Summer break comes with schedule and routine changes for students. There are many questions about continuing with music lessons over the summer, going to summer camps, and practicing over trips.

How to keep your music student “in tune” over vacation:

• If you plan to be in town for most of the summer, it can be beneficial for your student stick with music lessons throughout the summer or attend a music camp like Creative Arts Camp. Any time a student spends away from an instrument will be time they have to spend regaining their skills when they start back-up.

• If you are going to be traveling or in day camps all summer students can maintain their current skills by practicing their past year’s material. Make a list of 5-10 of their favorite songs and encourage them to sit at the piano once a day to review. This is a great time to memorize familiar repertoire. 

• If you decide to stick with lessons over the summer it’s nice to take on special projects. If there’s a more difficult your child has been dying to learn you could decide with your teacher to stop working out of the book and work on 8 bars of that song every week. If your child enjoys composing music, your teacher can help your child compose their own song and even record it. This is also a great time for your child to get together with friends and play as a band.

• Many parents ask what they should do about music practice when they are on vacation. The answer depends on the nature of your trip, how long you will be gone, and your child’s preference. If you are going on a short vacation where you will be busy everyday it’s most likely best to take a break from practice. Sometimes a week’s break can be good for a practice routine, and your child will come back with more inspiration and focus.

  If you are going on a trip where you’ll have more free time it can be fun to bring along your instrument. This is a nice opportunity to go over old favorite songs, have sing-a-longs, or learn new fun songs. When I was a child I would take my flute on camping trips with my family and play out in the grass by the lake.

• There are many great music summer camps for kids. Unless it’s part of their school curriculum, most kids don’t get a great number of opportunities to play their instrument in a group. Summer camp is a great chance for them to learn to new material and experience the joy and power of playing as part of an ensemble. They’ll also build new friendships along the way and be inspired by kids with their same interests.

Here are some cool gadgets for practicing away from home:

VOX amPlug

This nifty device creates the sound of a guitar amp, but through headphones. It plugs into your guitar and then directly into headphones. Using this will give a much more rewarding sound than practicing an electric guitar with no amp

Roll-up Piano

There are many models of the foldable piano, they are very easy to transport. Note that these pianos are best for beginners only playing a few notes at a time. The keys don’t actually physically push down so it is more to practice finger positions. These pianos can be very fun and useful for beginners.

Drum Practice Pad

Practice pads are great to bring along to practice rudiments and snare patterns. Foldable drums sets with practice pads are also available.

Are you looking for a gift for a music loving kid? These games teach sightreading, composing, and pattern recognition. These are great supplements for students enrolled in piano, guitar, voice, ukulele, and drum lessons. 

Toys for music students

Compose Yourself

You don’t have to know how to write music or even own an instrument to be a world-class composer. Created by the ever-famous composer and cellist, Maestro Philip Sheppard, Compose Yourself teaches children as young as six to play with music. To create your own melody, arrange cards in a visual pattern, enter the codes with our music making software at ComposeYourself.ThinkFun.com, and hear your piece played by a full symphony orchestra at Abbey Roads Studios. Then flip, rotate, rearrange and even add more cards to create your very own masterpiece. 

Award-Winning Symphony Blocks

These blocks can be rearranged to play a million different melodies, teaching children about music, shapes, and colors. A recipient of the Oppenheim Toy Portfolio Blue Chip Classic Award, it consists of five blocks that can be placed in any order into the sturdy base. Each side of each block plays a different phrase of music when pressed, while hitting the big red button on the front runs through all five phrases in sequence. A flip of a switch changes the music from a classical, symphonic performance to swinging jazz to drum-filled African rhythms. 

Simon Electronic Memory Game 

Attempt to memorize and repeat the light and sound sequences. This helps students learn memorization, pattern recognition, and sequences. 

Rock & Roll It Rainbow Piano 

Play music on the go with this fun and creative roll-up rainbow piano from Mukikim. With cool features like demo songs, multiple keyboard tones and a built-in speaker, this roll-up piano is perfect for you to rock and roll your way anytime, anywhere. 

Create a music grab bag

Write our your child’s assignments on index cards (you can include some silly cards as well such as “make the silliest face you can”). You can also photocopy your child’s music and cut out small sections with scissors. Add all assignments to a bag. Make sure there is a lot of variety in the bag and that each assignment can be completed in 2-3 minutes. Have them pick 2-5 cards for each practice. 

Plan a performance

Have friends coming over? Offer your child a performance opportunity “if” they are prepared with their music. Music teachers are usually very happy to receive videos of progress throughout the week! 

Hire a tutor

Do you have a babysitter or teenager that you trust who also plays your child’s instrument? Try having them over a few times to supervise practice. This gives your child 1) the inspiring feeling of getting to play with “a cool older kid” 2) makes music collaborative 3) creates a routine.