2. Progress happens at home
Most learning takes place between lessons, not just in them. To get the most out of sessions, children should practise regularly at home, and parents should help make this a part of their daily schedule.

Depending on age and level, as little as 15 minutes of focused daily practice can be the difference between enjoying the instrument and making steady progress – or feeling stuck and frustrated due to lack of improvement.

3. Practice makes permanent
More than the quantity, it’s the quality of practice that matters most. If a wrong note or movement is repeated over and over, that is what your child will learn – an unfortunate case of progressing backwards!

Early piano playing is often built on repetition – so encourage slow, careful practice whenever possible. Keep an eye on how your child plays at home for things like good posture, hand position or calm approach to problem solving.

4. How to practise
There are two main aspects of practice: physical and mental. Physical practice develops muscle memory and good habits, while mental practice trains discipline, focus, and creativity.

• Set aside a regular daily time (e.g. every weekday at 7.15am before school for 15-25 minutes) – this builds discipline and steady progress.
• Encourage your child to spend 30–60 seconds at the start of each practice session asking: ‘What am I focusing on today?’ (e.g. relaxed wrists, posture, or keeping time with the metronome). This builds concentration and makes practice more purposeful.
• Try the ‘rule of three‘: play a tricky spot (a bar, a jump, a short section) correctly three times in a row before moving on. Successful attempts then outweigh unsuccessful ones in muscle memory and progress is much faster.

5. Listening at home
You can make a big difference simply by playing more instrumental music at home. Classical and jazz piano work especially well, or any music without words, so the focus stays on the music itself.

Over time, this background listening will shape your child’s musical ear and help them engage more deeply with music, both intellectually and emotionally.

Live concerts are a very welcomed addition as well!

6. The skill of performing
Playing at home and playing in front of others are distinct skills – both important, but trained differently.

Lessons and practice develop instrumental technique, while concerts and performances build confidence, focus, and resilience under pressure.

Encourage your child to perform whenever possible, even informally at home, and take part in concerts or events. You’ll see their confidence grow before your eyes, and it’s a skill they will likely carry into adult life.

7. Friends and community
Children thrive when their friends share the same journey. Having a friend who also plays a musical instrument gives your child encouragement, a sense of healthy competition, and someone to celebrate progress with – all of which keeps motivation high.

They’ll be more likely to practise, stick with lessons, and enjoy music long term when it becomes part of their social world, not just a solo activity.

That’s why we encourage families to invite friends into our community: when children learn together, everyone benefits – and we’re here to make that easy through our referral programme.