By Andra Prewett
May is here! For us in the South, this means that it’s summertime already! As our students transition to their summer schedules, here are some tips to help keep practices happy and productive.
- Write down your practice schedule. Many families find it helpful to schedule practice into their calendar, as you would schedule any other activity, such as a sports practice.
- Keep to a consistent routine. Practicing at the same time every day can reduce stress and pushback from your child.
- Keep lessons going over the summer, as it will keep your child progressing. Taking a break usually causes children to lose some skills they’ve gained during the school year. This is particularly true for the youngest students. Talk with your teacher about any summer vacation plans. They will work with your schedule and offer creative solutions for maintaining progress during vacation days.
- Schedule practice before swimming if your child tends to get sleepy after a long day at the pool.
- Choose a special piece to learn over the summer. Has your child begged to learn a song from Frozen? What about some fiddle songs? Talk to your teacher about any special pieces you’d like to learn, and they can help you find the right music that will be level-appropriate.
- Make a playdate with another music student. The children can play their review songs together, produce an outdoor mini-performance, and strengthen the social bond within your lesson studio.
- Busk. Is there a local coffee shop or shopping plaza that gets foot traffic? Consider showing up with your instrument, open case, and playing all the songs you know. People love seeing kids play, and they might make some cash while doing it! Just be sure to check with the store or any village ordinances regarding noise regulations before playing.
- Schedule a Zoom concert. Are there grandparents who live across the country? Pick a date and a time, and schedule the concert in your calendar. An upcoming concert can give meaningful purpose to practicing review pieces.
- Create practice incentives. It takes 14 days to create a new habit. Why not start with a 14 day practice goal with your child? At the end of the 14 days, your child gets a reward, such as going to get ice cream, a small prize, or picking the movie for family movie night. The Practice Shoppe has some fun, downloadable practice charts you can print for your kids.
- Buy wrist guards for rollerskating, scooter, etc. There’s nothing worse than missing weeks of practice due to an injury, especially one that could be prevented! Not to mention the expensive ER bill and pain/suffering from a painful wrist break.
