The Young Singer

A newborn’s first singing experiences are really ones of rapt listening. The vocal chords are limited by lack of muscular development, but the ears already can differentiate one sound from another. At about one month, babies begin to enter the world of vocalization and take the first steps in learning to make sound (differentiated from the reflexive sounds of crying). The nurturing of a baby’s developing ability to produce sound, combined with keeping his hearing world full of a wide range of musical sounds, gives the foundation that assures the development of speaking, conversation and singing ability.

As a child approaches the toddler years, he will present many varying levels of vocal experience, development and confidence. Most children between 1 ½ to 3 years of age are in the stage of vocal development that some music specialists refer to as “approximation of singing.” First they will attempt to “imitate” a word, phrase, rhythm pattern or vocal inflection. A child may begin to make these imitative sounds out of context, singing or humming to himself while playing alone, using bits and pieces from the sounds they have heard in their environment.

Many parents worry because their child isn’t “singing in Kindermusik class,” but at home, he sings in the bathtub or playroom. Recognize the importance of this “musical play”  – it is by “playing” that children master the muscular feel of producing a singing sound and come to realize that they can produce the kinds of sounds which are different from speech.

Once a child turns 3, his expressive language explodes. A 3- or 4-year-olds’s ability to be expressive in language extends to exploration of his many voices, singing songs in a limited range and emerging pitch accuracy. Singing helps with memory and recall, with physical development, creativity and socialization.

Sing & Learn

Following is the first of a series of 3 posts that are all about singing and how it is such fantastic fun. Not to mention how it is one of the easiest and most effective ways a child can learn about his world around him!

Have you ever watched a group of young children on the playground excitedly sing Ring Around the Rosey? Or observed a pre-schooler who has just mastered her ABCs, proudly singing them over and over? Maybe you’ve noticed your own child singing along with the radio. It’s evident – all children love to sing!

The voice is every child’s natural instrument and, therefore, an important part of learning and development. And many proponents of music education have long agreed that children can, and should, learn to sing.

Joyful participation in singing with family, friends and classmates, and through activities like Kindermusik, results in comprehending the beauty and expressiveness of the human voice. Children develop the ability to use their voice well in singing, chanting, reciting and reading aloud. It also encourages a lifelong love of music.

Singing is part of every Kindermusik class – whether it’s babies responding to music in Kindermusik Village^® class or the pre-schooler learning simple songs in the upcoming Kindermusik ABC Music & Me™.  Singing, integrated with movement, instrument play, literature, and pretend play, is a cornerstone of the Kindermusik experience.

The Kindermusik Philosophy

At Kindermusik, we truly value the idea of “community.” Our community is made up of moms, dads, caregivers, grandparents, aunts, uncles, friends, and, of course, kids! We’re passionately committed to bringing music into the lives of infants, toddlers, preschoolers, and young children.
Guiding our community is the Kindermusik philosophy, which is founded on years of research and the following fundamental beliefs:

• A parent or loving caregiver is a child’s first and most important teacher
• All children are musical
• The home is the most important learning environment
• Music nurtures a child's cognitive, emotional, social, language, and physical development
• Children flourish in a child-centered environment where activities are developmentally appropriate
• Educators value the learning process—not the performance—of music making
• Every child should experience the joy, fun, and learning that music brings

Let's Get Our Hands Dirty!

I'm a neat freak. I'll admit I REALLY struggled with letting my son get dirty.  Whether it be in the kitchen with his dinner or outside in the dirt. Spring used to be a pretty stressful time for me with all that mud everywhere. It took until after his 3rd birthday for me to embrace the inevitable stained knees and the mystery goo that I'd pull from his hair. I realized I was holding him back from truly discovering the world around him. You can always buy new clothes, but you can't buy experience....especially for a growing child. Here's a great article about just that:
Lion's Whiskers: Let's Talk Dirty: "I am a gardener. I get dirty. I often wear dark nail polish in the summer to hide how unscrubbably grimy my fingernails have become. And t..."