Repetition is a fundamental part of piano practice, but it’s not always a favorite part of practicing. These are ways that I ask students to “do it again” with flair. Each item is designed to be musically meaningful so that repetition doesn't become mindless. A specific musical goal underlies each activity. For example, playing parts of a piece “oppositely” draws attention to the intended character of the piece, and playing a piece in a different octave helps us to hear something familiar in a new way.

Play while singing the melody.
Play the right hand one octave higher and the left hand one octave lower.
Play small sections with your eyes closed.
Play the piece at different tempos (e.g. largo, adagio, andante, allegro, presto).
For primer-level pieces written for one hand, play the right and left hands together in parallel motion.
Make the piece sound like different animals (e.g. play it high like a bird, or low like a whale).
Play all dynamics oppositely (e.g. loud becomes soft, etc.).
Play all articulations oppositely (e.g. legato becomes staccato).*
Play and sing the accompaniment.
Play and say each downbeat (beat 1) out loud.
If the piece has multiple voices, play while singing or humming the soprano, alto, tenor, or bass line—alternate which voice you sing with each repetition.*
Transpose the piece to another key.

*these activities are for more advanced students or for pieces that are well into the learning process

An easy way to incorporate strategic repetition is to gamify it. I write down ways to repeat a passage on popsicle sticks and have students draw a stick, pre-selecting the sticks that are appropriate for a student’s level and stage of learning. The mystery of which stick they’ll pull keeps students eager to practice repetition in their lesson! The best part is that this game is easily replicated at home—I keep batches of sticks for varying levels handy and send them home with students on a regular basis. Students may even get creative and brainstorm their own ways to repeat a section!