Help! I'm teaching a six year old on Saturday!!!

Basically, being 6, do songs relevent to her, and her age. learn Spongebob squarepants theme or whatever that age is into now. Don't get too "technical" for now at that age, just let them do a downward strum for now. Ask the child what songs they like, and learn those. They will play what they like, and not get board with it quikly..

definatly teach her a song she can play immediatly. When she hears a familier tune to her, that she is doing, that is the best medicine, and hook..

Good luck..

This YouTube video might give you some good ideas on teaching small children!!

Tudorp said:

Basically, being 6, do songs relevent to her, and her age. learn Spongebob squarepants theme or whatever that age is into now. Don't get too "technical" for now at that age, just let them do a downward strum for now. Ask the child what songs they like, and learn those. They will play what they like, and not get board with it quikly..

definatly teach her a song she can play immediatly. When she hears a familier tune to her, that she is doing, that is the best medicine, and hook..

Good luck..

Click to expand...

Thanks for the advice, I think I'll see if I can find any songs from TV that she likes or other tunes she sings that are easy to learn. She wants to learn "You've got a friend in me" because of me learning it for the contest, but it's a hard song, and I don't want to set her sights that high this soon and have her get bored and frustrated trying to get it right!

I will concentrate on just getting her to strum all the strings with a down strum and then when she's mroe confident go from there...Thanks again

Row, row, row your boat = 2 chords I believe.

London Bridge is Falling down = 2 chords.

If she can practice forming the 2 chords for these songs and work on changing
from chord to chord at, say 4 strums each (withou any reference to the melodies
of the songs, just chord-changing practice), then you can introduce the melody
(without lyrics), and then, when she can form the chords and do the changes
without looking at her fingers or interrupting her strumming (plain, up and down
at this point), then you can finally add the lyrics.

the key is to take her through the process step-by-step. she may impatiently
want to begin by playing a song, but her little fingers do not yet have the necessary
muscle memory, or even the digital strength to form the chords or make the changes
smoothly to begin by playing a song.

I know it sounds like drudgery, but if one can't form the chords and make the chord
changes in time with the beat/rhythm of the song, in the end, they really won't be
playing the song - there will be too many interruptions.

Just my thoughts.

Hope you have a great time bonding with her and sharing your love of the uke.

Keep uke'in',

This is awesome!! Think about the first time you picked up a ukulele... What did you do and feel? I was just interested in strumming it and getting the feel of holding it etc. As a 6yr old I imagine she'll be excited just to be with "Aunty Joey" and spending time with you! I wouldnt worry about having a lesson plan laid out or anything. Just see how she does on the strumming and then you'll have a sense if she's ready or not to try out a few chords. Since Christmas is going to be here before we know it you can try to slip in some chords to her every once in a while so eventually she'll be able to play Jingle Bells http://www.storytimesongs.com/guitarchords/jingle.html I know you're really excited to teach her the uke, but just enjoying your time with her should be the first goal and if she really wants to learn she will keep asking to come back for more lessons! Good luck and tell us all how it goes!

Penguinofsorts said:

This YouTube video might give you some good ideas on teaching small children!!

Click to expand...

That was the class I was talking about!! Thanks

Uncle Rod Higuchi said:

Row, row, row your boat = 2 chords I believe.

London Bridge is Falling down = 2 chords.

If she can practice forming the 2 chords for these songs and work on changing
from chord to chord at, say 4 strums each (withou any reference to the melodies
of the songs, just chord-changing practice), then you can introduce the melody
(without lyrics), and then, when she can form the chords and do the changes
without looking at her fingers or interrupting her strumming (plain, up and down
at this point), then you can finally add the lyrics.

the key is to take her through the process step-by-step. she may impatiently
want to begin by playing a song, but her little fingers do not yet have the necessary
muscle memory, or even the digital strength to form the chords or make the changes
smoothly to begin by playing a song.

I know it sounds like drudgery, but if one can't form the chords and make the chord
changes in time with the beat/rhythm of the song, in the end, they really won't be
playing the song - there will be too many interruptions.

Just my thoughts.

Hope you have a great time bonding with her and sharing your love of the uke.

Keep uke'in',

Click to expand...

