When children – or adults, even – choose to learn the guitar, they probably have visions of becoming a rock star right away. It’s fun to imagine mastering all their favorite songs and performing flawlessly in front of family and friends. But you will learn quickly that without guitar lessons for kids, they’ll have a tough time mastering some foundational elements of the guitar, never mind the songs that will turn them into rock stars. Without consistent instruction and practice, your child won’t hit the milestones necessary to truly enjoy playing the guitar.
The good news is that if your child decided to play the guitar, they likely had some interest initially in learning the instrument. When children are forced into learning instruments, like the piano or the violin, at young ages they might have a harder time learning the discipline of practice that will help them unlock their full potential.
What’s the Right Amount of Practice Time?
A good way to think about how often your child should be practicing the guitar, is to consider that outside of the guitar lessons for kids they’re taking, how often they would practice if they were part of a band or orchestra in school? If your child was taking an elective band or orchestra class, they might have 45 minutes of instruction 5 days a week. This would be a considerable effort to replicate at home, but your child should aim to practice daily for 20 to 30 minutes at a time.
It can be hard to fit in the exact amount of time needed every day of the week, so alternatively, your child could practice for longer on the weekends, and then practice in shorter bursts a few days during the week. Because the lessons that your children are taking with a guitar teacher for kids should be focusing on foundational elements of learning an instrument, allow your child to have at least one open window of time where they can get lost in practicing and enjoy themselves. This can not only boost their skill level, but also their commitment to the discipline of practicing. One thing to remember is that whatever the cadence, regular practice will always trump infrequent, long practice sessions. Consistency is key to seeing real growth.
How Do I Keep My Child Motivated to Practice?
One of the most common hurdles for learning the guitar is to keep your kids interested in practicing. During your child’s guitar lessons, your instructor should be able to identify and articulate at least one aspect of learning the instrument that is fun for your child. Understanding this is helpful to keep your child motivated in the long term.
If you, or someone else in your family, are musicians as well, you could set aside a little bit of time each week to have “jam sessions” with your child. Singing along while your child plays guitar is a great way to make the child feel as if they’re really part of a band, which can foster enjoyment and inspiration. Collaboration with your child is a great way to build bonds with your child, and the collaboration also gives them a sense of accomplishment.
If your child is the only musician in the house, it might be beneficial for them to have weekly or bi-weekly “concerts” for your family to show off their progress or a particular song they wanted to learn. Make sure you and your other audience members take time to praise your child’s performance and note, in particular, the ways in which your child has improved. Make sure to focus on the positive growth and not to use this time to critique anything your child might not have yet mastered. Remember, the key here is to find ways to motivate your child to stay committed to the instrument.
Finding the right teacher for guitar lessons for kids is a great first step in providing your child with a plan to enjoy playing music for the rest of their life. While your child’s guitar teacher will focus on the technical aspects of learning an instrument, you can foster an encouraging environment for your child to enjoy learning the guitar. Without additional practice outside of formal guitar lessons, your child’s skill will likely remain stagnant. It will pay off in the long run to find fun and creative ways to keep your child motivated to practice.
All of the guitar teachers working for Lessons In Your Home have a solid understanding of music theory and are experts at teaching it in a way that is easy to digest, even for beginners. They can either come to your home to teach or can also provide online music lessons. Our virtual music lessons are taught by local music teachers who plan their lessons to suit your child. Contact us today to find an instructor near you who will help your child master their skills.
