Alfred's Kid's Ukulele Course, Complete: Ukulele Book, DVD & Online Audio & Video

The three animal characters (the classical dog, jazz cat, and blues alligator) create genuine personality without being condescending. They anchor each concept in a specific musical style, so kids aren't just learning notes; they're learning that music has flavor and identity. Parents will appreciate the straightforward language and the fact that they don't need musical knowledge themselves to guide their child through the lessons.

Playful and unpretentious. The ukulele itself lends warmth and accessibility, and the three characters guide you through fundamentals without making learning feel like work. There's an infectious optimism in the design: music is presented as something immediately rewarding, not a distant goal.

Young learners (typically ages 5-10) who are encountering ukulele for the first time, whether at home with a parent or in a school setting. The method accommodates both beginners in traditional classroom instruction and independent learners whose parents have no musical background.

• Have students watch the video lessons first before attempting the written material. Seeing hand position and hearing the correct sound eliminates confusion about what comes next.
• Work through the online audio tracks together during practice sessions. Students who hear themselves alongside the recorded version develop better rhythmic accuracy than those reading alone.
• Connect each animal character to the style being taught. When the jazz cat appears, talk about swing feel and loose timing. This reinforces that musical rules vary depending on context.
• Space out the notespeller activities across several days rather than completing them all at once. They work best as short review sessions that build confidence without overwhelming.

This works beautifully as the foundation for an elementary music class that includes ukulele instruction, either across one semester or woven into a year-long enrichment unit. The dual format (book with online video/audio) also makes it ideal for distance learning environments or independent study periods where students need clear guidance without live teacher feedback in every moment.

• Basic chord shapes and finger placement on the ukulele neck
• Reading standard notation and tablature notation together
• Strumming patterns with proper hand technique
• Rhythm reading in 4/4 and 3/4 time signatures
• Playing melodies by ear and from notation
• Understanding major and minor tonality through different musical styles
• Left and right hand coordination and independence