What makes Kindermusik instruction unique?
Kindermusik's philosophy is founded upon rigorous research and fundamental beliefs.

• Every parent is the child's most important teacher.
• Every child is musical.
• The home is the most important learning environment.
• Music nurtures a child's cognitive, emotional, social, language, and physical development.
• Every child should experience the joy, fun, and learning which music brings to life.

Unlike performance based instruction (piano, violin, guitar lessons), our focus is on the learning process. In a Kindermusik class, trained educators lead a group of parents and their children through joyful activities, using music and movement. Parents learn more about their child's unique developmental process, and the shared learning experience creates a unique bond as the child associates learning with fun, musical play. The learning process continues at home, guided by specially designed books, CDs, and games.

Kindermusik classes maintain a unique balance of classroom structure – changing activities frequently while keeping the students focused on the task at hand. It is FUN with a purpose!

Kindermusik knows that ...

• Movement and dance activities improve coordination and balance.
• One-on-one parent and child interaction nurtures self-esteem.
• Music-making and music listening activities develop self-discipline, as well as critical and creative thinking skills.

When should a child begin piano lessons?

Although there are some teaching methods that are uniquely designed for preschool aged children, the general consensus among traditional piano teachers is that a child should begin piano lessons later when they are able to be more self motivated and able to experience greater success.

• What is this note on the musical score?
• Which key is it on the piano?
• Which hand plays this note?
• Which finger (or thumb) plays this note?
• How is this note to be played? (loud/soft, detached/connected)
• What is the meter of the piece?
• How do I count this piece?
• How long do I hold each note?

Then there are other considerations:

• Hand and eye coordination: Shifting back & forth between music and keyboard.
• Hand to hand coordination: Each hand needs to play simultaneously with differing rhythms.
• Attention Span: Can this child focus on a single activity for 30 minutes a day?
• Frustration Level: Are the small motor skills ready for this task?
• Parental Involvement: Quality practice time necessitates very close supervision for a young child.

For example, consider a 2nd grade child's abilities:

• He has learned to read, so he knows to go from left to right, then top to bottom.
• He can quickly refocus his attention to the music after looking away from it.
• He has learned that abstract symbols have real meaning, so his cognitive skills have taken a GIGANTIC leap.
• He has also developed a longer attention span and copes better with frustration. This makes him more capable of daily piano practice.
• He has learned to color "between the lines" as his fine motor abilities have significantly improved. Now his little fingers are more successfully controlled.
• He is better equipped to understand the teacher’s practice instructions and is able to practice with less parental supervision than when he was in preschool or early elementary grades.

Putting it simply … he can be more successful now! Student, teacher, parents are all MUCH happier!

A child will not necessarily become a more accomplished musician because he began instrument instruction at an earlier age. Even though a 4 or 5 year old may begin piano lessons with much determination and zeal, that intensity & dedication may be difficult to maintain! KinderMelodies’ goal is to nurture your child’s love for music and sustain his interest until he is better equipped physically, emotionally, & mentally to tackle formal instruction.

With age appropriate classroom instruction & games and delightful review activities to do at home with family members, Kindermusik is the perfect fit!

How does Kindermusik instruction prepare a child for formal music lessons?

Beginning with the baby class, all Kindermusik class levels involve singing, listening, movement, rhythm band instruments and MUCH more. Early experiences in rich musical activities provide a wonderful foundation and are invaluable to studying formal music. The final level, Kindermusik for the Young Child, provides the opportunity to explore voice development, rhythm, notation, musical symbols and authentic pre-keyboard, string and woodwind instruments focusing on the PROCESS of learning music rather than the PERFORMANCE of music. The following describes in more detail this level of instruction:

Each lesson capitalizes on the child’s large motor skills:

• Children’s folk games and circle dances
• Rhythm band instruments (teaching the steady beat and rhythm patterns)
• Other great manipulatives (hoops, balls, parachutes)
• Reading Music (By putting lines on the floor and using paper plates for notes)

Other Key Components of each lesson include:

• Introduction of all band and orchestral instruments (identified by sight and sound)
• Music Appreciation (Bach, Mozart, Appalachian, Mexican, Japanese, etc.)
• Singing (A child’s first musical instrument is their voice!)
• Focused listening skills. