How Long Should They Practice?

A common question among new piano parents is, "How long should they practice each day?"

An understandable question.

The short answer is..."However long it takes."

The "however long" depends on the student.

For a 3-year-old, it's when the student's curiosity and interest with the piano are maxed out for the day. For one 3-year-old, that might be 30 seconds. For another 3-year-old, it could be twenty minutes.

One is not better than the other. Everyone is different.

For a middle schooler who has been taking lessons for years, time blocks are more appropriate to make sure the time is planned. Especially with middle-schooler schedules these days.

So, something like 30 minutes a day may be more appropriate.

But at that point, the ideal amount of time is "however long" it takes to accomplish the goals for that day.

Once again, that will be different for every student. Every student's goal-setting skills, focus skills, and the music being worked on.

Notice that the word "day" comes up a lot, though. As in, 30 seconds for "the day," or practicing 20 minutes "a day." The one piece that doesn't change is consistency. Spending time with the instrument each day.

But everyone's "day" is different.

And so, much as I would love to say, "Every child should practice 20 minutes a day to learn piano," that wouldn't be accurate.

It's more complicated than that.

But, much more beautiful and intricate all the same.