How long should I practice?

How long should we advise our students to practice their instrument?

The younger the child, the less time should be spent. It's more important to advise parents and students to practice a smaller amount of time more often. For 5-6 year olds: 8-10 minutes each day. Try to establish a routine time to practice just as you schedule in time to brush your teeth. 7-8 year olds can go 10-12 minutes and 9-10 year olds should practice about 15 minutes.

Another thing to consider: Depending on what instrument the child is playing, too much practice at one time can actually do harm.  If the child practices too long, the muscles become too tired to keep up the correct playing positions, posture and muscle control for a good tone and bad habits will quickly develop.

Older students that are in middle school can practice 20-30 minutes for each session. Once the child becomes a serious enough player to have a private teacher, join youth groups that require auditions or enter into musical adjudicated events and competitions, then they can establish longer and longer practice sessions to prepare.