Local woman uses playtime to teach toddlers piano
A local woman is bringing joy to families by teaching music to their infants and toddlers. Since 2012, Holly Hamilton, 61, founder of Little Bird Piano Academy (LBPA), has used playtime to help children develop a love of music.
Hamilton grew up in a musically gifted family. She learned to play-by-ear piano, sing, and compose her own songs at five years old. As an adult, she worked to give her own children a musical home.
Hamilton had never imagined her ideas for teaching music to kids would lead to a career. Then, to support her family as a single mother, she opened a piano studio for very young children.
“I never thought that I would be teaching piano, but now it feels so right, and I love teaching,” Hamilton said in an interview with the Sammamish Independent.
Hamilton loves teaching very young kids, but it was challenging at first. Babies and toddlers can be surprisingly good with music, but they are not yet able to learn and practice the way most programs need. Hamilton quickly figured out how to adapt to her young students.
“I began, every week, creating little songs and games for my students. Each song and game had a specific intention for teaching very basic musical skills and concepts,” Hamilton shares on her website.
Hamilton created her own children’s books and toys designed to help babies and toddlers navigate the piano and recognize musical shapes through play.
Hamilton began including parents in the activities and games. She found that this helped the students learn and helped the parents engage with their kids.
“I have noticed that parents who stay during lessons become more patient with their child and are a lot more playful when they participate in the learning,” Hamilton said.
Hamilton’s approach works. Her toddlers read music and find notes on the piano. But most importantly, they show a love for learning.
“Holly emphasizes on feeling at ease over discipline which counter-intuitively it helped my daughter get over stage anxiety, and 5 years later I can say playing the piano is her favorite pastime,” said Sudha Raman, 39, a long-time Sammamish resident and parent to a LBPA student.
You can find LBPA on their Instagram page @littlebirdpianoacademy, and schedule classes with them on littlebirdpianoacademy.com. LBPA is located at 160 NW Gilman Blvd #203, Issaquah, WA 98027.
