5 tips to have your child to practice their musical instrument

Learning a musical instrument is a rewarding challenge. You can help keep your child become proficient with a few tips and a lot of compassion.

Playing a musical instrument activates the brain in unique and beneficial ways, such as:

• enhances organizational skills
• increases memory
• improves coordination.

Whether your child becomes the next Mozart or relegates music to a hobby, learning and playing a musical instrument is beneficial to human development.

• Here are five ways to keep your child engaged and motivated to play a musical instrument:

Needless to say, when a child first begins to play an instrument, he or she will not be a virtuoso.

• Do your best to find positive things to say about even their earliest practice sessions.
• It isn't about being insincere; it's about associating good effort with positive feedback and, when warranted, genuine praise.

While, for some children, improving at their instrument is its own reward, for others, practising basic scales and exercises is something they dread.

• Creating a reward system is another way to help keep your kids on track.
• Consider offering them a half hour of video game play or Internet time for every hour they practice.

As your children get older, they'll become more and more opinionated about music.

• Strive to have regular conversations with them to find out their likes and dislikes.
• If they don't feel a connection with their current instrument, find out what they would like to play instead and try to honour that choice.

The effect of even the best music teacher can vary from child to child.

• If your child doesn't feel motivated to practice, this could be related to the instructor.
• Find out if there is a personality or style conflict; if it cannot be resolved, consider connecting your child with a different music instructor.

Getting a break from the practice studio is sometimes just what's to refresh one's orientation toward an instrument.

• Take your child out to a concert or recital, then have a fun and relevant discussion about it afterward.

A well-rounded child is often a happier child; they'll have more experiences to draw from and be better able to connect with key interests in adulthood.

• Use these five tips to help keep your child motivated and engaged with their musical instrument.