Give Your Child the Gift of Music this Holiday Season!

Not sure what to get your child this holiday?
Does your niece or nephew have everything?
Does your mother in-law need a gift idea?

I have a perfect (and easy) solution for those on your Christmas List ages 7 and under…. Kindermusik Gift Certificates!!!

The gift of a Kindermusik Music Class will be far more memorable than the latest toy or gadget. It is a gift that lasts for months and the memories last a lifetime! Certificates can be written for any amount and never expire. They can be used towards any future class.

Kindermusik: Learning through music

Wiggle & Grow Theme: Marvelous Me
Lesson Focus: Security and Independence
Ages: 2-3 years

From time to time as parents, we may find ourselves asking: Where has my sweet little baby gone? This question generally occurs during periods of intense growth and development, such as teething, moving to a “big kid” bed, and well, maybe right about now. Between 18 months and three years, children begin to realize that they exist as separate individuals apart from you. This revelation starts a revolution as your child begins to exert independence! Now, when it is time to get dressed, take a bath, or even get strapped in the car seat, your child says (or more accurately loudly demands!) “No! I do!” with escalating insistence. Where, oh, where has your sweet little baby gone, indeed.
Take heart. Your sweet little baby is still there. Your child might be stretching his independence muscles, but your little one still needs the sense of security that only you can offer during this emotionally turbulent time of development. Each week in Kindermusik class we provide a safe, predictable, and developmentally appropriate environment where your child can experience guided independence by practicing new skills, making choices, and sharing unique ideas with the class but still run back to the safety of your arms at a moments notice. So, rock your little one during “Let Me Call You Sweetheart,” and know that this quest for independence will lead to a emotionally confident and capable adult…who will always be your sweet little baby!

Everyday Connection:
Me Do…and You Do! Add an extra 5 to 10 minutes into your morning routine to give your child the time needed to get dressed, brush teeth, or put on shoes without your help. Some days your child will be all about “Me Do!” and other days “You Do!” Follow your child’s lead to best support your little one’s need for both independence and security.

Kindermusik: Learning through Music

Laugh & Learn: Animals A-Dancing
Lesson Focus: Self-Awareness
Ages: 3 & 4 years

As parents, no one can make us more self-aware than our own child. After all, our children do not need to look like us to be our mirror image.  They mirror our actions and reactions and the words we say in our best moments—and sometimes our not-so-best moments. They can even mimic our likes and dislikes. Eventually, as they become more self aware, children begin to express their own preferences for things, like wearing pajamas everywhere (Not a bad idea!) or eating ice cream for breakfast (Not a good idea!).  

In Kindermusik, we support your child’s growing self-awareness and your unique role in it.  Each week we include activities that not only encourage your child’s personal choices but we actually incorporate them into the lesson. By including your child’s favorite way to say “Hello” at the beginning of class or movement idea during the “Monkey Dance,” we place value on your child’s ideas and preferences.  In doing so, your child learns to not only recognize and share ideas in a meaningful way but also to celebrate the differences of others.

Everyday Connection: Feelings, Nothing More than Feelings. Recognizing and responding appropriately to feelings further develop self-awareness skills in young children. Listen to music that expresses different emotions, like happy, sad, angry, or scared. Dance with your child based on the emotion and help your child label the emotion. Not only does this activity develop children’s vocabulary; it also helps them to identify—and even to manage—their own emotions.

Kindermusik: Learning Through Music

Wiggles & Giggles: Rhyme Around Town
Lesson Focus: Scaffolding
Ages: 2 and 3

There is a reason children start out small. Changing diapers and clothes, strapping into car seats, bathing, feeding, sleeping (or not): It’s a steep learning curve for new parents! For many of us, it’s only after surviving that first year (and every year thereafter) that we recognize how much we learned along the way—and how much more we have to learn! Thankfully, as we built on what the previous day taught us, we gained both skills and confidence in our parenting abilities.

