25 Piano Gifts for Young Musicians

Looking for a last minute holiday gift to inspire your child to pick up their instrument and practice more in the new year?

Every year I send out piano-related gift suggestions to my piano families. It’s a nice way for parents to encourage and recognize all the hard work their kids put into practicing (because, unfortunately, the piano doesn’t always get the same sort of fanfare as sports and other extra-curricular activities). The list is always a mixture of useful and fun stuff and the kids always enjoy showing me the piano gifts they received when they come back from our Holiday break.

Everything on this list I’ve either purchased for myself, have had students purchase, or is currently on my wish list (in case anyone’s looking for a last minute gift for me! lol).

Here are my top picks for this 2022 Holiday Season!

Practice/Lesson Helpers

Metronome – The friend and nemesis of all musicians! It is always a useful tool to have at the piano. This metronome is a great size and has volume control (my mom for one could not stand the ticking sound of the metronome!). I loved it so much that I bought several to use with the children’s band at my church.
Metronomes are essential for practice and came in at no. 3 on my list of the Top 7 Practice Tools Every Piano Student Should Have.

Music Book Clip – There’s nothing worse than being in the middle of playing a piece and watching the book slowly shutting! This book holder will help keep those books laying flat on the book rack.
This is another essential practice tool and came in at no. 6 on my list of Top 7 Practice Tools Every Piano Student Should Have.

Manuscript Paper for Younger Kids – A perfect sized notebook for writing down compositions. It has a nice wide staff (easier for kids to write music on), 100 pages, and is 8.5 x 11 inches.
Manuscript paper is incredibly versatile and important for any piano student which is why it took the No. 2 spot on my list of Top 7 Practice Tools Every Piano Student Should Have.

Manuscript Paper for Older Kids and Teens – A perfect sized notebook for writing down compositions. It has holes to easily fit inside a three-ring binder, 64 pages, and is 8.5 x 11 inches.

Sheet Music Folder – I love the idea of students curating a folder of their favorite pieces. Pieces that they have mastered and loved and can easily revisit anytime they feel the urge to just play! This folder is a perfect place to put these pieces. The plastic sheet protectors keep those precious favorites safe as they are played over and over again!

Books

All About the Grand Staff with Guido D’Arezzo and Yookan the Toucan – Shameless plug of my book! It is a great choice for students who are just starting to learn to read music on the grand staff. My daughter has been playing for years and she picks up this book at least once a month to read for fun! She’s my biggest and best cheerleader! For more on my book, visit my blogpost about it.

Family Dynamics – An adorable adventure into the orchestra. Children get to meet the different instrument families along with Violin as she discovers her unique sound. Created by a music educator, the illustrations are whimsical and full of life.

Who was Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart? – The Who Was series is a great introduction for kids to learn about famous people, places, and events throughout history. In this book from the series, kids get to meet the great Classical Period composer Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart! I’m still waiting on a “Who was Ludwig van Beethoven?”…

Robert Schumann’s Advice to Young Musicians – Robert Schumann besides being an innovative and extremely creative composer, was a prolific writer. His original “Advice to Young Musicians” was published in 1848 and so much of it still holds true today! World-renowned cellist and author, Steven Isserlis takes Robert Schumann’s words of wisdom and brings them into our times, providing some additional thoughts from his own career. The chapters are short and filled with encouragement, advice and wisdom. For older readers and teens.

Why Beethoven threw the Stew – Steven Isserlis introduces older kids and teens to the people behind the great music! Ever witty and always informative, Isserlis brings six of his favorite composers to life: Bach, Mozart, Beethoven, Schumann, Brahms and Stravinsky. And if your kid enjoys this book, don’t miss the sequel Why Handel Waggled his Wig!

T-Shirts

A little humor, a lot of keys, and mega dose of style!

