• Course Outline

    In this course, Jennifer will guide you through the steps to teach your child the Pentatonic Flute.

    This course is designed for parents to teach the pentatonic flute to their child, slowly and steadily, over a whole school year. Teaching the Pentatonic Flute is best done with reverence, care and ritual to bring excitement and awe to your child and more engagement with their instrument. 

    ONE
    Finger Activities
    Bring finger activities into your daily rhythm without telling your child, "these are finger activities so that you can learn the flute." Instead, bring the finger activities into your daily routine for no other reason but that they are fun and good for you. All the while, you will be observing for signs of readiness.

    TWO
    Flute Feats
    Fun and exciting challenges to help your child control their breath and show you they are ready to play the flute. 

    THREE
    Flute Story
    You will tell your child a beautiful story that explains why we must be so reverent and appreciative of our instruments. After this story, you will present your child with their flute.

    FOUR 
    Home Row
    Before they even put their lip to their flute, you will teach your child how to hold their flute correctly.

    FIVE through TEN
    Sing THEN Play the Flute Songs
    Before your child learns the first notes, you will be singing the songs they will learn to play. Sing these songs as part of your daily rhythm or meal blessings.

    For each note they learn, they will only begin playing that note on their flute AFTER you have been singing the song for that particular note and memorized it. With the music in their heart, you will be amazed at how quickly they can learn to play each song on their flutes.

  • Finger Exercises

    Learning the Pentatonic Flute can be very challenging, so taking it slow is essential. Remember, this course is meant to take an entire school year. 

    To check if your child is ready to play the flute, it's important to work on finger dexterity. Using a chopstick or a wooden dowel, Jennifer demonstrates some finger exercises you can be working on with your child. 

    Plan to begin these finger exercises about a month before you will start teaching your child the flute. Remember, don't tell your child you are doing these exercises in preparation for learning the flute. You're just doing them because they are fun to do.

    Materials required for this step:
    • Two 30cm long wooden dowels or chop sticks

    Here's the verse from the video:

    Salt and pepper,
    Pepper and salt,
    Over and under,
    With never a fault.

  • Flute Feats

    Now that your child has worked on their finger dexterity for a few weeks, you may feel ready to present them with their flute.  But wait!  First they must pass the 'Flute Feats of Steadiness and Readiness!'

    You will need:
    • A candle
    • A feather
    • A straw
    • An empty glass bottle

  • Flute Story

    After your child has mastered the finger exercises and completed the flute feats, it's time to tell them this story and then you can finally present them with their flute!

    Listen to Jen tell the story, and then, when you're ready, re-tell this story in your own unique way.  It does not need to be an exact re-telling.

  • Home Row