printables
Print coloring pages and activities away from the instrument. Activities for violin, viola and cello available including worksheets on clefs, rhythm cards, and instrument coloring pages.
Practice Chart February 2023
It’s February 2023 and if your students are like mine, they are tired of recess inside, cold weather, rainy weather, homework… With Valentine’s Day this month here is a Practice Chart for February 2023. Each day they practice they have to draw a face in the heart reflecting what their heart was like while practicing. You can get creative for your student. Some of the ideas I do with students. Weekly Goal: If they practice ___ days each week, they get _________ Month Goal: If you practice _____ days each week for every week of February, you get ______. OR If you practice every day (5 minutes minimum on the really…
Beginning a Practice Journal
This semester I have had one of my students begin a practice journal. We have kept it really simple. It’s not even a journal of all of her practice. It’s just one part of her practice. I want her to start being very intentional and observant during her practice. I have found that most of my tween and teen students ca: 1. Tell me what they did incorrectly. (Identify the problem) 2. They can tell me how to fix it. BUT THEY DON’T! They don’t really need a teacher! So, why do wait until their lesson for me to tell them what they already know? I’ve asked them why? And I…
Violin Fingerboard Flashcards
Are you looking for a floor activity for a young student’s lesson? Or maybe mom needs an in the car activity on the way to violin lesson to get them thinking about violin. These violin fingerboard flashcards might be just what you need. Each card has a picture of the violin fingerboard. A small house is on each place on the fingerboard marking a pitch. The back of the card shows the letter name for that fingerboard house. Whether the student is reading on the staff or not, these cards help them identify and review fingerboard pitches. Choose the notes your students, and as they add new notes, add in…
Apple Orchard A & E String Activity
The Apple Orchard A & E String Activity is a way to review finger numbers and note names on the A and E string. You can easily turn it into a game or just use it as an activity. Sometimes it is nice just to not have to win! This helps students think about the fingerboard in their mind and know the name of the note that the finger is playing. If you have a student with a broken arm, wrist, or jammed finger, this might be the perfect solution for lessons or practice time. To play the Apple Orchard A & E String Activity, you’ll need a die. I…
Treble Clef Flashcards for Violin
These treble clef flashcards for violin are the perfect tool to help your students who struggle with note reading. Just download and print. You will need to have printer that prints front and back. Or another option is to print out the odd numbered pages, then put the pages back in the printer and print the even numbered pages. If you are like me, it always takes me a few tries to get the paper direction and feed correct. So you may want to do a couple test pages. I also like to use card stock when printing flashcards for students. The thicker paper prevents them from seeing the answer…
Quarter Note and Half Note Worksheet
Here is a quarter note and half note worksheet. Students help Farmer McDonald get his pigs into the correct barns. They will need to be able to recognize what a quarter note looks like and that it receives one beat. They also need to know what a half note looks like and that it gets 2 beats. It is a straightforward worksheet and it will probably be pretty quick for them to complete. So, why even take the time? First, it is an activity away from the instrument. Sometimes I like to do these quick worksheets in a lesson. I don’t want to use too much lesson time but I…
Violin Finger Number Vending Machine
I created the violin finger number vending machine worksheet for a little student who is just starting to place fingers on the fingerboard. The finger number vending machine works for viola and cello as well since they use the same finger numbers! I wanted a fun activity to help this budding violinist remember the number for each left hand finger. By seeing the number on the page and then touching the finger and thumb to an object I hope it helps remember the finger number. I also wanted to have a tactile experience of picking up an object between the thumb and finger and not squeezing. So the finger number vending machine…
First Position Card Game
Here is a first position card game for beginning violin students. It’s spring time, kids are ready to be out of school and playing outside. They are tired after all the testing. Having a variety of activities for lessons or practice can be a good thing at this time of year. What Do They Need To Know? Students will need to know the letters for the basic finger pattern position in first position on all 4 strings. 1st finger a whole step above the open string, 2nd finger a whole step above 1st finger, 3rd finger a half step above 2nd finger and 4th finger a whole step above 3rd…
Chips & Salsa Time Signature Game
I love chips and salsa! So, combining one of my favorite foods with some music theory out comes, Chips and Salsa Time Signature Game! You can adapt this time signature game to use it with one student in a lesson or with multiple students in a group lesson. The overall point of this time signature game is to match the tortilla chip rhythm cards with the correct bowl of salsa. What you need to know to play Chips and Salsa Time Signature Game: 1. The student should understand that “A four on the bottom of means a quarter note gets one beat!” All of the time signature salsa bowls have…
Parts of the Violin – Clip Cards
Print out these parts of the violin – clip cards for your beginners. I like to print them on card stock so that they last more than 1 week. If you want to use them in your studio for multiple students, you might want to laminate them. Your local office supply store can laminate them for you or you can laminate them yourself. These self-seal laminating pouches that are the size of business cards and laminate each card. I like to laminate cards that I will reuse in my studio. If I send the parts of the violin clip cards home with my student, I’ll just print out on card…