In Kindermusik, we call this learning process “scaffolding.” Each week in class, we support your child’s learning by building on your child’s current abilities and nourishing your unique role as your child’s first and best teacher. Scaffolding involves varying the level of the activity depending upon your child’s responses. So each week in class scaffolding occurs when you investigate together different ways to mend shoes with rhythm sticks or when you follow your child’s lead on how to move with the scarves on “Sing a Ling” while also offering suggestions based on the original idea. As with your parenting abilities, scaffolding helps your child gain both skills and confidence.

Everyday Connection: “Scaffolding Seuss.” During story time, use scaffolding techniques to support your child’s emerging literacy skills. Point out letters, label the pictures, ask your child questions about what is happening or encourage your child to make predictions about what will happen next or even after the book ends. Let your child’s responses guide the conversation.

Kindermusik: Learning through music

Wiggle & Grow: Colors & Shapes
Lesson Focus: Fine Motor Skills
Ages: 2 and 3

Do you remember when we actually called someone on a cell phone? Ah, those primitive years! Then texting entered the scene. Many of us watched in amazement as those of a certain age moved their fingers at an alarming rate while we struggled to text even one word on the tiniest of keyboards. Our finger muscles and fine motor skills certainly got a workout as we learned this new skill.  

Children also need to learn how to use and coordinate their finger, hand, and wrist muscles—not for texting—but for reaching, grasping, and more. In Kindermusik class each week, we include many activities that support your child’s fine motor skills development. Wiggling fluffy chicks in a “Ten Egg” finger play or striking the resonator bars on “Sweetly Swings the Donkey” helps your child learn to coordinate hand, finger, and wrist movements that support fine motor control and precision. The skills practiced in class and at home build the foundation your child needs for buttoning buttons, zipping zippers, tying shoes, using scissors, and even writing. Texting will come later. Much later.

Everyday connection: Let your fingers do the walking. Finger plays are great activities to do together anywhere. Waiting at the doctor, grocery shopping, restaurants, or even at bedtime. Teach your favorite to your child or pick one from class. 

You asked for it! Now here it is!

There has been a demand for a preschool aged class within my Kindermusik program and now I`ve worked it all out and classes for Laugh & Learn (ages 3 &4) starts in October!

Here`s what you can anticipate:

October – Animals A-Dancing Dancing, hopping, rolling, and stomping. This month we’ll move like all of our animal friends and develop muscle coordination and spatial awareness along the way. Your Home Kit features songs for wiggling and helps pre-schoolers develop dexterity and fine-motor skills. Your Digital Home Materials also includes at-home activity ideas, games, and questions that involve the class story, so your child develops memory and comprehension—all in the context of sharing time with you.

Click here to see class schedule & tuition information.

Wiggle & Grow - A Glimpse at What's to Come

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Theme for Sept. 11 - Oct. 3

  

Ages 18 mnths - 3 yrs

If you see yellow, wiggle like jello! Everyone loves singing and dancing down at the farm - add a splash of color and it gets even better! This unit is loaded with delightful tunes and lots of learning. Join us to find all the shapes on the farm; a circle tractor wheel, triangle roofs, a rectangle barn door and more. There are dancing circles, old farm favourites like Old MacDonald, and new favourites like Jenny Jenkins and Happy Pig. Fall into an autumn celebration of colorful fun.  Enjoy!!

NEW!! Digital Take Home Materials:  This month, you receive a wealth of music rich learning through access to online home materials. It includes all your class music downloads, literature book, activities, videos,  recipes, plus a set of shapes shakers (instrument provided once every 3 months)  and so much more.  Please see my Kindermusik@Home link to read more on this exciting new Kindermusik offer!

To see my class schedule: Steinbach Studio

Family Time - A Glimpse at What`s to Come

Ages 0-7: Theme for Sept. 15 - Nov. 3

Our Kind of Day — Music time isn't just at music class, it's all day long! What better way to build family bonds than to sprinkle music and movement throughout playtime, mealtime, clean-up time, bathtime, and nighttime? At each lesson, parents are given ideas for creativity and insights into their child’s development. With catchy songs such as “Wishy, Washy, Wee” for bathtime, “Go Into the Kitchen” for mealtime, and "Love Somebody" at bedtime—parenting becomes easier and a lot more fun! Over the course of 8 weeks, each lesson is packed with singing, listening, storytime, puppet play, creative movement, instrument play, family jams, and? sharing.

