Singing Lessons for Kids 10 Ways to Support Your Child

Singing Lessons for Kids 10 Ways to Support Your Child Suzy S. If your son or daughter loves to sing, a private teacher can teach him or her how to sing correctly and stay excited about learning! Here, St. Augustine, FL teacher  Heather L.  shares 10 ways you can support your child throughout the journey Kids are simply made to sing. In most of the lessons that I teach, no matter the students age, I inevitably find myself teaching her how to be a kid in some way. Shaking out tense muscles, dancing to the beat, making animal sounds, keeping it simple, opening your heart these are things that kids do naturally all the time. That, in turn, makes it easier for most children to learn how to sing correctly and well. Be that as it may, it can seem difficult at times to find ways to support your young singer effectively. Heres a list of 10 ways to support your child. 1. Say positive and encouraging. Humans, especially children, will desire to live up to the qualities that are expected, or even  simply named to them. Telling your child that youre proud of him simply for choosing to take  voice lessons or calling that song that hes been working on beautiful can make his entire  week. On the other hand, one harsh, overly critical word could make him want to quit  altogether. 2. Encourage healthy speaking habits. What we call the voice is really a group of different muscles and tissues working together to create sound. They may be fairly resilient in adults, but in children they can be easily damaged, sometimes temporarily and sometimes permanently. Encourage your child to learn and practice healthy speaking habits: • No whispering • No screaming • No vocal fry (a phonation that sounds like popcorn popping) • No straining or belting (unless being trained by a specialist) Listen for swelling of the vocal folds uneven vocal tone, breathiness, roughness and ask your  child to go into low voice mode for a few days, where their voice is warm, but low in volume.  She could pretend to be talking to a secret fairy or a bug right in front of her nose. 3. Provide a healthy diet. Healthy diet means something different to everyone. One thats supportive of singing  (and staying well-behaved in a voice lesson or choir practice) includes lots of non-dairy  fluids for hydration, raw vegetable and fruits to combat inflammation in the vocal folds and  surrounding tissues (especially apples and dark, leafy greens), and fish for focus and  concentration. Now, as a parent, I understand how impossible this diet can be at times. But  whats great about highly nutritive food is that even a little bit can make a difference. 4. Help with home practice. Sit down with your child, look at her schedule, and plan out practice sessions. They dont have  be very long (15 minutes a day is fine) but they should be daily. Set a timer,  encourage gentle warm-ups, like humming or lip bubbles, and let your child sing his assigned  songs in as much privacy as youre willing to give. Feeling self-conscious affects a singers voice  more than anything, so try to give some space. That is, unless your child invites an audience! 5. Experience live music together. So much of the music that our children experience these days is from a phone or tablet. Give your child the special gift of experiencing live music with you. This gives you the chance to talk about it together: What did you like? What didnt you like? Was the music fast or slow? Loud or soft?  Getting your kid thinking critically about music, even if youre not a musician yourself, is so  important in keeping music interesting and fun. 6. Load fun music games onto your devices. Look for apps like NoteWorks or Junos Piano. Theyre fun, educational, and easy to learn.  Your little one will know her musical alphabet by heart in no time. 7. Get a keyboard. Even keyboards that arent the full 88 keys are beneficial for singers, especially young ones.  The voice is a musical instrument that essentially is the human body itself, so being able to  go to an outside instrument for reference and support can be really helpful. 8. Play animals. Getting kids to understand vocal language like space  or registers can be tricky. Pretending to be specific animals, like an owl to demonstrate  an open, floating, and well-supported sound, can be a lot of fun and supports what your childs  teacher is teacher. Consult your childs teacher for more exercises. 9. Eliminate secondhand smoke. If you or someone in your household smokes, then consider smoking only outside or in the  garage. Secondhand smoke is harmful in many ways, most notably to the voice. 10. Be there. Be the parent who attends the big recitals and concerts. Knowing your mom and dad are in  an audience means the world to a kid. You, as a parent, could be the single most important part of your childs vocal education. The trust and confidence that your child places in you every day is so precious. Use it wisely to motivate, nurture, and guide your young singer, and shell learn much more than just how to carry a tune. Heather L. teaches singing, piano, acting, and more in St. Augustine, FL, as well as through online lessons. She is  a graduate of the prestigious Westminster Choir College in Princeton, New Jersey, and has performed with the New York and Royal Philharmonics, the New Jersey and Virginia Symphonies, the American Boy Choir, and the internationally renowned opera star Andrea Bocelli.  Learn more about Heather here! Interested in Private Lessons? Search thousands of teachers for local and live, online lessons. Sign up for convenient, affordable private lessons today! Search for Your Teacher Photo  by  Nick J Webb