Building a Consistent Practice Routine: Tips for Parents and Students

One of the biggest challenges parents and teachers face when it comes to their children learning an instrument is helping them to practice consistently. 

While some students may be naturally self motivated and excited to practice, others who love music may need help getting into a regular routine. Some children may need more support and encouragement to build a practice habit.

Naturally, consistent practice over time will lead to growth and improvement which in turn will deepen your child’s confidence and joy in making music.  

In this post, we will cover some practical tips for how to help your child develop a consistent practice routine.

Setting Clear Goals

The first step in building a consistent practice routine is helping your child understand why they are practicing and what they are working toward. 

Perhaps they are learning a specific piece of music with a new technique or are working toward a recital or school performance. Reminding your child of the larger goal can help them stay motivated and focused.

Additionally, breaking larger goals down into more manageable tasks can also help with staying focused in practice. For example, set a goal to learn a few measures of a song by the end of the week. Whatever the goal is - help your child break it down into steps that will set them up for success. 

Develop a Routine

Consistency is key in helping your child develop in their musical skills. 

With that in mind, work with your child to set aside regular time each week for music practice. Plan the specific time and day that will be your child’s “practice time.” Don’t worry if it’s only a short amount of time - just help them build that positive habit.

An additional suggestion is to try habit stacking. Habit stacking builds upon routines we already do while linking new desired habits. It could look like this: After your child's after school snack, they practice for five minutes. What ways could you help your child build a new practice habit connected to routines they already do each day?

Set Up a Practice Space

Another tip for helping your child be successful in their music practice is to set up a dedicated, quiet practice area with everything your child needs for practice. 

Set up a spot where they can leave their instrument, music stand, music books, and  accessories like a metronome or tuner. This makes it easier for them to jump into practice whenever they want.

Listen and Praise Effort

A motivator for practice is to listen to your child play and encourage them every step of the way. 

Praise their effort and progress and highlight the goals that they reach. Maybe they are learning to use the bow for the first time, learning a challenging piece, or a new scale - encourage them and celebrate their progress. 

Track Progress

Finally, another tip for supporting your child in their music practice is to help them track their progress. This may take the form of a practice journal like this one I created for my students, a calendar, or weekly checklist. 

Encourage self reflection and ask them about their practice: What went well? What needs more work? This helps them stay engaged in the learning process and gives them ownership over their progress.

Conclusion

The most important aspect of developing as a musician is consistency. Consistent practice, even if for shorter lengths of time, will lead to longer term progress. 

Learning an instrument takes time and is a journey. Help your child enjoy the process and foster their interest and enthusiasm as best as you can. Hopefully these strategies can help you and your child in your musical journey.