According to a demand of modern society wanting more creative and independent talents, the importance of early-childhood musical education that is efficient in intellectual, physical, and emotional development of children has increased. A instrument most children choose on an introduction to music of many instruments is piano with wide range and rich volume in comparison with the others with monophony. Because of the effect of early-childhood piano education on brain, physical, and emotional development of children proved through many studies and expansion of positive recognition of general early-childhood education, children learning the piano are getting younger.
The purpose of this thesis is to examine a problem of the present early-childhood piano education in this country while children learning the piano are getting younger from a cognitive-developmental perspective educational psychologists such as Jean Piaget and Jerome S. Bruner asserted, and to seek a solution considering the cognitive development stages of children.
The thesis pointed out the following problems of early-childhood piano education targeting 4~6-year-old children on an introduction to music. First, there is the practice and music notation-oriented learning that does not consider step characteristics of 4~6-year-old children' cognitive development. Second, there is the insufficient recognition of the importance to create a musical environment starting at a family where children should be exposed before a beginning of piano learning. Third, there is no expert and educational institution of childhood piano education for 4~6-year-old children in mentally and physically important development stage.
Solutions this thesis suggests are as follows. First, there is the learning including physical activities that use the most advanced sensory organs(auditory, visual, and tactile organs)at this period. For this, the researcher suggested musical based learning using rhythm card and picture. Second, the importance to create a musical environment in a family where should be advanced before childhood piano learning is recognized, and activities to develop the musical sensitivity with parents are experienced in a family. Third, a method to establish a support system and manage it continuously is found to train educational institution and specialist in piano education for 4~6-year-old children.