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Summer Songs & Tips to Help Students Continue Their Practice Routine

By admin | July 21, 2021 |

Summer Songs & Tips to Help Students With Practice Routine - Sheet Music Now

When that last bell rings on the last day of the school year, kids have a sense of freedom and joy that has been building all year. It is summertime! That means no rigid structures or schedules, homework, or studying. No more math equations, literature books, or last-minute science fair projects. Instead, it is all about staying up late, sleeping in even later, and hanging out with friends.

Unfortunately, while these two months or so of freedom may be well deserved for your hardworking student, it also leaves the mind dormant — making it easy to forget many things learned throughout the school year. And it is not just about academics, but music, too.

In fact, working hard all year in music class and then taking the summer off can cause the student’s musical ability to regress. He or she may lose all love or interest in it, too. It is crucial for students to keep practicing throughout the summer in order to continue development and musical conditioning.

7 Tips for Keeping Your Student Practicing Music

Summertime is meant for fun, we get it. So, trying to convince your student to pick up that instrument and practice for even 30 minutes each day can lead to an argument.

Try these 7 tips and see what helps. Remember, a little bit of practice is better than none at all.

  1. Be Honest With Your Student. Stress the importance of practice. Explain the losses that occur when practice doesn’t happen and how this can impact their participation in music next year when school starts again. For instance, if your child was working so hard to be 1st chair this past year, remind him or her that summertime has a lot of free time to get even better so that competing for 1st chair will be a breeze next year.
  2. Consider Opting for Private Lessons. Sometimes getting your student to practice on his or her own each day is impossible, no matter how hard you try. Investing in private lessons can not only benefit your child by keeping the learning going throughout the summer, but it will also keep your child accountable between lessons – leading to additional practice.
  3. Don’t Hide the Instrument. Out of sight, out of mind is a big thing when it comes to musical instruments. It is so easy to put them up like old backpacks when school lets out for summer. This is a surefire way to keep your child from remembering to practice. Keep the instrument out in a visible location, along with the music stand and music, too. This will be a constant reminder to practice.
  4. Create a Schedule. Does your child have a chore chart or other responsibilities throughout the summer? While we definitely don’t want music to feel like a chore, creating a practice schedule may be a great way to keep your child moving forward on his or her instrument. It creates a time and a routine, making it less easy to forget to practice.
  5. Give Your Child a Challenge. It is so easy for music students to pick up their instrument and practice that one song they know so well. It’s simple and mindless. Encourage your child to practice more challenging scales or pieces of music. Assign a new scale each week or two. Or invest in some solo pieces of music he or she can practice at home. This will keep the mind and musical ability growing throughout the summer.
  6. Look for Summer Camps. Playing alone isn’t always fun – especially when you are a student who is used to playing with a band. Keep the spark alive by looking for musical summer camps near you. This doesn’t have to be an all-summer sort of deal. Instead, invest in camp for a couple of weeks during the summer. This can bring on new musical challenges and performance opportunities. And it reminds your child of his or her love of music so interest is not lost.
  7. Let Your Child Form a Band. Now, we aren’t necessarily referring to turning your garage into a punk rock session. But, consider getting some sheet music for a duet, trio, or quartet. Encourage a few students from school to get together to practice and learn the piece. This is a great way to make music fun while still being beneficial.

Summer Songs to Keep Interest Sparked

Sometimes it can be tough to convince your student to pick up his or her instrument and practice. And while scales, fingering exercises, and competition pieces are very important to musical growth, picking up the instrument to start practicing is even more important. In other words, if it takes offering your student a song they know or love to practice – and it gets the music flowing – then that’s what you need to do. Besides, what kid wouldn’t get excited about learning how to play their favorite song on their instrument?

Here are some summer songs you may want to consider. Search online and see what sparks your child’s interest because that is what will keep the engagement.

If your child has any favorite songs or special interests, such as video games, you can find just about any sheet music online. The idea is to make sure you find something that will interest your child so that he or she will want to practice.

Final Thought

Maintaining musical ability and learning throughout the summer is something that can be done with regular practicing. Keep a schedule, make it fun, and your student is sure to stay engaged — and be ready for next school year!

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