Ukulele is not the hardest instrument on earth. In contrast, learning to play ukulele is much easier than guitar and consequently a perfect instrument for kids. Some of the easy basic chords require only one finger. In addition to that, the ukulele neck is much thinner, which makes it much easier to play for children and it has got only 4 instead of strings compared to the guitar.
However learning should be fun and that is essential for kids in order to keep them interested and motivated. If it’s too theoretical they will become frustrated and give it up quite easily.
That’s why I created some teaching materials that help kids to better understand the conecpt of ukulele chords and to enjoy learning them. They are designed for ukulele teachers but also for parents who want to support their kids learning to play the ukulele. The teaching materials include:
- 10 different ukulele chord sheets in color and in black & white (A,B,C,D,E,F,G,Am,Dm,Em)
- 10 different ukulele chord memory cards in color and in black & white (A,B,C,D,E,F,G,Am,Dm,Em)
- Ukulele chords certificate in color and in black & white
How to teach a child ukuele chords
There are many studies that have confirmed the power of visual imagery in learning. Visuals help children to better retrieve and remember information. When it comes to learning ukulele chords, most books and resources are simplified and look quite similar. But our brain is mainly an image processor than a word processor.
Use the chord sheets in color as handouts or posters to hang them on the wall of for your classroom.
You can also give the chord sheets in black & white to your students, so that they can color them out.
Standard ukulele chord sheets are simplified. This is great but not ideal for young beginner. They can get easily confused and frustrated in the beginning. That’s why chord sheets for kids should be catchy and understandable right at the first look. Once they understand the concept of ukulele chords, you can introduce to them the standard ukulele chord sheets as well.
Just learning the basic ukulele chords by name is not only boring for young kids but also quite hard. It’s much easier for kids to associate the D Chord for instance with a dog playing the ukulele, of the G Chord with a giraffe and a EM Chord with an Elephant that gets scared from a Mouse.
How to memorize ukulele chords
Once children master their first chords it’s all about practicing. Before we start learning and playing some songs on the ukulele, we should know some chords by heart and know how to change between different chords. A fun way to practice basic ukulele chords is the ukulele chord memory game.
Memory is a card game in which all cards are laid face down on a surface and two cards are flipped face up over each turn. The aim of the game is to turn over pairs of matching cards. The game doesn’t only teach the basic chords but at the same time it helps your students developing their memory and concentration.
If a child finds a pair, he can immediatly play it on the ukulele. Or all children collect their cards at first and play them at the end of the game. The one who found most of the chords has won the game.
Memory cards are also included in black and white, so that you can let your students color them out.
At the end of your course, you can hand them a certificate for mastering the basic ukulelechords. Again, it’s available in color and in black & white.
Motivating kids to learn the first ukulele chords and especially to practice them can be quite difficult. The effective use of these teaching materials can decrease learning time, increase comprehension and improve retention. Get the ebook and make your ukulele lessons more fun! You can return the product within 60 days without having to state your reasons
