How Much Piano Practice?

How much should Susy practice piano? I generally tell parents 15 to 20 minutes at least 3 times a week. If your child is in kindergarden go with less practice, if they're in 5th grade go with more.

You want to make sure they're learning and having fun. Sitting with them to practice is preferred, even for ten minutes, especially in the beginning and if they are younger.

You might try a little bargaining. For example, if video games are the favorite, allow them to play one minute or two of video games for every minute of practice. Adjust the time to suit the child. If practice becomes a battle, back off and try something different. Maybe a family concert would be fun?

Ultimately you want your child to make music their own. This is important. Some parents have such a strong agenda that they should just be learning themselves. Learning takes time and repetition. I've seen kids struggle with basic finger coordination for two years before it clicks.

Have your child play a song for their friend. If you can, play a duet with them. Many lesson books have duet parts. Or play a recording of the song and see if they can play along. One sign that a piece is practiced enough is memorization.

Of course, some children do practice enough, sometimes to the point that it drives their parents nuts! First they're asking how to get Susie to practice, next thing you know, they're complaining about hearing Yankee Doodle 50 times a day!