Thanks for the advice, I planned to use your teaching techinique because it so helped me when I was first learning and it's how I learn a new song that I don't know all the chords to, so will definately try to keep this in mind

aquaticsloth said:

This is awesome!! Think about the first time you picked up a ukulele... What did you do and feel? I was just interested in strumming it and getting the feel of holding it etc. As a 6yr old I imagine she'll be excited just to be with "Aunty Joey" and spending time with you! I wouldnt worry about having a lesson plan laid out or anything. Just see how she does on the strumming and then you'll have a sense if she's ready or not to try out a few chords. Since Christmas is going to be here before we know it you can try to slip in some chords to her every once in a while so eventually she'll be able to play Jingle Bells http://www.storytimesongs.com/guitarchords/jingle.html I know you're really excited to teach her the uke, but just enjoying your time with her should be the first goal and if she really wants to learn she will keep asking to come back for more lessons! Good luck and tell us all how it goes!

Click to expand...

Thanks for the link, I do intend to enjoy the time with her, I've been waiting for her to ask me to teach her songs or how to play it because I didn't want to push her into it and then her think it was boring and work like, y'know? So yes, I am very excited about this, and I want to do it right, I think I'm gonna spend the first lesson just letting her get a feel for the Uke and strumming and everything and maybe use the video lessons from Madaline that Penguin linked me to, I used those when I was first learning and although they don't do much for telling you how to strum, they do teach at a kid's level and onlu one/two chord songs, and the first is Old MacDonald, which she does know, so it would be nice for her to play a song she knows and hear how it sounds on the Uke!

Thanks for your advice and I may post a video of us "learning" or us doing a song or something!

Aloha JoeyB,
Here's some song she might know...http://www.fretplay.com/tabs///m/misc_childrens/nursery_rhymes-crd.shtml
When you get there, scroll down the page...Let me know how it works out for Darla and you.....Stan....

mm stan said:

Aloha JoeyB,
Here's some song she might know...http://www.fretplay.com/tabs///m/misc_childrens/nursery_rhymes-crd.shtml
When you get there, scroll down the page...Let me know how it works out for Darla and you.....Stan....

Click to expand...

aaawwwww ya big ol' softy!!!!

all those unforgettable songs from childhood. It's amazing that they're indelibly imprinted in our memories. Hope you have a great time with Darla Joey. It's awesome mate. I agree with everything that aquaticsloth said...have a ball together and keep us in the loop re how it's going

The one I was gonna suggest was "How Much is that doggy in the window" or "Skip To My Lou" both use just "C" and "G7"...but Stan's link is an awesome one too! Can't wait to hear how she likes it...

mm stan said:

Aloha JoeyB,
Here's some song she might know...http://www.fretplay.com/tabs///m/misc_childrens/nursery_rhymes-crd.shtml
When you get there, scroll down the page...Let me know how it works out for Darla and you.....Stan....

Click to expand...

Thanks for the link, will have a look at teaching her some of those too.

eugene ukulele said:

aaawwwww ya big ol' softy!!!!

all those unforgettable songs from childhood. It's amazing that they're indelibly imprinted in our memories. Hope you have a great time with Darla Joey. It's awesome mate. I agree with everything that aquaticsloth said...have a ball together and keep us in the loop re how it's going

The one I was gonna suggest was "How Much is that doggy in the window" or "Skip To My Lou" both use just "C" and "G7"...but Stan's link is an awesome one too! Can't wait to hear how she likes it...

Click to expand...

I shall keep you all in the loop, just printed out chord sheets and yet ANOTHER Christmas song book for both myself and Darla...going to put the chord charts in her book for her to reference to when she gets to the stage of playing songs herself. She said her goal is to play "Jingle Bells" for her mum at Christmas, so we'll start with small songs and go from there!

Thanks for the advice both of you

Some great advice as already been given - simple two chord songs that she can learn in a short period of time. Have fun and enjoy. Let us know how it went. Good luck.

Most important tip; have fun. If you have fun then she'll have fun.

Aloha Joey,
This one might be more children's rhymes and may be better....Check it out...Http://www.baby-patch.com/guitar.html
Have Fun and enjoy.....MM Stan...

2 chord songs
strumming and rhythm
Have fun.

Six year-olds as a rule don't tend to be all that well co-ordinated so I would stick with one chord before teaching two. Just make up something simple - she will love having her own 'special' song. You could even write it with her!

As well as having the advantage of being able to stick on one chord you would be able to limit the range of the melody. Most young children have a range of only about a sixth ( think of the tune of twinkle twinkle little star) and can't manage to sing any higher or lower. As most songs require a greater vocal range, this ends up with them singing out of tune, or on one note. A tune you might make up with a small range would make it easier for her to sing in tune.

Hope this doesn't sound too complicated - at the end of the day the most important thing is for her (and you) to have fun and come back for more. Good luck.