Learning piano gives a child a way to make music and understand how a piece is put together. Reading the notes, keeping time and developing playing technique each have a place in that learning. A coordinated method gives the next lesson and practice a clear direction.[2][3]
Faber Piano Adventures is one of the resources I have loved having in our homeschool. If you are looking at it for your family, begin by choosing the right series and understanding how its books work together. A Lesson Book is one part of the method, not the whole choice.
Music needs a real place in a homeschool morning. I teach before my second-shift job, and we now have six children. There is a difference between putting piano on a subject list and deciding when someone will use the instrument, what they will practice and who will help with a new idea.
Here is how the current Faber books are organized, what to check before ordering and how I would make room for practice in a busy homeschool morning.
Which Piano Adventures Series Do You Mean?
Faber has several distinct starting routes. Its current site lists My First Piano Adventure for young beginners, Basic Piano Adventures, Accelerated Piano Adventures for older beginners and Adult Piano Adventures. These are not simply different covers for the same student.[1]
That is the first thing I would settle before shopping. A recommendation that says only “buy Piano Adventures” leaves too much undecided. Look at the learner’s starting point, the selected series and the actual sample pages.
For the Basic series, the publisher lists Primer, Level 1, Levels 2A and 2B, Levels 3A and 3B, Level 4 and Level 5. Its overview describes a beginning-to-intermediate sequence that includes repertoire, theory, technique, improvisation and composition.[2]
How the Core Books Work Together
The Basic Primer page identifies four core books: Lesson, Theory, Technique & Artistry, and Performance. The publisher explains that these correlate page by page, bringing reading, rhythm and musical understanding into connected work.[3]
That helps explain why the purchase is not just “the book with the songs.” The other parts have a job. When comparing a bundle, check whether it contains the core books for the same level, rather than a collection of unrelated extras with a similar cover.
| Core Book | What to Look for in the Sample |
|---|---|
| Lesson | How a new idea is introduced and practiced at the keyboard. |
| Theory | How the written work connects with what the student is playing. |
| Technique & Artistry | The directions for how the student plays and listens. |
| Performance | Pieces that let the learner apply the level’s work in music. |
A useful purchasing habit is to write down the exact series, level and edition you need before ordering. That is especially helpful with used books, where an attractive price can hide a mismatch in the materials.
What the Parent Needs to Plan
A piano method does not remove the need for someone to notice how the child is playing. Written instructions and videos can support learning, but a child still needs help understanding the task and returning to it accurately.
Faber’s parent FAQ discusses attending lessons, helping with practice and working with the teacher. It also addresses why the method uses several books and how regular practice affects progress.[4] Those are useful questions to consider when deciding what support your family will provide.
If you are working with a teacher, ask which exact books they want and how they mark assignments. That can prevent buying a whole stack before learning that the teacher uses a different starting series. If you are teaching at home, inspect the teaching support and be honest about the help you will need for unfamiliar material.
I would keep the current assignment clear enough that the child can show you what they are working on. “Practice piano” can mean playing a favorite piece repeatedly while the new task is forgotten. A page number and a specific point to work on make the session easier to understand.
A Useful Way to Think About Practice
Separate meeting a new idea from practicing something already explained. If the child does not understand the rhythm or the notes, repeating the whole piece may not address the problem. Return to the part that needs explaining, then let the child try it again with a clearer task.
For example, you might ask the learner to identify the starting notes, follow a short rhythm or work through one small section before playing the piece through.
Leave time to listen. A completed page in the theory book and a piece played at the instrument show different kinds of work. Looking at both gives you a fuller picture than counting how many pages were turned.
What Does Faber Piano Adventures Cost?
The current official Basic Primer category page, checked October 15, 2026, listed the Lesson Book at $9.99 and the Theory, Technique & Artistry, and Performance books at $8.99 each. Those four displayed prices total $36.96 before shipping or tax.[3]
Use those dated prices as a starting budget, then check the selected editions and total before ordering.
Books are not the whole cost of learning an instrument. Include access to a suitable instrument and any teaching you plan to use. Optional repertoire and digital services should be priced separately instead of being treated as automatically included with four printed books.
You do not need every optional song collection on day one. Decide what the learner’s current program requires, then add other music for a clear purpose. That keeps the purchase connected to what will actually be used.
Printed Books and Digital Support
Faber’s site provides teaching and parent resources alongside its books, including Primer-level questions and answers and information about learning videos.[3][4] Look at what is available for the exact series and level rather than assuming all support works the same way across the catalog.
If you choose a digital edition, check the format and access requirements before paying. A digital book, a video library and an interactive learning app are different products. Owning one does not necessarily include the others.
Shared devices and instruments need their own places in the plan. Give each learner a time when the keyboard and device are available so they can work through the intended assignment.
Where I See the Strengths
The connected books make the scope of the work visible. You can look at the lesson, the theory and the music rather than treating piano as a single page to get through. That is a useful structure to inspect when you want more than learning one song by imitation.
I have loved Faber Piano Adventures as one of our homeschool resources. My recommendation is to consider the teaching arrangement as carefully as the books. A method can be well organized and still need an adult who listens and helps the child use it.
The practical tradeoffs are coordinating several books, providing regular instrument access and knowing when a child needs more explanation. Looking at those needs before the week begins makes the plan more useful.
Making Music Fit Beside Other Subjects
In a busy morning, music can receive a definite place without every activity happening every day. Look at the week and at who needs the instrument. Put new instruction where help is available and familiar practice where the learner can use it well.
Our broader homeschooling-before-work article explains the household routine around lessons. I do not want music to become the subject that is written in a planner but never given a usable time.
If you also use an app, decide what each resource is doing. An app may provide one kind of guided practice while the books organize other work. More resources are useful when their roles are clear, not simply because they all say “piano.”
Choose the Series Before Filling a Cart
Start with the official Faber Piano Adventures site, compare the starting routes and look at the samples for the intended level. Confirm the books with anyone teaching the child before you order.
My Kids’ Morning Routine Chart is listed in the WFLI Shop. Include the instrument, current assignment and available practice time in a simple written morning plan.
If you are also comparing app-guided music practice, my Simply apps review explains its Piano, Guitar, Sing and Draw options and the limits of its Family Plan.
References
- Faber Piano Adventures. Current series and starting routes.
- Basic Piano Adventures. Level sequence and scope.
- Basic Piano Adventures: Primer. Core books and current category-page prices checked October 15, 2026.
- Faber: Frequently Asked Questions for Parents. Parent involvement, practice and teaching support.
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