Home Materials: Two Books—Bouncing on the Bed and Head, Shoulders, Knees, and Toes, two Home CDs, Family Guide, domino game, and two double-egg shaker instruments.

Thinking of enrolling? See my fall schedule & rates:

Steinbach Studio Click here!
St. Pierre Studio Click here!

Fall Class Schedule Changes

I`d like to announce some changes to my fall class schedule. I`ll be paring down on some of the classes that I`m offering. This was a very difficult decision for me. I love what I do. Nothing has given me more professional satisfaction than teaching young children the joys of music. Fact is, my family really needs me right now. My oldest son will be starting kindergarten this year so I originally thought that it would begin to free up some time for me to take on some more teaching. I`ve since come to realize that this is a major milestone for him that will undoubtedly be exciting but also scary for him and I need to be present for that. I apologize to those who wanted to enroll in any of my removed classes but hang in there. I`m planning to introduce them again for January 2013. Go to my amended schedule to see these changes.

The Spirited Child & Kindermusik - Part 2

Extroverted vs. Introverted

What`s the first image that pops into your head when you think of a spirited child? I think the popular impression is that of a  fearless child that is like a human ping-pong ball with an unending motor mouth banter that defies the speed of sound. Did I come close? The truth is, being spirited can come in a variety of different packages, depending on how the person is internally wired.

Not every spirited child is physically energetic or outgoing. `Spirited`simply means a characteristic intensity. Whether that be the constant physical need to move, the passionately chatty or a very determined and persistent demeanor. My son falls in the last two categories. He`s not overly active in the physical sense, but is very sure of what he wants and how he feels about everything and has no qualms about fighting to the very end to defend his point!  Our challenges lie in battles of will and emotional intensity.

The same goes for the socially cautious spirited child. Contrary to what many may think, they are not all animated, outgoing and chatty. According to Mary Sheida Kurcinka, author of`"Raising Your Spirited Child", we all draw our energy in different ways depending on whether we are primarily extroverted or introverted. The classic extrovert is the person who is the life of the party, heading the fundraisers, and are the ones who love to talk to anyone and everyone. They draw their energy from the people around them. They need that in order to function happily. The introvert, who makes up about 1/3 of the populas, is the person who is the quiet, thoughtful one that usually prefers meaningful company of 1 or 2 and gravitates toward jobs or activities that are solitary and specialized. They need quiet times of reflection and peace to refuel and energize.

Understanding which tendancy your spirited child falls into, as well as yourself, goes a long way into understanding and disciplining your child. My son, for example, loves people but only in small groups and for a limited time. After a couple of hours, he gets overly assertive and highly emotional and it can quickly spiral into a meltdown that he has a very hard time coming down from. He is primarily introverted and needs time throughout his day where it`s quiet and his mind can process what`s been going on. His spirited nature comes through emotionally.

How you can detertime which one you and your child are with the following questions:

-After being in a mall or at a family gathering all day, do you or your child feel energized or do you just want to have some peace and quiet? Does your child start to act out or get aggressive after an extended play session?
-What is your social circle like? Do you or your child prefer a few close friends or is more the merrier?
-When a question is presented, do you answer immediately? Or do you need some time to think before coming up with your answer. How about your child? Are decisions difficult?

Once you`ve determined which tendancies you have and what your child prefers, you can start to try and understand why they may do the things they do and how you can handle explosive meltdowns and even prevent them. If you`re an introverted mama but your child is extroverted, you may need to put some focus and effort into bringing them into more social environments like playgroups, preschool, or daycare once or twice a week if you are a stay-at-home mom. They will be much more content and agreeable if that fundamental energy need is met.
Or, if you`re an extroverted mom and your child is introverted, you may need to pay extra attention to being sensitive to when your child needs to refuel and has had enough of a highly social stimulus. Even just taking a 5 or 10 minute quiet break like a little walk outside, or working on a puzzle or reading a book alone may be all he needs to recharge and prevent a grumpy blowout.

