Between traveling and holiday celebrations, practicing during long breaks can be tricky. Here are six ideas that keep students playing — and enjoying it — while school is out.
1. Assign something fun and festive
Try the Jingle Bell Harmonics and Sleigh Ride Harmonics PDFs. They improve tone through a new, unique way of playing favorite holiday songs.
Our gift to you: one free page of Jingle Bell Harmonics
2. Play for a real audience
Have students play Christmas songs for their family or at a nursing home. Audiences love these well-known carols, and the sense of occasion motivates far more practice than a practice log ever could.
Our gift to you: Christmas songs for holiday practice
3. Use the ultimate travel hack
If students are traveling by car, they can practice with the Pneumo Pro. It makes no sound, it's portable, and it keeps their face muscles in shape. We regularly get notes from professionals who vacation with their Pneumo Pros to keep up their flute chops.
4. Assign listening
Part of practicing is listening. Assign your students music to listen to during the break, either recorded or live — holiday music or not. We have a YouTube playlist of Blocki students playing Christmas songs, or you can build your own list of favorite tunes.
5. Make a festive practice chart
Create a fun, festive practice chart with a daily goal and a prize if they meet it. Visible progress is its own motivator.
Our gift to you: the Pneumo Pro practice sheet
6. Choose a new solo
Pick a new solo piece for each student and give them a specific goal — a certain tempo, or a certain number of pages learned — to play at the first lesson back after break.
