Getting started on the adventure

Ok so as I am so excited I thought I would give the Hannon stretch exercise a go. Well I must say when I watched the video I really thought my fingers would rebel on me. As it turned out my right hand did exactly as it was told. My left hand was fairly well behaved, although I had to watch the video again in front of the piano so my brain got the idea. As for both hands together, well I definitely need to practice more I was fairly sure both hands coordinating would be my overall problem in learning piano so I wasn't all that surprised.
I was a bit surprised that my fingers tired so quickly, especially as we do finger strengthening at taekwondo lessons. I guess we don't do enough!
So now I have a challenge for myself to have a go at it every day until the don't hurt at all.
I will get my kids to have a go at it now and post their results. I may even take a video so we can look back and have a giggle later

This exercise rocks!
It was created by French pianist and composer en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles-Louis_Hanon
Once it was time, when most piano schools followed them religiously. I found it very beneficial for any beginners to start with the First exercise. I had students as young as 2 year old being able to play it. Besides all the educational benefits, this exercise is bringing awareness of each finger and coordinates all of them. It helps to build more pathways in corpus callosum – a bridge between right and left hemispheres.
I would recommend to play Hanon 1 in following steps:
1. Beginning – just try to play with separate and both hands
2. When comfortable, say/sing the notes played.
3. Play with metronome or build-in rhythmical accompaniment
4. Little by little increase the speed with metronome
5. Little by little play more octaves
Here is some helping video, where I teach 3-year-old girl to play Hannon #1

I enjoyed the video. And looking forward to getting the program! Most glad to have a bunch a brillkids members with me for the journey. Thanks Hellene for the wonderful resource!

Thanks for the video Hellene I will show it to my daughter and son ( probably he won't get it because she is a girl! Lol)
I showed the excersize to my son (3) while he was sitting at the keyboard and asked him to have a go. He said no and ran away! Lol I shall try him again later and maybe only three notes at a time! That's kids for you!
So,not to be deterred I showed my Princess Tiana age 6, she had a crack at it, did three or four goes right handed going up, then told me she knew a great song and showed me it! As you can imagine it sounded beautiful
My oldest ( walked in and started playing it one handed beautifully...I guess she has learnt something in those 30 odd piano lessons.
Funny enough I know it's my son who will enjoy the program the most! I think the kids will start to copy me as I practice without anymore prompting as every time they hear the keyboard they all come running. Softly softly right

OK,
Here are some little tricks to get youngest one to learn the exercise:
1. Ask him first, if he is a strong man. Then press Middle C (Door) with your thumb. Press HARD. Ask him to remove your hand. Challenge him, but give up a bit later. Ask HIM to press the key with his thumb and try to remove his hand. Do it 'till he really would 'stick
' to the piano key.
GOAL OF THIS is to let him to feel gravity, when playing piano

2. Ask him, if he has good memory. To ‘test’ his memory ask him to say the magic formula: stretch 1 2 3 4 5 6 7. He has to repeat it

3. Use ‘music money’ (here about it) www.softmozart.com/forum/20-hellene-hine...n-your-toddlers.html

4. If he is making 1 right move – PAY HIM! LOL
Hope, these suggestions will help!