As September approaches and another school year is upon us yet again, things tend to get very busy here at the Academy. We sign up more students during the months of August and September than any other time of year. The one thing I hear from parents, especially of our newer students, is that they can’t or don’t know how to get their kids to practice at home. As the old saying goes, “practice makes perfect”, and though it’s cliché, it’s a true:
whether it’s music, karate, gymnastics or anything else you’re not born already knowing how to do (you know, like breathing), practice is the only way you’re going to get better at it. Below I’ve outlined a few tips to help ease the pain of practicing at home and hopefully make practice a more enjoyable experience for everyone.
1. Try practicing at different times of day – if your kids are exhausted by the end of the day, try practicing in the morning. You’d be amazed at what can be accomplished when your mind is fresh and the stresses of school and other activities haven’t yet drained their energy.
2. Come up with a reward system – my own kids started lessons earlier this year and since they’re young, I’ve found that creating a simple chart and rewarding them with stickers every time they practice correctly does wonders.
3. Don’t put the instrument away when practice is done – by leaving their instrument out during the day instead of packing and unpacking it, you are encouraging your kids to pick it up whenever they want as opposed to having a set time when they should play it.
4. Put on some of their favorite songs and have them play along – even if they’re playing something totally different! If it’s one things kids are never going to love is playing scales and exercises. By putting on some music they like and encouraging them to play along, it gives them a sense that they’re not just playing the same boring thing over and over again.
There are many other ways to encourage your kids to practice, but the most important thing to remember is that you have to be involved, at least in the very beginning. Most kids will simply not want to practice on their own so you have to give them some incentive and motivation to do it. With these tips and a little patience, you may be able to save your child’s instrument from becoming another relic collecting dust in the attic.
Please visit www.westcoastmusicacademy.com for more information about West Coast Music Academy and the lessons we offer or call us at 661-253-9262 to schedule your first lesson!