Learning to play a musical instrument is rewarding and educational. It helps children build confidence in themselves as they are growing up and stimulates their brain functions. This, in turn, leads to better performance in school.
Parents play a major role in making their children's musical experience better. Parents can provide a child with rich musical experiences and support their child's musical development. The research shows that parental support has a positive effect on a child's enjoyment of music, their motivation to learn and their personal satisfaction with music lessons and their self-esteem.
Here are some practical tips on how to support your children’s musical development.
Make Music a part of your Home Life
Encourage your children to listen to music, watch music/concert videos and engage in musical play as often as possible. By doing so, you can create a home environment where music is a permanent activity – not just an extracurricular activity.
Provide a Musical Friendly environment
For children to learn to play a musical instrument, they need a space without distractions. Set up a music room where your child can stay when they have their music lessons or practice. The room should have good light and good soundproofing. If you don't have a spare room, then any quiet corner can be made a dedicated area for music learning.
Appreciate your Child’s Every Effort
Parents should praise the effort their child puts into learning music. Music is not about talent, but skill, and your praise reinforces the idea that practice leads to mastery. You can also show your support by telling your child that you are proud of the effort they put into learning music. Remember, talent isn't important as long as they work hard.
Show Interest in what your Child is Learning
Children feel more motivated to learn if their parents show interest in their progress. You should always ask your child about what they had learned during the day, the pieces they're working on, how they feel about the music and what they are going to practise the next day. It would also be a good idea to talk with your child's teacher so you can work out what will be the best for your child.
Motivate your Child for Public Performance to boost Self Confidence
Knowing that friends and family will be coming to watch them play, can be an amazing motivating factor for children playing the instrument. They would want to practise more in order to be able to play well in front of them. As children gain more experience, they also gain a lot of confidence. This will make it easier for them to perform in front of many people. It also means that they will be more comfortable with performing more difficult pieces. Make sure you clap and show them your appreciation!