These are designed to help parents discover new ways to encourage practice and make it fun!
1. Connect the Dot: Buy a connect-the-dot book to be used only for practice. For each correct repetition, the child gets to connect one dot.
2. Macaroni for Lunch: Put one piece of elbow macaroni in a jar for each correct repetition. At the end of the week, have a celebration meal and cook it for lunch.
3. Roll the Dice Roll the dice for how many repetitions are required for that practice or that week of practice. "Ooo" and "Ahh" for high numbers since that will improve the practice point faster than low numbers will. Use only one die for longer, more time-consuming repetitions.
4. String Cherrios, Fruit Loops, or macaroni on a piece of string or yarn (for each correct repetition) to make a necklace or bracelet.
5. Gather your child's favorite stuffed animals/dolls and give each a private concert or demonstration of a specific skill.
6. M&M Game: The parent gets five M&Ms. The child does 5 repetitions of a specific skill with a specific goal. If the child does not attain the goal, mom gets to eat one M&M. At the end of the five repetitions, the child gets to eat the M&Ms that are left. This works well with older students too.
7. String a kernel of popcorn or one cranberry for each repetition into a garland for your Christmas tree.
8. Pick a card out of the deck to decide how many times to repeat a passage or skill. Parents "stack the deck" so that the number of repetitions is appropriate for the age and ability of the child. Also, you can cover the each of the diamonds, clubs etc. with markers as the child completes each repetition.
9. Go "on tour" or "caroling", performing a piece or a repetition in each room of the house. Bathrooms' acoustics are the most fun.
10. Smartest Chair: Have your child play their preview spot or piece on each chair in the room to see which one is the smartest.
11. How many correct repetitions can you play correctly before a birthday candle burns down?
12. For each repetition, put a piece in a picture puzzle.
13. Graph Your Progress: Decide on a specific goal and how many attempts will be made for each day. Using a piece of graph paper, start in the lower left hand corer. After each performance of the objective, the student marks a dot charting successful or unsuccessful attempts.
14. Hang the Clothes Pin: Hang a clothespin on the child's shirt for each successful repetition. See how many are hanging at the end of the practice. Keep score for each day.
15. Read a Page: Decide on a storybook that will be read only as a result of practice. For each correct repetition, one page is read to or by the student.
16. Chip Game: The parent and child each receive 5 chips (buttons, pennies, M&Ms, peanuts, etc). The task is defined in objective and measurable terms by the child. Example: Playing one note, measure or phrases with a straight wrist. If the child is successful in completing the task, he or she receives one of the parent's chips. If the child is unsuccessful, the parent takes a chip from the child's stock. It is most valuable when the child is the judge of who receives the chip. If the child and parent disagree about who gets the point, the child must do the task again.
17. Happy faces: A series of circles can be drawn on a blank sheet of paper. The child then plays a piece or designated passage. When the child is finished, the parent and child choose the face that best describes their success.
18. Silly Repetitions: After the child has successfully completed the task one or two times, add some fun to the remaining repetitions by asking the child to play with their eyes closed, looking at the ceiling, standing on one leg, looking at you, etc.
Remember: perfect practice makes perfect!