It`s simple really. Once you understand what the fundamental nature of your child is, as well as yourself, it just comes down to energy. If ours and our childrens`energy stores are properly topped up, we are happier, and therefore more agreeable. That means less melt downs and spiralling emotional outbursts from our intensely driven dynamos. This is very important in developing not only a peaceful household, but in helping to instill confidence and a strong sense of self-esteem within your child when they know how to accept their unique nature and have the tools to handle their own intensity.

Fall School-Year 2012 Classes- Steinbach

For ages 0 to 18 months

Village is for lap babies, crawlers, and walkers. It incorporates the most current research on early childhood development and provides families a special place for learning and connecting with other parents and babies through music and movement. Home Materials include colourful board books, Home CDs of the songs heard in class, a set of Art Banners for the nursery wall that strengthens visions and promotes early literacy, and a set of shape shakers for music-making at home. The home materials set is offered with or without an adorable diaper bag that can be used for carrying materials to and from class 

Schedule:

Program runs from Fall to end of May with breaks over Christmas & Spring Break.

Weekly classes starting Tuesday, Sept. 11 from 10:30 - 11:15 am.

Tuition is $65.00 per month including your home materials.

*see Smiles & Satisfaction Guaranteed Enrollment Policies for enrollment details & discounts.

For 18 months - 3 year olds
This music-filled class celebrates the unique joys of your growing child. Each week your child will love singing, dancing, and playing instruments with you and her new friends and you’ll love helping her practice a wide variety of abilities such as gross and fine motor skills, turn-taking, social skills, and active listening. In class, we’ll also share tips and ideas for using music throughout the week. Plus, the fun (and learning!) continue with the Kindermusik@Home digital home materials, including music from class, musical activities, an instrument every third month and each month’s story.

Schedule:

Program runs from Fall to end of May with breaks over Christmas & Spring Break.

Weekly classes starting Saturday, Sept. 15 from 9:30 - 10:15 am.

(Possibly a Wednesday morning class if there is demand for it)

Tuition is $65.00 per month including your home materials.

*see Smiles & Satisfaction Guaranteed Enrollment Policies for enrollment details & discounts.

For 3 & 4 year olds
Each week in class we combine your preschooler’s natural love of music, storytelling, and imaginative play with age-appropriate activities that introduce early music concepts and foster independence, social and emotional skills, language growth, and self-control. We also connect you with other parents who share in the wonder of parenting a preschooler. Parents join class for the final activities. The Kindermusik@Home digital home materials bring the music, activities, an instrument every third month, and each month’s story everywhere you go. The repetition enhances the learning—and the fun!

Schedule:

Program runs from Fall to end of May with breaks over Christmas & Sping Break.

Weekly classes starting Wednesday, Sept. 12 from 2:30 - 3:15 pm.

Tuition is $65.00 per month including your home materials.

*see Smiles & Satisfaction Guaranteed Enrollment Policies for enrollment details & discounts.

Family Time brings adults and children of all ages together, providing a dynamic and integrated musical learning experience for everyone. Our Kind of Day — Music time isn't just at music class, it's all day long! What better way to build family bonds than to sprinkle music and movement throughout playtime, mealtime, clean-up time, bathtime, and nighttime? At each lesson, parents are given ideas for creativity and insights into their child’s development. With catchy songs such as “Wishy, Washy, Wee” for bathtime, “Go Into the Kitchen” for mealtime, and "Love Somebody" at bedtime—parenting becomes easier and a lot more fun! Over the course of 10 weeks, each lesson is packed with singing, listening, storytime, puppet play, creative movement, instrument play, family jams, and sharing.
Home Materials: Two Books—Bouncing on the Bed and Head, Shoulders, Knees, and Toes, two Home CDs, Family Guide, domino game, and two double-egg shaker instruments.

Schedule:

-Program runs from Fall to end of May with breaks over Christmas & Spring Break.

-Weekly classes starting Saturday, Sept. 15 from 11:00 - 11:45 am.

-Tuition is $65.00 per month including your home materials.

-Multiple children discounts include: 30% off for 2nd child, 50% off for 3rd child, and 4th child or additional baby under 1 year is FREE!

