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-=-I see it to some extent currently with my son (only 2
years). When ever we go anywhere with a piano he is
drawn to it. So do we bite the bullet and figure out
how to get one?
-=-

Get an electronic keyboard, with all kinds of other-instruments' voices.
They can be very inexpensive, and you can get a full-sized keyboard or a
smaller one. If you get a small one the kids can still experiment with tunes
and learn lots about basics from experimentation. If you get a full-sized
four octave or five octave (rarer), you yourself can play lots of "real"
piano music (I sometimes go off the top end with Bach, and I don't really
like 19th and early 20th century stuff, so that big range isn't a problem for
me personally).

You can act with your kids, playing around--doing impressions. For a child
conscious of "making faces," maybe get for her, or point out, videos with
people doing facial stuff. Mr. Bean (Rowan Atkinson). Carol Burnett. Lily
Tomlin. Steve Martin. The Marx Brothers. Jim Carrey. Dana Carvey.

You don't have to pay for acting lessons or buy a horribly expensive real
piano to see whether a child wants to pursue something. You can expose them
to more examples and you can provide them with materials/ideas/experiences
very inexpensively at home. If they get to the point that they MUST do and
have more, they'll definitely let you know.

That's just my opinion, really, truly. Some kids grow up and say they were
glad to have been pushed to do something against their will. Others grow up
vowing never to TOUCH that violin or tennis racket or those ballet shoes, nor
anything remotely resembling them, ever again.

Sandra

Cory and Amy Nelson

I second the suggestion to buy a keyboard for your ds interested in the
piano. I have one that's currently on loan to my 7-year-old niece who is
taking lessons, but we also have an upright piano here at home that we
bought for $80. I love having the full size piano for my own enjoyment, but
I know at this point my daughter would have just as much fun banging away on
a little keyboard with tons of other gizmos.

Amy
Mama to Accalia (6/14/99)
"The hardest to learn was the least complicated" -Indigo Girls

> Get an electronic keyboard, with all kinds of other-instruments' voices.
> They can be very inexpensive, and you can get a full-sized keyboard or a
> smaller one. If you get a small one the kids can still experiment with tunes
> and learn lots about basics from experimentation.