Every piano student begins the summer with the best of practice intentions. But, summer can make it difficult for students to practice consistently.
After a mixed-up spring, where lessons looked very different, you may be wondering how to keep kids on track this summer.
Today, we’re helping you solve this problem with a printable Summer Piano Practice Routine that can be shared with studio families. It provides a weekly structure that is feasible, fun, and effective.
Let’s Make The Summer Count!
After reading about today’s Summer Piano Practice Routine, download the infographic to share with your students. You can include the graphic in a studio email or newsletter, post it on your social media pages or print it out and send it home.
Ask your students to follow the routine as presented.
Each day of the week has a different, catchy name that corresponds to the practice task they are to complete. By following this weekly plan, they’ll stay motivated and interested while keeping their skills sharp.
Our Summer Piano Practice Routine includes the following:
Musicality Monday
On Mondays, your piano students can focus on adding extra finesse to their playing. They can spend Mondays practicing repertoire with a keen eye on the articulation markings, phrasing, and dynamics.
Technique Tuesday
On Tuesdays, your piano students can practice technical work. This often gets tossed to the side in the summer months. By devoting a specific day to this task, you can ensure it continues to be practiced. Ask your older students to practice their scales, triads, and arpeggios. Ask your younger students to work on technical exercises or warm-ups every Tuesday.
Wow Me Wednesday
On Wednesdays, your piano students can work on special projects that can be present when fall lessons begin. This can be a memorized or self-taught piece, a recording project, or a family duet. Giving students this freedom usually results in some wonderful surprises!
Theory Thursday
On Thursdays, your piano students can hone their theory, rhythm, and note-reading skills using the provided printables (access our free piano theory homework sheets here).
Thursdays are also a day your students can use our newest piano student workbook to keep their note-reading skills sharp.
Andrea And Trevor Dow’s Timed Note Reading Tests, Book 1 is now available here on Amazon.
Free Time Friday
On Fridays, your students can be creative at the piano. Younger students can work on a composing book (our primer composing series is easy for at-home use!) or on improvisation (our teen method books always include improv practice).
Sight Reading Saturday
On Saturdays, your piano students can focus on sight reading. Before summer, be sure to send them home with lots of lower-level repertoire to sight read. You can also encourage them to work ahead in their books or to teach themselves pieces they find on their own. By having a sight reading day, your students will develop strategies that will be used in other learning areas.
Sharing Sunday
On Sundays, your piano students can “check in” by recording themselves playing a piece of repertoire and then emailing it to you. There’s no need to respond with any sort of teaching advice. This is simply intended as an “accountability tool” to maintain a connection with you during the summer months.
Download Our Summer Piano Practice Routine
Piano students who have a predictable routine will be motivated to continue regular practice during the summer months. Reminding piano students to “practice every day” is not as effective as giving them a specific schedule of tasks that they need to complete.
Can your students still practice other tasks at the piano each day? Absolutely! You’ll find that students will practice repertoire on “Free Time Fridays” or sneak in scale practice on “Sharing Sunday”. The key is to get them to the bench to complete a task that feels doable and where they can feel a sense of accomplishment once it’s complete.
“Right-click” on the image below to save our Summer Piano Practice Routine (or on a device “press and hold”).
My list-making, routine-loving heart LOVES this! Thank you!
We’d be kindred spirits I think LOL. Hoping the sense of organization makes your students happy and motivated too 🙂
Practicality perfect! I love this. Thank you!
So glad you’ll find it helpful, Mary 🙂
How can I download this on a Mac
To download the graphic just “right click” and select “save as” 🙂
Hi Andrea,
Do you have a generic version that can be passed out year round? Thank you!
Hi Elle! No, we don’t – just the summer one for now 🙂
Can you make printables that won’t use up all my ink? Have an option for no background color? Thanks.
Hi Karen! This image is really best used as a social media image or in a digital studio newsletter – or it can be emailed to students as well.