One of the most common questions parents ask is: How long should my child practice each day?
The answer isn't as simple as setting a timer for 20 minutes. Practice is about what your child achieves, not just how long they sit with their instrument.
Twenty minutes of focused practice can be far more valuable than an hour of simply playing through the same pieces.
Encourage your child to have one clear goal for each practice session. Perhaps it's improving a difficult passage, learning a few new bars or working on rhythm. Listening carefully, slowing things down and correcting mistakes is where real progress happens and approaching a piece of music in pieces can help to break it down and make it seem achievable.
Simply practising for the sake of completing a set number of minutes can actually create poor habits.
A child who only plays during their weekly lesson will find it much harder to develop confidence and fluency. Regular practice helps the instrument become familiar and keeps skills fresh between lessons.
But that doesn't mean children need to practise for hours every day.
The best routine is one your child can stick to without feeling overwhelmed. A few focused minutes, repeated regularly, can build much more progress than an occasional marathon session.
And remember: practice doesn't always have to mean playing an entire piece from beginning to end. Sometimes the most productive session is spent working on one small section until it feels easier.
Before your child starts, ask: “What are you going to work on today?”
Having a small, achievable goal gives practice direction and makes progress easier to see.
Ultimately, don't aim for as much practice as possible. Aim for focused practice, done regularly, that your child can feel good about and (hopefully!) enjoys doing.
