6 Powerful Practice Activities Your Child Can Do Without Their Instrument
We often think of music practice as something that has to happen at the instrument sitting at the piano, violin, or harp, repeating scales and pieces until it clicks.
But here’s the thing: valuable music practice can happen away from the instrument too.
In fact, some of the most effective ways to deepen your child’s musical skills from rhythm and note reading to listening and creativity can be done at the kitchen table, in the car, or even while on holiday.
Whether your child is feeling unmotivated, you’re in the middle of school holidays, or life is just a bit too busy for regular practice, these six activities can help keep your child engaged, learning, and progressing.
Let’s dive in.
1. Mental Practice & Score Study
Sometimes the best practice happens in the mind.
Grab your child’s sheet music and encourage them to look at the piece before they play it. Here are a few ways to guide them:
Can they clap the rhythm of the right hand? The left?
Can they hum or sing the melody from memory?
Can they imagine how their fingers will move?
Can they identify symbols or markings in the music and explain what they mean?
This kind of mental rehearsal sharpens musical memory and builds something called audiation. The ability to hear music in your head before you play it. It leads to more expressive, confident playing and reduces mindless repetition during lessons or home practice.
2. Active Listening & Recording Analysis
Listening deeply to music is one of the most underrated skills in music education.
Encourage your child to listen to recordings either of the pieces they’re learning or other genres and ask questions like:
Is the music loud or soft? What dynamics are being used?
How would you describe the tone or sound quality?
Is the tempo steady or changing?
How does the phrasing shape the melody?
Can you compare two different performances of the same piece?
This not only builds critical listening but also gives them insight into interpretation and musical expression. It’s especially fun to compare professional recordings to student performances and ask which one they preferred and why.
3. Ear Training Games
Ear training helps your child recognise pitch, intervals, rhythms, and melodies by sound not by sight.
There are many ways to develop this skill away from the instrument:
Call and response: You clap a rhythm, they clap it back.
Sing-back games: You sing a melody, they echo it.
Pitch memory: Play two notes and ask which was higher.
Apps like Tenuto, Ear Master, Theta Music Trainer or Perfect Ear are great tools that level up with your child’s skills.
Ear training improves pitch awareness, pattern recognition and musical intuition, all essential for confident playing and fast learning.
4. Theory & Note Reading Practice
Not all progress comes from playing. Sometimes, sitting down with a music theory workbook or app can do wonders for your child’s understanding.
Try:
Flashcards for note names
Writing out scales, chords or simple melodies
Apps like Note Rush, Staff Wars, Rhythm Cat, or Music Tutor
Theory books like Blitz for Beginners by Samantha Coates
These activities strengthen your child’s ability to read, analyze and understand music, so when they do return to their instrument, they’ll move faster and more confidently.
5. Journaling & Goal Setting
Musicianship isn’t just about notes. It’s also about awareness, reflection and ownership.
Encourage your child to write short reflections after each practice:
What did they work on?
What was tricky or easy?
What are they proud of?
What’s their goal for the week ahead?
This builds self-awareness and gives them a sense of control over their learning journey. It also helps their teacher understand how to support them better in lessons.
6. Creative Exploration
Music should never feel like a chore. Creative, expressive play is what makes it stick.
Encourage activities like:
Drawing or painting in response to music
Writing a story based on a piece they’re learning
Composing a simple melody or lyrics
Improvising with body percussion or voice
Creativity boosts imagination, interpretation and emotional connection to music, all of which make for more expressive, joyful playing.
Final Thoughts
So the next time your child is away from their instrument whether it's due to holidays, a busy schedule, or a lack of motivation - don’t stress. There are still so many meaningful ways to support their musical growth.
Try one or two of these ideas and notice how they:
Stay connected to music
Build useful skills
Feel a sense of progress, even without “traditional” practice
And most importantly, have fun doing it.
Let me know which one your child enjoys the most. I’d love to hear what works for your family.
Reach out at hello@musicmakersacademy.com.au or message us on Instagram.
You can also listen to the full episode of Raising Musos on Youtube.