*see Smiles & Satisfaction Guaranteed Enrollment Policies for enrollment details & discounts.

**Enroll by August 1st to qualify for the 10% Early Bird Discount. Come to the Fall Fair Day at the Steinbach Arts Centre on June 7th from 4:30 - 8:00 pm to be the first to enroll! Or contact me at 370-8901 or 433-3589 or rfkindermusik@gmail.com to register today!

Is there a class time conflict? Please tell me about it! There`s always the possibility of adding another class that would suit you better if there`s enough demand for it.

NEW! Kindermusik at Home Digital Home Materials

Introducing Kindermusik@Home
Kindermusik, the number one name in music and movement education for children, has created new, easy to use, digital home materials to extend the magic and learning of a Kindermusik class into your own home throughout the week. Kindermusik@Home delivers your favorite Kindermusik songs and activities, instrumental music, books, and lyrics—as well as recipes, learning games, crafts, and more in a green-friendly digital format. With each new monthly unit, families receive a treasure trove of developmentally appropriate activities that will give children a lifelong love of music and a strong early foundation for learning. And with each activity, parents learn how and why that activity enhances a child’s learning and development. Kindermusik@Home is available through tablet, mobile, and PC devices—ready to use wherever your family wanders. It’s Kindermusik for you!

Want more details?
Each newly created curriculum, Wiggle & Grow(18 months-3 years), Laugh & Learn(ages 3&4) and Move & Groove (ages 4&5) unit's digital home materials page contains an abundance of unit-specific, age-appropriate materials and activities - all tied to the class content. The digital home materials are built specifically to make it fun and easy for a parent to connect class-time to home-time, and to enrich both experiences. Everything a parent needs to read the class story, play a game, do a fingerplay or dance, teach new words or instrument sounds, plan an activity, do a craft, follow a recipe, take a "field trip" (real or imagined), or play pretend . . . it's all in one spot!

• Music downloads All of the songs, rhymes, stories and sounds from class are easy to download and add to your music collection.
• Every unit's literature book is included in e-book format, with pages you can turn yourself, and a page-by-page audio read-aloud that you can turn on or off. The ebook can be downloaded and printed if you prefer!
• Activity buttons take you to a variety of different activity types, including dance and movement instructions, fingerplay demonstrations and instructions, together-in-the-kitchen activities, music time, listening games, vocal play activities, video field trips, find-it/count-it style activities, ideas for pretend play, and more.
• The Why It's Good for Your Child area fills automatically with information about why any specific activity or activity type is useful, important, or developmentally significant. Addressing the parent directly with up-to-date, research-supported, clear and friendly information, there's a "why it's good" feature for every single activity.
• In addition to the music downloads and e-book, the Download Center also includes Printable Activity Pages and, for the first time, Printable Lyrics Pages for all of the songs in the unit.
• An age-appropriate instrument to continue your musical jam time at home every third month.

*A note about Screen Time:
Like most parents, we are ever conscious of keeping the amount of screen time to a minimum. At the same time, we are constantly encouraged by parents to make our content available on computers, tablets, and phones, and to develop content not only for parents but for children to interact with directly. We do our best to balance these forces, providing as much robust and variable content as we can, and giving parents the option of delivering that content to their children in whatever way(s) they choose. All units naturally contain only a small percentage of content that occurs primarily on the screen. (This percentage rises slightly as the age level climbs.) In most cases, we have provided an off-screen alternative for those activities. For example: While a video field trip (typically less than 2 minutes long) can't be experienced by a child whose parents limit screen exposure altogether, an online matching game, find-it page, fingerplay, recipe, craft, game, dance, or pretend play activity would be equally viable and enjoyable by a parent/child together at the computer or by a parent/child together away from the computer. We are truly respectful of all parents' choices about screen time, and hope to be providing materials that are robust and flexible enough to delight our diversity of Kindermusik families.

