How Long Should Your Child Practice Piano?

I recommend students practice 5 days a week following a pattern of three days on, one day off, two days on, one day off.

In my example, I use Sunday as the 1st day of the practice week since Saturday is the busiest day of the week for me. Adapt to your needs.

Three Days On           First day Off Two days On      Second Day Off

  1    2 3                          4 5 6                   7

Sun  Mon Tues               Wed            Thurs Fri              Sat

The brain works most efficiently with prescribed rest between session. So unless your child is a professional pianist,  please don’t let them work more than 3 days in a row unless they are preparing for a recital or other performance.

The brain works most efficiently with prescribed rest between session. So unless your child is a professional pianist,  please don’t let them work more than 3 days in a row unless they are preparing for a recital or other performance.

On designated days off, 4 &,7  and any time outside of practice time all children should be allowed free time on the piano without any interference.  This is when they get to explore their instrument and their own musicality. (Mozart composed during free time not practice time. Just saying... )

How long should each practice session last?    

Beginners should set a goal of 25 minutes a week. If your child misses a practice session please don’t try to have them make it up..  It will do more harm than good, throwing them off schedule. Trust me on this.

I assign 5 tasks for the week.  Beginning students should spend about one minute per task per practice session for a total of 5 minutes.  I like my beginners to use a five-minute glass which gives them both a sense of time and responsibility. You can get them in all colors. The practice session begins with all the sand at the top and ends when the sand is all at the bottom.  Any time after is then free time.

Put practice sheets away and let Mozart do his/her thing.

As your child progresses, practice sessions should increase in 5 minute increments.  The need to add time becomes evident quite organically, just as you notice your child needs the next size up in shoes or clothes. Their exercises and songs grow longer and 5 minutes just isn’t enough time. I like to wait until the child starts getting annoyed by the time restriction.

By the time the student has been playing for a few years the practice time quite naturally becomes 1/2 hour or more. We still have five tasks but each one takes longer, filling up the amount of practice time available.

Marie-france teaches piano, voice and drama lessons from her home studio in Waldwick, NJ.