What is a Piano Camp? Have you ever run one? Are you thinking you’d like to?
Piano Camp is much like any other day camp you might be familiar with – a Vacation Bible School, YMCA day camp, or musical theater camp. It is a group of kids coming together to have fun while learning!
Piano Camp is an immersion in musical concepts related to the piano using fun games and activities. It could take the form of a half-day Saturday camp, a month-long one-hour-a-week camp, or a half day week-long camp. However you structure it, Piano Camp is a fun change from private lessons, an opportunity for kids to make music together in community, and a great way to teach and review music theory and history!
You can create your own materials or use ready-made curriculum. You may plan for existing piano students or decide to use the camp as a recruiting tool for new students. It may take the place of your private lessons in the summer, or you may use it to supplement your teaching.
Let me share how I run Piano Camps and then give you additional resources that will help you decide how you would like to tailor your camp(s)!
My student goals for Piano Camps are for students to 1) Have fun; 2) Review and solidify theory concepts; and 3) Be inspired to continue practicing.
My personal goals for Piano Camps are to 1) Enjoy a lighter summer schedule; 2) Maintain a steady summer income; and 3) Have fun teaching my students in a different format.
I like to run a four-day camp, two hours each day, with teenage student helpers (most recently, my own kids!). Two hours is a nice duration – just long enough for a variety of activities and not so long as to have down time where the kids get bored and into trouble!
I like to have a variety of large and small motor activities (running/movement versus card games and workbooks), a teaching element, and clear opening and closing routines. Games and activities should be accessible to a range of ages and abilities, and there should be a “fun” factor that makes it feel more like camp than school!
Since I like to run camps in June, teach private lessons in July, and take the month of August off, I start talking about my summer plans in March with current piano students. I send out a survey to determine who is available and when, and open summer registration in April. I spend the next few months spreading the word, registering campers, and gathering the necessary materials.
As you think about what your Piano Camp might look like, you will want to answer a few questions: Where and when do I want to hold a camp? What age range of students do I want to invite, and how many? What are my goals for the camp? How much do I want to charge?
One good place to start thinking about these things is Jennifer Foxx’s Summer Camps Q&A (https://musiceducatorresources.com/2023/05/19/summer-camps-qa-music-teacher-tip-37/).
Another place is at my free 35-minute webinar on How to Run a Piano Camp being held Friday, March 7th, at 10am PST on Zoom. I will give an overview of what a camp might look like, share some planning resources, offer time for questions, and give you options of pre-made camps available for purchase. Register here to save your spot!
Running a Piano Camp is a great way to generate excitement around learning music and boosting interest in piano lessons. I hope you’ll give it a try!
Missed the webinar? Contact me to get on the waiting list for the next one!
Need a ready-made piano camp for your beginner students? I have two in my shop! Check out The Great Music Race and MSA: Musical Secret Agent.