Music Literacy Matters – I often have to go over how 1st and 2nd endings for repeated sections work with my students. This t-shirt is a hilarious way to remember how they work! It’s the music version of “Eats shoots and leaves”. LOL

Piano Girl – This one I bought for my daughter years ago and she still wears it! It’s a favorite around here. Over time (and numerous washes!) it has taken on a vintage look which has made it look even cooler.

Music Theory – I have a music theory cheat sheet poster on my studio wall from Tone Deaf Comics. The kids are fascinated by it and we often refer to it when we are talking about theory concepts (especially the circle of 5ths). This t-shirt allows them to wear their music theory with pride!

Grand Piano Patent Print – The technical drawing of a 1928 grand piano patent looks incredibly cool on this t-shirt. Pianos are always cool, but there is something to be said about the beauty of a technical drawing showing the intricate details of the construction of a grand piano.

Think outside the Bachs – Ok, I laughed a little too hard at this one. And I’ve decided to get it for myself; it’s perfectly nerdy! It’s for the all die-hard classical pianists out there.

Accessories

Music Themed Jibbitz –  Let them bling out their Crocs with these adorable jibbitz.

Piano Purse  – Seriously, how cute is this?!! I’ll probably end up getting this for myself. (Update: I did!! I actually got the black and white one AND the pink one! They are adorable!)

Piano Necktie – This is perfect for a recital! I’m hoping one of my students shows up at our 2023 recital wearing this.

Piano Winter Scarf – This reminds me of a scarf that my grandmother knitted for me when I was a teenager. It’s a very stylish way to stay warm this winter!

Piano Shoelaces –  Imagine these on a cute pair of Converse sneakers. Adorable!

Fun Stuff

My Piano Pal Pillow – This adorable little pillow will smile at you no matter how your practice session is going! Handmade by a music educator and oh-so-cute, this pillow is perfect for any young pianist’s bedroom! It also comes in a version without a face.

Music Blanket – And if you have a piano pillow, you definitely need a blanket to curl up into while practicing on these cold winter nights or just to snuggle with.

Piano Tumbler – Because you need to stay hydrated while practicing (just remember to put it on the floor, not on top of the piano!).

Rainbow Music Tumbler – For those of us who dream of rainbow colored music (or have synesthesia, like Scriabin and Liszt claimed they had. They said they could see specific colors when they heard different notes.)

Pastabilities Music Pasta –  I thought this was hilarious! It’s a bit pricey for pasta, but you can make a whole themed-dinner out of it (and maybe even get your child to give a little mini-recital for the family! That’s what one of my piano families did!).

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25 Piano Gifts for the Musician in your Life

Is it just me or does the Holiday season speed up every year?! Somehow Christmas is just two weeks away and many people are trying to find last minute gifts that are both meaningful and useful.

Toucan piano holiday gift guide

Every year I send out piano-related gift suggestions to my piano families. It’s a nice way for parents to encourage and recognize all the hard work their kids put into practicing (because, unfortunately, the piano doesn’t always get the same sort of fanfare as sports and other extra-curricular activities). The list is always a mixture of useful and fun stuff and the kids always enjoy showing me the piano gifts they received when they come back from our Holiday break.

Everything on this list I’ve either purchased for myself, have had students purchase, or is currently on my wish list (in case anyone’s looking for a last minute gift for me! lol).

Here are my top picks for this year!

CDs

Beethoven’s Wig – The title song of this Cd has always been a favorite among my students (we watch the video every year at our annual Beethoven’s Birthday Bash! You can watch is here.). The other songs on the Cd are equally as fun and is an entertaining (and hilariously silly) first exposure to some of the great masterworks of classical music. The Cd also includes the original version (without the lyrics) of each piece.

Carnival of the Animals – The Kanneh-Masons – The incredibly talented Kanneh-Mason family comes together for a beautiful performance of Camille Saint-Saens “Carnival of the Animals” as well as a selection of several other favorites.

Lang Lang “Piano Book” – Lang Lang recorded his favorite piano pieces from his childhood. These short masterworks for the piano are some of the most popular ever composed for the piano and most students run into them at one point or another. It’s a great selection of music to inspire students to keep practicing!