The Spirited Child & Kindermusik

The Power of a Word

 I will be focusing the next series of blog posts on the special 10-15% of our children who are just that little bit more....or a lot, than their childhood counterparts. These are the energetic, boisterous, strong-minded, ardent, dramatic, charismatic, selective and assertive little super-stars that can often drive their parents and care givers to their wits end with all their "brightness". As you may know, I am the mother of two young boys ages 4 1/2 & 18 months and my oldest son is in this small percentage. This is a topic very close to my heart. Notice my careful selection of adjectives to describe these children. Society, or even ourselves as parents very commonly use a different set of adjectives to describe our children all the time without realizing how damaging they can be. Let me demonstrate by using the very same descriptive words in a negative light: wild, disruptive, argumentative, impatient, explosive, manipulative, picky and stubborn.

The difference is dramatic, isn`t it?

I know I`ve been guilty many times of using these negative words to describe my son, both with my peers and directly to him. I had no idea how powerful they were in determining how I truly saw him as well as how I was influencing what others chose to label him as. I came to realize how unfair I was being to him by expecting him to fit into a pre-conceived idea of what a "good boy" is. I`ve been reading a wonderful book by Mary Sheedy Kurcinka called "Raising Your Spirited Child" that has breathed fresh air and life into my approach to my own personal parenting challenges. It`s been so inspiring that I felt compelled to share my journey of what I`ve been learning with you.

Mary wisely refers to these children as simply being "more". They maybe melt down sooner, are extra particular as to how things need to play out, certain fabrics or clothing are unacceptable & enough to bring them to tears, may have constant & boundless energy and are always on the move, or may constantly argue and debate everything under the sun. Spirited children come in many different shapes and sizes and often exhibit traits that we admire in adults. Consider the hilarious comedian that makes you laugh until you cry, or the brilliant filmmaker with visionary talent, or maybe the social/political activist that inspires hundreds of thousands of people to move towards a major world change. Now consider what they may have been like as children.....something to think about.

Now, for those of you who are in this same boat as I and count to 10 at least 100 times every day and are masters of the deep cleansing breath, take heart. Your child is amazing, brilliant, creative and inspiring! In fact, they might just be major leaders, movers and shakers when their time comes. Support all that energy and cheer them on!

This is where Kindermusik aligns perfectly with what Mary is teaching. In each class, children are encouraged to engage in whatever way they need to at the time. There is never pressure to perform in any expected way and it`s the process that is always encouraged. Each activity can always be modified to suit the mood of each class at any given time and each personality is celebrated and respected. I can`t stress enough how much of a relief this kind of environment is for a mother of a spirited child. I speak from my own experience. No judgements...no expectations. Just freedom to have fun with your child.

Making the Right Choice for Your Child

You open your local parent publication and your eyes are drawn in virtually every direction.  The conglomeration of ads scream out for your attention…Make-believe fantasy birthday parties…Children’s theater…Ballet and performing arts…Summer camps…Swim lessons…Soccer…Bowling leagues...Gymnastics.

As a parent, you want what’s best for your child.  But how do you provide a well-rounded experience without over-scheduling your child, over-committing yourself or outspending your discretionary income budget?  There aren't always easy answers.  But because you have selected Kindermusik, you can rest easier knowing that you've made a great choice for your child. In addition, here are some key questions you can ask yourself prior to choosing any type of activity.

Who will be leading the activity?  

You’ll find that many summer camp programs and play activities are led by adult or student volunteers.  Likewise, many youth sports teams are headed by volunteer parents.  Those individuals may or may not have extensive training or background in the activity.  Coaches tend to change every season.  And those individuals may or may not have a personal connection with your child.  With Kindermusik, your child will likely benefit from the same professionally licensed and certified educator for up to seven years.  More importantly, your Kindermusik educator is fully committed to sharing a passion for helping children learn through the magic of music.

  

What is the frequency of the activity?

Many youth activities are designed to occur once or twice a week.  The activity may be seasonal and may only involve your child for those brief periods of scheduled time each week.  Kindermusik provides you and your child an opportunity to share a musical learning experience each and every day of the week.  Moreover, it provides an opportunity for your child to participate in a learning experience that will create an appreciation and knowledge of music that will last a lifetime.  Although the Kindermusik classroom experience is designed to occur once a week, a wealth of At Home materials and activities allows for daily, at home interaction and exploration of the music, the concepts and the learning first experienced in class.  In addition, those materials are of virtually unmatched quality and unique to the Kindermusik program.

