Littles Learning Ukulele!

In this 6-week beginner class we will have fun learning how to play the ukulele! In class we will have opportunities to get comfortable holding the ukulele and have the freedom to explore playing. Students will learn how to place their fingers, play chords, and learn ukulele songs. Our sessions will include discussions, ukulele play time, slides, and games to learn to play our instruments. 

This class is intended for students who are ready to learn ukulele with no or little prior knowledge. No prior experience is required for this class, but students are required to have a ukulele with them. If you do not have a ukulele and still wish to sing along to ukulele songs you can check out my ukulele circle time. 

The structure of classes will look as follows, where students will become comfortable with 4 chords to play almost any song! The weekly structure is flexible and can be adjusted based on students needs and class progression - students may learn more than the four discussed chords. As students will be learning ukulele for the first time I want to really focus on those foundational aspects of playing the ukulele, such as our finger numbers, strumming, and positioning hands. Spending a significant amount of time and practice on these particular aspects will assist students in becoming more comfortable in playing and learning more chords in the future. 

Week 1: In our first week of class we will do introductions and sing along to the hello song on the ukulele. This will allow students to get introduced to each other and the sound of the ukulele. Students will also have opportunities to play around on the ukulele and begin to explore the ways in which we hold the ukulele. We will also be learning about our finger numbers and how to identify where to put our fingers based on my instruction. Lessons will include discussions, slides, sing-alongs, and games. 

Week 2: In our second week of class we will have discussions about the basics of ukulele playing (topics will include posture, frets, strumming, fingering, and more). We will be reviewing our finger numbers and I will play a little game to check in with students. In this second week we will learn our very first chord, which is C major. Students will have the opportunity to strum their new chord along to a song that I teach them in class. An important aspect that will be discussed when learning the C chord is strumming, which we will practice lots to get the hang of it. 

Week 3: In our third week of class we will build onto our prior knowledge and learning a second chord and a new song! Students will be learning G and then learning a song that includes both the C and G chords. We will learn strategies for moving between chords and how to practice outside of class. We will also be completing a trivia game that refers to aspects of ukulele playing that we learned in our first two weeks of class. 

Week 4: This week students will be learning the F chord. In this class we will discuss how you can play a range of songs using these first few chords that we have learned. I will demonstrate a variety of songs and teach them to students. Students will be learning how to read ukulele chords or understand how to play them by listening to the chords being said. This will also allow for additional literacy and letters learning, which will be fun and positively impact students literacy development. 

Week 5: In this week students will be learning the Am chord. In this class we will learn about the difference between major and minor chords and we will play a fun game to identify major and minor chords. We will practice and learning strategies for moving between our four chords. We will be playing a variety of songs that move between specific chords to allow us to practice and become comfortable with adjusting our fingers and strumming. I will be showing students how they can play almost any song with these four chords. We will have a discussion about some of the students favourite songs and I will prepare them for next week's classes.

Week 6: In week 6 we will continue to practice moving between our four chords and have a goodbye party. I will be playing and teaching students favourite songs so that they can play them at home. We will play a fun ukulele repeat and practice game, which will allow students to test their knowledge and have a laugh. We will have fun wrapping up our course with feedback and discussions about our favourite aspects. I will also prepare students for how to move forward in ukulele, what chords come next and how they can continue to learn to play the ukulele. 

I can't wait for this class and am so excited to learn ukulele with you soon!