13 Super Effective Ways to Motivate Your Child to Practice Music

↑ 13 Super Effective Ways to Motivate Your Child to Practice Music Treat Music Like a Different Subject " If you want your child to be motivated to play an instrument, music needs to be different than other educational subjects. Your child shouldn't see music as a forced discipline, like Math or Geography. This ultimately comes down to choosing the right instrument, which is going to be the one the child is excited about and wants to play on his or her own, Bobby K Guitar Chalk Put the Child in Control " Kids hear adults tell them what to do all the time; to catch their attention, let them plan their own practice schedule. Start with the end in mind. Basically, you want to get your child to make the decision that he or she needs to practice, so that he or she can play the way he or she wants to play. After the decision is made, the parent can help the child research and figure out how often a good musician practices. The child then sets a schedule based on the reality that to be good, one must practice." Nicole Weiss LCSW Psychotherapist and Coach 4 Wny We TENH PANO unite. teach. play. Make Practice a Choice, Not an Obligation Help Your Child Learn to Appreciate Music The key here is to not make practice seem like an obligation, as Help your child understand that playing a musical instrument is a privilege that not everyone is entitled to. Help them learn to appreciate music and all it has to offer. Show them how music can compared to other fun activities. Don't set an arbitrary amount of practice time, without specific goals, and then reward them with playtime or video games afterwards. This just reinforces the notion that playing piano is not fun and video games are fun. enhance their life. "| believe that we're here in this world to do great things with the gift of our lives, and we're here to serve others. Learning to play [the violin] helps us in both of these areas - we are drawn up into a level of greatness through the discipline required to study this art form, and in this process, we cultivate a gift that we can share with others. Why We Teach Piano Heather F. Music for Young Violinists Plan Performances When it comes to any sport, hobby, or endeavor, it's important to keep your eye on the prize. The same thing applies when it comes to your child learning an instrument, your son or daughter has to have a goal in sight, otherwise, he or she may question the need to practice. " If you want to keep students engaged and excited about their music education, make sure they're performing consistently throughout the year. There are other profound effects on more scheduled performances for all school programs, as well. We as parents and teachers need to foster a growing curiosity and even an excitement about music in our children's lives. Consistent performances are the best way to do this and continue to motivate our children. Anthony M. The Music Parents' Guide Unlock the Guitar Let Your Child Choose the Instrument First of all, I think it's critical that the child choose the instrument they're going to learn. I'm a guitarist, and I'd love nothing more than my son to be interested in learning guitar, but he's undeniably drawn to the piano. Plus, if an instrument is thrust upon them, practicing it will also be thrust upon them. Letting the child choose the instrument turns this on its head, and into your favor, even if they didn't choose the instrument you would have liked them to play. " Matt. T. Unlock the Guitar eighty e /eight Votes Be Their Cheerleader Help Them Engage With Music Let your child know you are his or her biggest fan, especially early on when your child may feel frustrated or discouraged. Your child is more likely to practice music if he or she feels connected to the process. Help your son or daughter develop an interest and curiosity around instruments or Listen to your child at home as often as you can and make encouraging remarks about their progress. Also, make sure to ask them how their lessons went. genres. Motivating your child by reward or punishment will stop working very quickly; instead, help your child get curious about music and develop an inner desire to engage with music. Let your child play around with different instruments. Listen to eight-eighty notes school of music music and sing together. Your child will naturally want to imitate you, so a big motivation for children to practice is seeing their parents engage with music themselves.) Jonas G. flowkey 9. Create Challenges Rather than telling your child to practice, help them set specific goals and challenges. "Don't ask your kids to 'practice.' They won't know what to do. Instead, give them bite-sized, clear challenges to complete: (1) Work out a fingering for measures 24-35 (2) Gradually speed up section B to 85bpm. (3) Be able to play the left hand of the coda from memory.) Philip J. "Practiceopedia" author familyshare Celebrate ALL Accomplishments Learning to play an instrument is a journey with peaks, valleys, and plateaus along the way. While you will definitely be proud when you watch your child perform, it's important to celebrate the little victories along the way. While verbal praise is important, you may also want to create another way to celebrate achievements. FamilyShare recommends keeping a journal of your child's accomplishments. When you put it in writing, you're less likely to forget. If journaling isn't your thing, you can keep a white board on the fridge, or make a chart that you can display in the house! FamilyShare 11 12 Piano Discoveries Quality Resources for Teachers, Students, and Parents -ACADEMY OF MUSIC AND DANCE Make Practice Fun Let Them Play Music They Like While there are always certain signature songs and classics for various instruments, your child will This should come as no surprise but no one wants to practice when it's boring! Incorporate fun games, activities, and challenges and your child will look forward to practice! lose interest if he or she doesn't like the music they're playing. Appropriate goals and positive reinforcement will make practicing fun and rewarding. Very few " As children get to be around 10 years old, sometimes younger, they start to develop preferences for musical style, largely influenced by radio, TV, and whatever they're most exposed to at home. They will also typically gravitate to whatever their friends are listening to, especially for boys at around age 13 and girls around age 11. children are self-motivated in their practice. Most need incentives and reminders to keep them focused and moving forward. Piano Discoveries Academy of Music and Dance 13 M MUSIC CENTRAL Find the Right Teacher If your child connects with his or her teacher, he or she is much more likely to practice at home on his or her own time. Finding the right teacher will make or break the whole experience. Don't be afraid to try a new teacher if your child isn't connecting. The best teachers are usually the ones who not only teach, but know how to be a good friend and mentor to your child. Music Central t0 takelessons TakeLessons.com