Summit School Of guitar

HOW TO ENCOURAGE YOUR CHILD

TO PRACTICE THEIR GUITAR

This is often a topic that causes a lot of pain for parents, and the first thing we want to say today, most children will have stumbling blocks in their practicing, that’s just the way it is. 

There will be periods where their practicing will come nice and easy and some periods where it’s just a nightmare. One of the best things about learning an instrument for kids is that it builds their confidence over time and it introduces them to problem-solving skills. This is because there are periods that they go through where they can’t do something and then suddenly, when they’ve practiced enough and figured it out, they can do it! 

The great thing is that it shows them how, if they work at something, they will get better at it. This principle works for every aspect of life, and with an instrument, it really shows them that progress, and really builds their confidence. This translates to them being more confidence even ten years down the line because they have a tangible example of how applying themselves to an instrument will improve their skill. 

So here are some tips for helping your child to do more practice: 

Get a great teacher that your child loves having lessons with

This is really important if the kids enjoy the lessons they are going to. If they are having fun, and are in an enjoyable atmosphere. There will always be patches where they may enjoy it less, but if you have confidence in the teacher and your child also has that confidence in the teacher, it makes the whole process a lot easier. You know the work that the teacher is giving them is something they can do at home. 

A Practice Challenge

A nice way to encourage them to practice is to set a challenge and have a certain number of days that they have to practice continuously, and a goal for how much practice they do in that time. And at the end of it, have a reward. It doesn’t have to be a good thing, it could be some chocolates or a day out, or spending time with them. This just makes it even more fun and gets them into the habit of practicing. 

Make it a routine

Just like brushing your teeth, which isn’t optional, neither is guitar practice. As they build a routine, it is so much more valuable for them to be doing 5-10 minutes of practice a day than doing an hour once a week. They will make a lot more progress and help build their confidence through that progress. It will actually get them into the habit of doing the practice every day as well, which is how you learn things the fastest. 

Make a video of their progress

It’s easy now as a parent, and take your phone and record their playing. Do this once a month, so that in a few months time or in a year’s time, both of you can look back and see how much progress they have made. As you advance on the guitar, things will continue to seem difficult, because by challenging your child’s playing, that’s where the most progress is made. The role of the teacher is to challenge them. And when you’ve got those videos, your child can see how much progress they have made. It will be really inspiring for them to see that. 

Know what your child should be working on 

This is very important and especially for young children. You need to know what your child needs to be working on by communicating with the teacher. Just roughly know what they should be doing, so when they are working on their materials, you know whether they are actually doing practice, or just playing around. This gets you involved in the process and also then you know whether they are really doing practice. Because their playing will approve a lot as they practice properly. You can help hold them accountable at home and encourage them to do proper practice. 

This is an easy thing to do, just ensure your teacher involves you so you know what your child is learning in their lessons and what they should be working on at home. 

Get them performing

When your friends and family come round for dinner or for a visit, and especially when you know a few days in advance. You can let your child know that their relative would love to hear what they are working on. This really helps to motivate them because they want to do well. And when they perform, make sure you praise them for all the extra practice they have done in preparation for it. Any opportunities they may have at school to play in assemblies or performances should also be encouraged. The more practice they get at performing and doing well, the more confidence it builds and the more they will feel motivated to practice themselves. 

In conclusion, guitar playing is fun and enjoying, however, practice is essential to ensuring long-term success and progress on an instrument. As your child learns to overcome challenges on the guitar, they will build self-confidence in both their guitar playing and in life. This is why encouraging your child to practice when they are not feeling as up for it is important. Doing this in as fun and enjoyable way as possible will encourage them to build it into their daily habit and have great success at playing the guitar. 

I hope this has given you a few ideas on how to encourage your child to practice the guitar. If you are looking for a guitar teacher for your child or wanting to change guitar teachers and you are based in East London, we would love to hear from you and find out how we can help. 

About Author: Darryl Powis. A Guitar Instructor and Guitar School Owner based in East London. If you are looking for London guitar lessons for kids then get in touch with us via our website.