Kids naturally love music. They can easily adapt to sounds, dance to music and sing along to new tunes. However, if you lack in encouragement and support, they may also lose their interest in music. And because children tend to have little patience when it comes to focusing on a single activity for a long time, your kid’s passion in singing may vanish over time. To hone your kid’s talent in singing, here are 10 ways to support your little singer.
1. Stay Positive
Naturally, children desire to live up to their parents’ expectations. Telling your child how proud you are by simply choosing to take up singing lessons or for practicing hard for that one piece for his recital will encourage him to do better in his singing classes. Conversely, one harsh word may make him feel discouraged. In case of a mistake, look at the brighter side of things and remind your child that it is all part of the learning process. Eventually, he will get better and succeed if he keeps practicing.
2. Encourage Healthy Speaking
The sound we make when we talk or sing is a result of different tissues and muscles working together in our vocal organs. They may be quite flexible in adults, but in children, they are fragile and can be easily damaged. To avoid straining, practice healthy speaking habits at home, such as no shouting, no whispering and no belting when singing (unless supervised by your singing lessons instructor).
3. Help Your Child With Home Practice
Spare some time to sit down with your child and practice his singing lessons at home. If your child already has regular singing classes, even just 15 minutes of daily home practice should be enough. Start with gently warm-ups, like soft humming, and let your child sing a song that’s suitable for his voice according to his vocal lesson teacher. Also, consider that feeling self-conscious can affect the singer’s voice, so try to limit the audience when at home.
4. Watch Live Music Together
Much of the music that children hear these days are from computers and cellphones. Let your child witness a live musical performance or attend a best singing lesson class in Singapore with you. This provides a chance for you to talk about music and his thoughts about it later on. Ask what he liked or didn’t like about the performance, which part he liked best, and how it affects him. Making your child think critically about music is important to keep music and singing fun and interesting for him.
5. Install Musical Games to Devices
Look for mobile music apps like Piano Free by Yokee or NoteWorks. They are fun, educational and will encourage your child to play music. You can also download videos and MP3s of songs your child usually sings in his singing classes. Giving your child exposure to meaningful songs and music during his earlier years is one of the best ways to develop your child’s musical ear.
6. Get Your Child a Keyboard
A keyboard is extremely beneficial for singers, especially for those who are joining singing lessons in Singapore. Although the voice is already an instrument itself, being able to play an outside instrument for sound support and reference is helpful.
7. Enrol Your Child to a Vocal Training
Above all, to ensure the proper learning of your child in singing, entrust it to professionals—enrol your child to a formal vocal training in Singapore. This is the best and safest way to train your child’s vocals, minimizing the risk of damaging or misusing his voice. Non-professional vocal lesson should not be an option as it can strain your child’s vocal chords and potentially cause permanent damage to his vocal mechanism.
8. Manage Your Expectations
Every kid learns differently in every lesson. While one kid can easily sing higher notes, the other may need more practice to hit mid-range notes. Some can comfortably perform in front of the crowd, while others may need constant, gradual exposure to an audience to get over stage fright. Guide your child as he progress and be proud of every little thing he succeeds in doing.
9. Encourage Healthy Diet
For someone attending singing classes every day, voice is in constant use. Encourage healthy eating to your little singer by including lots of healthy liquids for hydration, anti-inflammatory fruits and veggies to soothe his vocal chords and fish to boost concentration and focus during his singing classes.
10. Be There for Your Child
Even if you’re very busy with work, do find time to attend your child’s presentations and concerts, even if he’s not one of the main performers of the show. Seeing your face in the audience will calm down the anxiety he may be feeling on stage and will inspire him to do his best to make you proud.
Music for Children
Kids respond to music positively—that’s natural. But if your kid shows a much deeper interest and skills in playing instruments or can sing along to tunes and rhythm easily, you might have a musical artist on your hands. While it may be too soon for you to tell if he has a future in music, it won’t hurt to get your child a formal vocal training if he shows interest in it.
The most important thing is to encourage your kid’s enthusiasm and interest in music and continue to challenge their singing skills. Who knows, maybe the next pop star of Singapore may be the kid humming along as he plays with his toys in your living room. And even if that isn’t the case, every child can benefit from a vocal lesson. With your guidance and support, it will be easier for your child to hone and embrace his God-given talents.