How do I get my kid to practice?

I have been getting this question a LOT recently. Here is the slim and skinny:
Your kid is new to lessons, music, and/or their instrument. We’ve all been there! I’ve even been there. Playing a new instrument or an instrument for the first time is awkward, uncomfortable, clunky, exciting, interesting, and fun. It’s the negative things that make it hard to practice, though. That can be very normal.

The most important thing is ensuring that your child is touching their instrument almost daily. If they don’t want to run through a full blown practice, that’s okay! Here’s some starter ideas:

• play through some chords

• make up a song

• hold your guitar or ukulele while watching a show and strum around

• create a cool beat on your tablet or find one online and play with that (more fun than that old metronome!)

• clean your instrument (what!?). Yes. Care is super important in “bonding” with your instrument and helps promote responsibility

• try to sight read one of your favorite songs

• use the practice timer in TZ and try to beat last week’s total

• incentivize your child and PRAISE them for practicing

Playing daily will make practice easier, lessons more fun, and music more awesome! Practice should be PLAY; not work. Building skills certainly is part of it, but practicing should feel good. Once we build up those muscles, stretch those hands, form calluses, learn to read music and play by ear, and improve fine motor skills, then everything becomes much easier. Practice will soon become part of a daily routine and you’ll have to tell your child to STOP practicing to come eat, do their homework, or clean their room! You will get there, we promise. Stick with it, you’re doing great.