adult beginners should practice at least 30 minutes a day, six days a week. Once you have developed a proper working methodology, a practice regiment of 45 minutes to an hour five to seven days a week should be considered mandatory.
How many hours a week should you play piano? ›For older beginners (teenagers and adults), practice should be done about 30 minutes a day, 6 days a week. As their skills improve, it will be incredibly beneficial to increase the practice time to around 45 minutes to an hour.
What is the best age for a child to start piano lessons? ›
The best age to start piano lessons is typically between the ages of 6 and 9-years-old. While older students may have an easier time learning to play, students as young as 6-years-old can also learn since the keys of the piano are easy to operate.
How can I get my 7 year old to practice piano? ›- Make it a Habit. We recommend having a set time to practice the piano everyday. ...
- Practice Time Should Not Be Too Long. ...
- Remove Distractions. ...
- Be Present. ...
- Make Piano Practice Engaging. ...
- Set Realistic Goals for Every Practice. ...
- Give Praise and Encouragement.
flowkey – An excellent choice for younger piano students
The library's music selection is pretty interesting and relevant to kids interests, too. For example, in addition to classical and pop music, you can learn kids songs, and hits from various tv and video game soundtracks.
Hand Percussion
Think shakers, hand drums, bells, rattles, etc. These instruments are ideal; young ones can easily pick up these with their hands and start making music instantly. Benefits to children include coordination and learning how to keep rhythm.
You are never too old to learn to play the piano, but you'll never learn unless you decide to start.
How often should a 6 year old take piano lessons? ›Children Age 4-6: 10-25 minutes, 3-5 times per week. The question “how much time should I practice in between piano lessons?” does not even cross the mind of young children. At this age, children need their parents' guidance as well as their teacher's guidance.
Can kids learn piano with an app? ›Yes, technically, you can learn piano with an app. Modern piano apps will teach you how to read notes in both treble and bass clefs, play those notes on the keys of the piano, use good hand position, play chords, and so forth.
How long should a 8 year old play piano? ›For a student that is 6-8 years old, well, they can start putting in a little more time and start practicing regularly for 10-15 minutes per day. Their pieces might be getting more complicated, and their teacher might be assigning them some scales. So a little extra time spent at the piano can't hurt!
How long should a child's piano lesson be? ›Most parents and teachers wonder how long piano lessons should be so that they can get the most out of them each week. So, how long should be piano lessons be? Piano lessons should last 30 minutes for young beginner students. For advanced and adult piano students, piano lessons should last 45 minutes to an hour.
How much money does flowkey cost? ›Flowkey also features informational videos on piano posture, sight reading and learning basic music theory. The app is $19.99/mo, and has cheaper options depending on how long your subscription lasts.
Is flowkey worth the money? ›
If you're someone who already takes lessons and you're just looking for additional help with learning songs, Flowkey would be a great thing to add. With the free version, you aren't given as many songs to view and you also can't learn the full songs. With the paid, you have access to their full catalog.
What age is flowkey for? ›Both flowkey and Playground Sessions can be used effectively to help younger kids get started on the piano. In terms of age, Playground Sessions is appropriate for students 7+, while flowkey claims an earlier age of 5+.