What are the goals of the activity?

Most childhood sports and activities are geared to mastering a specific skill set or goal such as learning to kick a soccer ball or memorizing the steps required for a successful dance recital.  In a time when virtually everything your child does is based on standardized tests and measurable results, Kindermusik takes the opposite stance by basing its curricula on process – not performance.  While achieving specific skill sets are not required goals of the Kindermusik experience, mastering skills comes naturally as one of the results of the program.  Kindermusik focuses on a developmental approach that nurtures the child from the inside out.  Children develop by learning “how to learn.” In addition to practicing certain skills, they think, talk, share, create, sing, express, move, and participate fully with peers and adults.  They’re driven not by an upcoming game or recital, but by their own personal experiences.

What is the size of the group participating?

Many youth activities can seem overwhelming based on the sheer number of children involved.  Kindermusik, in contrast, is limited to 12 children in a class.  With a small group setting, children have an opportunity to build friendships while building self-confidence.

What is the degree of parental involvement in the program?

As a parent, how involved are you?  Do you want to be relegated to a role of taxi driver and audience participant?  Or would you prefer to play a more interactive part in the activity?  At Kindermusik, we believe you are your child’s first and best teacher.  In addition to making parents and caregivers a part of every class, the At Home materials provide ongoing participation and interaction for the entire family.  You’ll have an opportunity to play an important role in your child’s overall enjoyment and learning throughout the Kindermusik experience.

Kindermusik is the single best choice.

Many children’s activities provide a viable and valuable experience.  But when all things are considered – when all the questions are answered – chances are that you’ll find Kindermusik offers the single best choice for your child.  

Spotlight on Learning:Our Time Away We Go (ages 18 mnths - 3 yrs)

Big idea: Early Literacy

At Kindermusik, we love the quote by Emilie Buchwald: "children are made readers on the laps of their parents." Reading picture books together with adults helps children internalize some skills that are crucial in the development of true literacy.

Reading together:
Fosters reading enjoyment
Provides predictability through repetition
Introduces new vocabulary
Expands understanding of story structures
Promotes critical thinking
Encourages language play and creative expression

Each week in class when we read Shiny Dinah, Giddy- Up or another favorite story, your child receives all these key early literacy benefits. Plus, children develop music literacy through the rhythm and movement elements of Kindermusik stories.

Everyday connection: Act on it! Read your child's favorite book together and then pretend to be the characters in the book. Is it Shiny Dinah? Be the train or a passenger. Where are you going today and what will you see and hear along the way?

Spotlight on Parenting: Village & Our Time (newborn - 3 yrs)

Big idea: Kindermusik makes it easier to communicate with your baby or toddler

Traveling to another country can be exciting. New sights, sounds, customs, food, and time zones that wreck havoc on your sleep! If the locals speak a language you don't understand, your communication abilities quickly downgrade to that of a one-year-old: the use of full-body gestures and speaking louder and louder in YOUR language thinking that will increase comprehension. Yikes! Where is the loo?

 

At Kindermusik, we know parenting a young child can be a bit like visiting a foreign country. New sights, sounds, customs, food, and your sleep is definitely wrecked! Plus, your little one does not exactly speak your language. Most grown-ups are no longer fluent in baby or toddler. We understand, which is why we intentionally include activities that will increase your child's communication abilities. In class, when we use sign language, sing "Oh well, you walk, and you walk, and you walk and you stop" or when we listen to and imitate different sounds, your child is learning and practicing language. Eventually, this will lead to him speaking your language. (Well, until the teenage years, and then you'll need your passport again!)

 

 

Everyday connection: A match made in Kindermusik. Your child loves the sound of your voice. Feed his love and grow his use of language at the same time by singing, listening, moving, and dancing to the music from class.  The repetition helps increase language acquisition and retention. Plus, music is a language you both understand.

Spotlight on Learning

Our Time: Away We Go (Ages 18 months - 3 yrs)

Big Idea: Pretend Play

Did you ever have the Jennifer Anniston, Halle Berry, or Gwen Stefani hairstyle? Pink hair anyone? While a haircut doesn't magically transport you into another person's life, it can be fun to imitate someone else's look.

