4 Ways To Help Keep Your Child Excited About Learning To Play Music
Kids are naturally going to lose some interest when learning to play music, even with a great teacher, plenty of practice space, and a brand-new instrument, as it requires a fair amount of discipline that younger people may struggle with.
However, given the countless benefits of learning to play an instrument as a child, there is plenty of reasons for parents to try and encourage them and keep them excited about learning to play music. Here’s 4 tips that will make the job much easier!
1. Let Them Choose Their Own Instrument
This couldn’t be more important – always let the child choose what they want to play. There may be some pivots from their initial choice but it’s important that they discover their own interests when it comes to certain musical instruments.
Forcing an instrument on them only fosters resentment towards the entire concept of learning to play music, so avoid it at all costs. Always get their input when choosing an instrument and they’ll be more likely to stick with it.
2. Encourage Performances and Always Attend Them
With any hobby it is always important to encourage setting goals, and there are fewer better goals for a child learning an instrument than performing live. You want to encourage them and keep them engaged, be sure to arrange regular performances and always make sure you attend them.
Come performance time, your child will be incredibly excited, since practicing for a performance is a big motivator. When they see you attending their performances, they also get a massive sense of accomplishment, having achieved the goal you initially encouraged!
3. Be Their No.1 Fan
This probably won’t take much effort, but you should always aim to be the main cheerleader when your child plays an instrument. Even when they are feeling less confident about their playing, which is common during early learning stages, always take the time to encourage them and say how much you enjoy their music.
The best way to do this is to simply listen to them at home. Ask to hear what they’ve learned, encourage them to put on impromptu shows at home, and inquire about their progress so far. When you show a genuine interest it only motivates and excites them to play for you!
4. Celebrate Every Victory
Children learning to play an instrument are going to have their moments of doubt and discouragement, so it’s important that you celebrate every accomplishment, no matter how small it appears.
This doesn’t just mean giving them verbal praise, although there should be plenty of that, but also setting up rewards for when they achieve something, such as a family dinner, ice cream, movie night or anything they may appreciate.
Consider writing down any achievement they tell you about their learning process, as this makes it easier to remember so you can praise them, which fosters a positive attitude where they want to continue playing and get through those rougher moments.
La Habra Music Center and Corona Music Center both offer a great selection and competitive pricing for all the instruments mentioned above, and many more. We also carry many instruments available for rent in our well stocked retail stores, where you will find knowledgeable and talented staff to assist you with any questions related to playing music. If you have an instrument that needs repair, we do that too. For instrument rentals, sales, repair, lessons, and even opportunities to be a part of a kid’s rock band or an adult’s rock band, give us a call today! For customers around La Habra, Whittier, and Brea, our La Habra location can be reached at (562) 694-4891 and for customers around Corona and Riverside, contact our Corona location at (951) 898-2630.