Piano Practice - How To Get Your Child to Do it!

Piano practice is key.  So then, how do I get my kid to practice?  Over the years, I've always had people sending in this question to me, so I thought I would address it and share with all of our readers.

I get asked this questions about practicing piano a lot.There are some children who actually like to practice, but for the most part, because practicing is a discipline, and kids are kids, it can be a chore for some.

My thoughts?
When children are in the routine of something and they start practicing and get good at a skill, piano practice will seem less of a chore and more of enjoyment. There are some days those practice sessions can be downright painful. We've all been there. But by sticking with it, the end result will be very rewarding! 

Here are some of my best time-proven secrets:

1.  Piano Practice - Make it a Routine!

I highly recommend making practicing the piano a routine - something that your kids just do, like brushing their teeth, eating breakfast, or going to school. They don’t have to think about it or decide if they should do it or not. They just do it because it’s what’s expected of them.

It's habits that make people successful.

How often?
We recommend that students practice their songs a few times after school, a few times after dinner, and a few times before bed every day. With a day off  

We know the songs that were taught during their private lesson is being practiced during the week for quality time. As children get older, this will change of course as their attention span changes. 

The idea of sitting on a piano bench with an egg timer set for 30 minutes - especially for the younger kids is torture. And most of the time our children would be fooling around, looking out the window or watching the clicking timer. 

We know the songs that were taught in lessons are practiced during the week for quality time. As children get older, this will change of course as their attention span changes. 

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2. Piano Practicing Needs a Reward System

Have a system to reward piano practice.  Finally, if you’re willing to reward your kids as they reach certain milestones, it works wonders! For instance, each time they finish a new level of their lesson book, you could take them out for a special activity that they love. Or each time they practice at least 6 days a week without being asked for a month straight, they’ll get something special ( as well as lots of praise and encouragement )

Personally, with our three children, whenever they learned a new song, we would put it on a YouTube channel and share with family and friends. The children could gauge their progress and were so proud of their achievements.

After a while, your kids will no longer need to receive something in return for their practicing. They’ll see that if they just do it themselves, they won’t be nagged by you to practice. They’ll have much more fun in their lessons, will learn more challenging pieces faster, and will progress rapidly. They’ll have more self-confidence and will feel great.I would love to hear from you and any tips you might have to how to get your child to practice. Every family is different and any tips would be useful!

Rachel

Thanks for Asking!  

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