15 Ways to Keep Practice Going Over the Summer

The worst feeling for both students and teachers is coming back to lessons in the fall when there has been little to no practice over the summer months.

Just like students need to make time to read over the summer, so they don’t lose important skills before the next school year, practicing an instrument is a year round activity.

Lessons maybe less regular, and there may be interruptions because of travel but regularly getting the instrument out, every day possible, is incredibly important.

Without any practice over the summer, it can easily take a three months to get back to the playing level a student was at in the Spring of the previous school year and I’ve often seen this be so discouraging to students that they question continuing to learn their instrument.

Because I’ve seen the benefit of summer practice I emphasize the importance of practice and try to give students extra motivation to practice through studio activities. Even if your teacher doesn’t do this, you the parent, can take the ideas below and make them work for your family.

Fifteen ways to keep practice going during the summer months:

1.Practice outdoors (weather permitted) for a change of scenery and some fresh air

2. Focus on reviewing pieces you know well, to keep skills strong

3. Playing/Busking at local farmers markets

4. Get together with friends, who also play, and spend time playing instruments in addition to social time

5. Set up a mini concert for family and friends

6. Pick a song and learn it by ear

7. Practice early in the day and check it off your list early

8. Find a book of music (fiddling? pop music?) to learn from that you don’t usually have time for during the year

9. Set a realistic weekly goal with a small reward for completing it

10. Attend a music camp for an extra boost of motivation

11. Plan an informal concert (invite neighbors, friends, or just your immediate family)

12. Make a project of learning all the major and minor scales on your instrument

13. Make a project of improving note reading skills by using flashcards, note reading books or online note reading games.

14. Use video: record part of practice to watch and learn from or record a piece once it’s learned well as a reward

 

15. Participate in a practice challenge (See more details below)

 

 

In my studio we do a practice challenge each summer

I add up the number of days from June – August (in 2018 it’s 92) and assign 3 levels

For example: Bronze 25 Days or more , Silver, 50 days or more, Gold 70 days or more

The idea is for everyone to get at least Bronze, and hopefully Silver, level. Bonus for those who reach gold.

I hand out a tracking chart (you can sign up to have it emailed to you below) and as students reach each level their name gets added to a display in the studio to recognize their efforts. I also recognize who got to each level in the first group class of September.

Parents appreciate that there is something to remind the students of the importance of practice, other than their own reminders and nagging, and I appreciate the way everyone keeps working over the summer.

Even if it’s a few minutes a day it makes a huge difference!

How do you stay motivated over the summer? How do you motivate your students?