Imitation starts young. For your child, imitation is the first stage of pretend play and begins as an infant when she mimics your facial expressions. As imitation evolves, it becomes more imaginative. A child uses pretend play to re-examine life experiences by adding or changing what actually happened. In Kindermusik, we encourage imitation and imagination by working on the railroad, galloping on horses, or even floating down the river. Along the way, your child develops vocabulary and social skills, learns the difference between reality and fantasy, and even experiences emotional support from you as you pretend along with him. So, "Let's Go Riding Together!"

Everyday connection: Make it a laundry day!  An empty laundry basket can transport you anywhere. Is it a car? A train? A pirate ship? A princess carriage? Hop in and let your child lead the way.

Spotlight on Parenting

Big Idea: Socialization

Becoming a parent turns your world (and your social calendar) upside down and inside out. You move from lengthy conversations over dinner to brief chats scheduled around naptimes. Eventually, you progress to speaking in short sentences interrupted by wardrobe and diaper changes, boo-boo kissing, rocking, sharing interventions, and a few paparazzi moments. (Your child does do the cutest things after all!). 

When enrolling in Kindermusik, many parents list "socialization" as one of the reasons. We do help your child develop social and emotional skills, but we also connect you with other parents and caregivers who understand the unique joys and challenges of parenting a child the same age. So, next week in class take advantage of Gathering Time and look around. Your newest BFF just might be sitting next to you or changing a diaper or kissing a boo-boo or experiencing a paparazzi moment, too.

Everyday connection: Come all you playmates! Connect with other parents from class on Facebook-Kindermusik with Miss. Rose and invite them to join you and your child for a play date.  Through this unstructured playtime, your child will expand his intellectual, emotional, and social skills and you will get some social play of your own.

**NEW** Mini-Themed Spring Classes!

*ALL NEW* Family Time Mini-Themed Classes

Are you interested in Kindermusik but unsure if you`d like to commit to a full program? Or maybe you`d just like to fit in a fun activity for you and your kiddos that`s short and sweet this spring before summer holidays. I`ve got something for you! Introducing a short 4-week curriculum for individual children or for the whole family. View the 2012 Spring Classes page of this blog to view a curriculum description.

**Enroll now to qualify for the Early Bird Discount and `like`my facebook page Kindermusik with Miss. Rose to get an additional discount!

Contact me at 370-8901 or 433-3589 or rfkindermusik@gmail.com to register today!

Family Literacy Day

Every year on this day, January 27, Canada celebrates Family Literacy Day within the family and your community by helping to organize events within our schools, libraries, literary organizations and most importantly, your home.
Literacy is something that can and should be encouraged and practiced right from infant on. In each of our Kindermusik classes, we have a strong focus on literacy and understand how important it is to the development of a child in so many more ways than one. It has been proven to improve their ability to actively listen, build on their vocabulary, develop an appreciation of our language syntax, and create print awareness where they understand that letters come together to form words and ideas.
The ABC Life Literacy Canada site has wonderful ideas to celebrate books and literacy. I encourage you to check it out and find your own fun activity to do together with your children today to promote their own literacy.

Spotlight on Learning
Class: Our Time Away We Go (18mnths - 3yrs)

Think about the last time you tried doing something for the first time. Maybe it was using your new smart phone, going for the perfect cloth diaper fold, or even figuring out how to feed your baby while checking Facebook at the same time. (Hey, we all need some outside connections!) After lots of repetition, you'll probably master the fine art of that new thing, or at least fumble a little less.

For your child, few things build her brain and open opportunities for learning more than consistent repetition of healthy activities and experiences. Every new activity in which she participates makes a new neural pathway in her brain. Each time that experience is repeated, the neural pathway is strengthened. That's why in Kindermusik class we deliberately repeat activities from week to week and give you the tools to repeat them at home, too.

Everyday connection: Practice makes perfect learning. Listen to the music from class and do the activities together at home. Repeat. Listen to the music from class and do the activities together at home. Repeat. (Learning is that easy ... and fun!)