Easy Ways to Help Kids Practice Music
Here are a few easy ways to help kids practice music (even if you don’t have much time and/or a musical background). Check out these strategies to give your child the support they need for effective and enjoyable music practice!
Set Reminders to Practice
Even though they love music lessons, expecting your child to practice unprompted can lead to missed practice sessions and stalled progress. Just like you need to remind young (and older!) children to brush their teeth everyday, you’ll probably need to remind your child to practice their instrument most days.
Action Step: set aside a daily time for music practice and let your child know when to get started. Add a reminder to your phone to automate the process.
Use an Incentive or Reward
Although building skills and making progress is rewarding in itself, adding some extra incentives can definitely increase your child’s desire to practice! Keep it simple and make practice a way to earn screen time, use a practice chart, or go all out and try a themed practice incentive.
Action Step: think of an activity or other reward your child would love, and let them earn it by completing some music practice every day.
Become the Audience
Spending five minutes listening to your child play can give them some extra motivation to spend time practicing. If you’re unavailable then you can harness the power of the internet and video call a grandparent or other family member for a regularly scheduled concert.
Action Step: once a week organise for a family member to listen in for a few minutes on your child’s music practice. Any feedback and attention is sure to be appreciated!
Ask For a Music Lesson
Become the student and request a lesson from your child. They’ll enjoy the chance to be the expert and explaining how to play will help to cement their own learning too. Ask lots of questions, don’t be afraid to make a few mistakes, and ask for demonstrations of different elements.
Action Step: ask your child to teach you one of their favourite early pieces, or even one of their current songs if you’d like a challenge!
Do an Activity Together
Music practice can be a very solitary activity, but there are other options too! Mix up practice every now and then and try one of these fun musical activities:
- Pick a music theory game to play together
- Have a family dance-off
- Challenge your child to a battle of the bands using random objects instead of instruments
- Listen to the original and cover version of a favourite song
- Make up silly words for one of their pieces
- Try to beat the high score on a musical app
Action Step: choose one fun musical activity to do with your child this week (and then schedule it in and do it!)
Try Practice Power-Up
Check out Practice Power-Up for extra tips and resources that will help kids practice music without the drama:
- Engaging practice games that are fun and easy to play at home
- Helpful checklists with useful practice ideas
- Practice Partners ebook
- Music practice charts
- Strategies for structuring practice time (for beginners and advanced students)
- Music Practice Game Plan ebook