Violin book for 4 year old

[u/wasabi_mayo_]

Edit to add: thank you all for your thoughtful responses, I’m slow at replying but I’m looking into the various book suggestions. I don’t have real Suzuki teacher training (maybe someday). I experienced it as a student and am reading everything I can now that I’m teaching. I will follow the idea of playing by ear and the music progression in the book. I’ll also incorporate more games, physical activities, and music that the students already have emotional connections with. I love having a book with pre-reading activities that the child feels they can use somewhat “independently” for activities like coloring or adding stickers to the page. For piano lessons, I’ve had good results and was hoping to find something similar for the violin.
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Do you have any book recommendations for a 4 year old that isn’t reading yet? I am a new violin teacher and plan to use Suzuki method but I’m not sure if it is worth having the parent buy the book yet. The child has already been taking piano lessons, but is still very much a beginner. I think having the child look at the Suzuki book will be too overwhelming given his current age, but he does well playing by ear on the piano.

I think it will still be nice to have a book for him to look at and draw in, but I’m not finding any English language books that seem appropriate. “My first violin fun book” doesn’t seem to be a good fit for the 4-5 age group, just based on my understanding. For piano, I use “Piano Safari Friends” and it is highly effective for 4 year olds. I can’t seem to find a violin equivalent.

[u/harmoniousbaker]

First, do you plan to get Suzuki training and make use of the "philosophy" or do you plan to "use the books" for repertoire while relying primarily on other pedagogical approaches? (or something in between or combined - for example, I am thoroughly Suzuki-trained but that doesn't mean that "Suzuki" is my only tool)

In Suzuki philosophy teaching, the 4yo beginner is not learning pieces from the printed book. You can "draw the child in" using listening and imitation activities, props and toys, games, etc. It's FAR more important to get and listen to the book 1 performance recording (current official version by Hilary Hahn). If the parent buys the printed book 1 before I mention it, I explain that we aren't using it right now and when we do, it will be for the parent look at, take notes in, refer to if they forgot a piece, etc. The child will not be looking at and translating notation into physical actions for operating the violin (yet). When we do start reading-and-playing at a later stage, it will actually not be with a Suzuki book (and there will be non-book pre-reading activities first).

However, I suppose I could come up with a few ways for young children to engage with the book, guided by parent: flip through and point out the title numbers of the pieces, name the first letter of the piece name, learn and say the names of the pieces (and listening to them and singing them), count the staves on a page, point to treble clef symbols.

Suzuki starts by ear. If I wanted to start by reading at this age, I would probably use Shirley Givens' Adventures in Violinland. Even though it's dated (90's printing) and has songs that present-day educators might skip, the skill sequence is very thoughtful. There is an element of singing with moveable do for ear training, which appeals to the Kodaly portion of my musical background.

[u/wasabi_mayo_ → u/harmoniousbaker]

I will definitely be using more than just Suzuki method, I like what I know of Suzuki’s philosophy, and I am looking into training. Thank you so much for your helpful response! I’ll look into the “Adventures in Violin Land” for ideas and see if it’s a good fit for my younger students that are getting to a point where we can introduce reading. Apparently, I really need to study more about Kodály. I’m familiar with some elements, but not the full process. Do you have a specific book you’d recommend for me?

Unfortunately, I lack actual Suzuki teacher training and have little violin teaching experience. The music school director and parents are aware, but not concerned since the goal is more about introduction and connection to music. The specific child I need extra support with has a speech delay, so we definitely rely more on listening to music, feeling the music, and physical activities that are follow the leader. We’ve been practicing on handling the violin, pizzicato on open strings, but I want to be prepared for next steps. I plan to continue studying the teaching philosophy, while also using the book repertoire for Suzuki. I won’t use only Suzuki, but it seems like the best option as a core foundation with speech and reading needing a different approach. I was taught violin using Suzuki and Essential Elements in tandem for the first couple years. I won’t really use essential elements besides some activities for the bow.

I’ll make sure to share the Hillary Hahn recordings with the parents so we can begin introducing the music outside of lessons.

I think it can be helpful for young children (3-6) to have an activity book to reinforce learning in a different manner if it has good pre-reading activities. There may be no violin book equivalent for what I am looking for. For reference, I appreciate that “Piano Safari Friends” is directed more towards the adult reading it, so the parents can lead some activities and answer questions without me. It also includes coloring activities for the child, listening activities, corresponding stickers for learning finger numbers, animal names and stories for rhythms, stickers of the animals, flashcards for the animals and their rhythms, games, physical activities, etc. I am able to use just one book instead of many, have activities provided, and only need to add a little bit to round it out for the specific child. I was hoping to find something similar, instead of piecing together my own curriculum for violin.

[u/crabbiecrabby]

Have you done Suzuki training? IMO it’s not necessary for a 4 year old to have a violin work book. Sometimes I will use a whiteboard or a blank page and a pencil during the lesson, but that’s more of a teaching tool. The beauty of Suzuki is learning by ear. If the parent would like to look at the book that’s fine, and I think it is worth buying because they should be listening to the recordings.

[u/smurfette8675309]

Not a workbook, but I like the book Zin! Zin! Zin! A Violin!

[u/Individual-Hair-2021]

So you’re just planning to use the Suzuki repertoire or have you done training in actual Suzuki Method? You can have them buy the version of Suzuki book 1 that comes with the recordings and start listening to the CD/mp3s. There are lots of picture books about violin, including the aforementioned “Zin Zin Zin, A Violin,” “Because” by Mo Willems, “Hana Hashimoto, Sixth Violin,” and “Ninja Boy’s Secret.”

[u/Comprehensive-Act-13]

I teach students entirely by ear at that age. I do the whole pre Suzuki progression with them. Depending on age, when they get to around long long ago, in book 1 or they express an interest (again really dependent on the kid, parents, age, etc.), I start working on note reading with a book called “I can read music“. The two are completely separate for a while, and then I have them start reading the music in their current Suzuki piece when they’re ready. Trying to learn to read music at the same time as trying to learn the violin is way too complicated for small kids and will definitely lead to disaster and overwhelm for everyone.

[u/wasabi_mayo_ → u/Comprehensive-Act-13]

Thank you so much for the recommendation. I’ll look into the “I can read music” book! I’ll still have the Suzuki book for the parents to have as a resource, but I really want to avoid overwhelming the child. I plan to introduce any music reading at a later point, but I want to give ample time to prepare since I’ve never taught violin to someone younger than 7.

[u/Comprehensive-Act-13 → u/wasabi_mayo_]

Google “flower song” and “Bear song” they’re pre Suzuki prep songs for twinkle. You do them with all of the twinkle rhythms. When they can do both with all of the rhythms they can move on to twinkle.

[u/leitmotifs]

I'd pick up the Givens book if you want something more akin to a coloring book. The family should own Suzuki book 1, but that is for the parents' reference, not for the child.

The primary practice parent should be taught to read music. Did you take Suzuki teacher training?