Helen Marlais’ Real Music for Kids – A beautiful compilation of short solo piano pieces. Many of these pieces are a student’s first dive into the rich world of classical music.

Practice/Lesson Helpers

Metronome – The friend and nemesis of all musicians! It is always a useful tool to have at the piano. This metronome is a great size and has volume control (my mom for one could not stand the ticking sound of the metronome!). I loved it so much that I bought several to use with the children’s band at my church.
Metronomes are essential for practice and came in at no. 3 on my list of the Top 7 Practice Tools Every Piano Student Should Have.

Music Book Clip – There’s nothing worse than being in the middle of playing a piece and watching the book slowly shutting! This book holder will help keep those books laying flat on the book rack.

Manuscript Paper – A perfect sized notebook for writing down compositions. It has a nice wide staff (easier for kids to write music on), 100 pages, and is 8.5 x 11 inches.
Manuscript paper is incredibly versatile and important for any piano student which is why it took the No. 2 spot on my list of Top 7 Practice Tools Every Piano Student Should Have.

Sheet Music Folder – I love the idea of students curating a folder of their favorite pieces. Pieces that they have mastered and loved and can easily revisit anytime they feel the urge to just play! This folder is a perfect place to put these pieces. The plastic sheet protectors keep those precious favorites safe as they are played over and over again!

Treble Clef Photo Holder – I usually send my students home with a sticky note listing their practice pieces of the week. This sticky note lives on the cover of their method book or binder. But this little photo holder would be a perfect place to put the sticky note at home! If placed on the piano, it would be a quick and easy way for students to reference what they need to practice each week.

Books

All About the Grand Staff with Guido D’Arezzo and Yookan the Toucan – Shameless plug of my book! It is a great choice for students who are just starting to learn to read music on the grand staff. My daughter has been playing for years and she picks up this book at least once a month to read for fun! She’s my biggest and best cheerleader! For more on my book, visit my blogpost about it.

When Step met Skip – An adorable adventure of steps and skips on the staff sure to entertain beginning music readers.

The Story of the Orchestra: The Nutcracker – I love “The Nutcracker” (our ever growing collection of nutcrackers can attest to that! We are getting close to 20!!) and this gorgeously illustrated telling of “The Nutcracker” is a beautiful way to share Tchaikovsky’s music with kids! Children can press the buttons on the side of the books to hear Tchaikovsky’s music played on each page of the story. I currently have “Sleeping Beauty” and “The Magic Flute” from this collection and plan on adding “The Nutcracker” very soon!

Clara Schumann, Pianist and Composer – Clara Schumann deserves all the attention and recognition she has been receiving in recent years. In the heavily male-dominated world of classical music, she is an inspiration to young girls. This chapter book dives into her life and long career dazzling audiences all across Europe with her music.

T-Shirts

A little humor, a lot of keys, and mega dose of style!

Piano Necktie T-shirt

88 Keys, 10 Fingers, No problem! 

Piano Girl

Retro Piano heart

Rock Paper Scissors Piano

My Piano is Calling

Fun Stuff

Nanoblock Grand Piano – For the lego enthusiast! The bricks (as small a 4 mm x 5 mm!!) require some precise construction skills. You can purchase it as part of an instrument set or individually.

Composer Socks – Keep your toes warm (and inspired) while you play the pedal! Two composers are available:
Beethoven
Mozart

Make your Own Music Box – For the composer! They can immortalize their music (and practice writing notes on the treble staff!) with this very cool little kit. Once they are done punching out their piece on the paper strip, they can play it on the music box. Extra paper strip refills are sold separately.

Piano Purse  – Seriously, how cute is this?!!

Piano Earrings

Music Pasta – I thought this was hilarious! It’s quite pricey for pasta, but you could make a whole music-themed family dinner out it.

Let’s stay in touch, join the list!

As a “toucan” of our appreciation download a free set of note flashcards (link in our Welcome email)!

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Success! You're on the list.

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