5 Easy Ways Parents Can Help With Music Practice

If you’d like to give your child help with music practice but don’t know where to start, these strategies will give you some ideas (even if you don’t have a musical background!). Here are a few easy ways to give your child the support they need for effective and enjoyable music practice.

1. Remind Your Child to Practice

Even though they love their 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 sometimes older!) children to brush their teeth everyday, you’ll probably need to remind your child to practice their instrument most days.

Even adults can be more motivated when they have an accountability partner, so taking on that role for your child’s music practice can be key to increased practice time.

Action Step: set aside a daily time for music practice and let your child know when to get started. You might like to add a reminder to your phone/digital assistant to automate the process.

2. Be (or Find) an Enthusiastic Audience

Spending five minutes listening to your child play can give them some extra motivation to spend time practicing. When it’s not possible to spare the time to sit down and focus, listening from another room and calling out encouragement is another great option.

If you’re unavailable then you can harness the power of the internet and video call a grandparent or other family member for an impromptu 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!

3. Introduce an Incentive

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 out 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. 

4. Do a Musical 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 or air guitar championship
• Listen to the original and cover version of a favourite song
• Challenge your child to a battle of the bands using random objects instead of instruments
• Make up silly words for one of their current pieces
• Try to beat each other’s 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!)

5. Ask For a 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!

Extra Resources

If you’d like more tips and tricks about helping your child excel at their music lessons, be sure to check out Resources for Parents.