Great ideas for encouraging your child to play

Here are six tips for successful music practice from Jammin' with you, the New York Music blog.

1. A place to play with no distractions

2. Practise every day          It makes playing music more fun.

Practising is not fun when you do it irregularly.

3. Play early

 Playing before school often works well and beats playing just before you go to bed and are really tired, or after a hard day at school. Become a morning person and you won't miss the best part of the day!

4. Keep your instrument ready to play.

Don't put it away in a case. Keep the piano smiling: lid open! One reason I can't play the cello is that mine was in a soft case with lots of straps to undo. I didn't have a stand for it and rarely got it out of the case!

5. Reward success: stickers, trip to the park, be creative!

6. Praise good playing.

Don't jump every time your child plays a wrong note. Occasionally point out a note that has been played wrongly several times. (A good tip for us teachers!)

If you head over to Jammin' with you you'll see I have my own way of putting their advice. It's worth reading what they said there - and it looks so cool, too!