Establishing consistent practice habits is without a doubt the most challenging part of having a student involved in music lessons.  Practice between lessons however is vital to learning and continued success.  One of the best ways to overcome this hurdle is to establish a familiar, easy-to-follow routine, especially since most children have not developed time-management skills.    It is unrealistic to expect a young child to initiate a consistent practice habit on his/her own. 

 A beginner should practice 20 minutes per day, spread over 2 or 3 sessions depending on the student's attention span.  Intermediate students should aim to achieve a minimum of 30– 45 minutes per day, while advanced students will require 1 hour or more per day.

  Practice time should consist of: 

•  a warm-up (perhaps a favourite song); 
• exercises (scales, sight-reading);
• songs (focusing on trouble spot, tempo, dynamics, etc.);
• and a wrap-up (an enjoyable song that ends the session on a positive note).