Practicing: What to Know
Practicing is a skill your child will learn over time, and it's one of the most important life skills they’ll pick up during their music journey! This skill applies to everything else they want to master in life, so it’s valuable far beyond just music. Every teacher is a bit different and will share their specific practice expectations, but here’s what you can generally expect.
For Beginners (Especially Young Ones)
Start small! For young beginners, practicing for just 5 minutes a day is perfect. It’s more important to build a daily habit of playing than to focus on how long practice lasts. The goal is to make music practice a regular, joyful part of life.
At the end of each lesson, your teacher will give your child a homework or practice sheet. In the beginning, simply try to cover everything on this sheet. For younger children (ages 5-8), a great goal is to play each song 3 times in a row and do a short warm-up every day. Over time, longer practices will happen naturally as they grow in skill and confidence.
Remember, practicing is hard work! It requires focus, stamina, and patience, which aren’t things kids have mastered yet. Your support is key to helping them stick with it. Don’t worry about hitting 30 minutes of practice right away—that will come later. Think of practice as a skill that needs time to develop—just like learning scales or chords. Eventually, students might practice for 60 to 90 minutes daily, but it takes time, patience, and support to get there.
How to Build Up Practice Time
As the weeks go by, you can slowly extend practice time, but don’t force it. The key is to ensure your child is completing everything their teacher assigns and to stay in touch with the teacher if you’re unsure whether it’s too much or too little. Timed practice sessions usually aren’t needed until students are more settled in their music learning and ready for more structure.
And one big tip: try not to send your child off to practice alone—it can feel isolating. Music is meant to be social! You can sit with them, help them navigate their practice sheet, and keep them on task. If they need help reading the sheet or staying focused, your involvement can make practice time more fun and productive. Don’t hesitate to ask questions, even outside of lesson time, if you’re unsure about something.
Encouraging Independence
Our ultimate goal is for your child to become an independent learner who enjoys practicing on their own. But this takes time! As students get more advanced, their practice time will naturally increase, especially if they’re enjoying what they’re playing. However, even the most motivated students face challenges with time management or motivation. For busy students, we recommend practicing at least 3 days a week in addition to their lesson. Regular practice is essential for progress, which in turn fuels motivation and keeps students engaged.
A Note on Making Lessons “Worth It”
Sometimes parents feel pressure to ensure their child practices enough to make paying for lessons “worth it.” While steady progress is a key goal, we encourage you to take a broader view. Beyond learning music, your child is gaining cognitive, emotional, and social skills that will serve them for a lifetime. They’re also building discipline, self-expression, and meaningful connections with their teacher and peers.
Of course, grit and commitment are important, but if you ever feel your child isn’t practicing enough, consider how you can support them in developing this skill rather than focusing solely on the amount of practice. Music should remain a joyful part of their life!
Common Practice Challenges
Practicing isn’t always easy, and that’s okay! Here are some common challenges and ways to tackle them:
My child doesn’t want to practice.
This is super common! They may feel stuck, unsure of what to do, or bored. Help them by sitting with them to go over their practice sheet, offering gentle guidance, and making sure they cover everything. Avoid correcting every mistake if it causes frustration—leave that to the teacher. You can be there to support the process of building the habit.
They struggle with concentration.
Kids need help building their focus muscles. It’s okay to break up practice into smaller sessions throughout the day. A few minutes here and there can help maintain concentration while making practice less overwhelming.
They’re bored with their music.
It happens! Talk to their teacher—sometimes a new, exciting piece can reignite interest. Many students get a boost from playing something they love, like the Harry Potter theme, Imagine Dragons, or a even fun ipad game
They feel like they’re missing out.
If possible, try not to schedule practice while siblings are watching TV or playing nearby. You can sit with them or just be in the same room to make practice feel less isolating. Establishing a routine (e.g., practicing right after school) can set expectations and help minimize conflict.
They resist or fight about practicing.
First, look at the environment: is it the right space for practice? Is it distraction-free? Is it the right time? Does your child feel supported? Being sent off to practice can sometimes feel like a chore or punishment, so try creating a positive routine around it.
I don’t want to force my child to practice.
It’s completely normal to feel unsure about whether you should "make" your child practice, especially if your goal is for them to simply enjoy music. That’s our goal too! But here’s the thing—practicing—and the grit it requires—is what helps unlock that joy in the long run, even when it feels tough in the moment.
Think about it like learning to read. For most kids, learning to read is challenging, but it’s a non-negotiable skill because we know how important it will be in their lives. So we insist, we encourage them, support them, get creative, and make reading part of daily life because we know it’s worth the effort.
Music is similar. By helping your child overcome practice challenges, you’re not runing their love for music—you’re actually helping them build resilience and teaching them about the learning process. You're holding the long-term vision of what they can achieve, even if they can't see it yet. This long-term perspective, paired with empathy for the fact that practice is hard, along with creativity and regular communication with your teacher for support and ideas, can set your child up for success!
Tips for Fun & Effective Practice
Repetition is key. If your child has to play something 10 or 20 times, make it fun! Make tally marks on a paper or a whiteboard; put a sticker on their arm/shirt/face for every repetition; put toys or beads on the piano and move them from one side to the other to count each rep; you can even use a healthy (or not so healthy) snack: one grape or goldfish (or occasionally an m&m mini!) for every rep.
Incentivizing Practice. Make sure your student fills out their 100 day sheet to get their prizes and watch their practices grow on the practice wall!
Make it social. Encourage performances for family members or film a video of their progress for grandparents. You can even start a youtube channel!
Get creative. Inspire creativity by letting them compose their own songs or improvise. You can look up videos of inpsiring musicians to watch together.
You try! Have your child teach YOU how to play or sing what they are learning. you might be surprised at how hard it is!
Encourage persistence. Remind your child that challenges and frustrations are a normal part of learning. Saying “This feels hard because it is hard—not because you’re doing something wrong,” can immensely help shape your child’s view of the learning process and of themselves in tough moments (check out Becky Kennedy’s Good Inside, particularly the chapter on frustration, for some awesome insights).
The Tip Jar Method.
Looking for a fun way to encourage practice? Set up a jar where you can put small tips—like coins, tokens, or even small bills—to celebrate when your child plays something well or even practices without being reminded. They can “cash in” their tip jar for a special reward like a fun outing or a new music book.
Your involvement helps set the tone for a positive practice routine. With your support, practicing can become something they look forward to as they grow and develop as musicians.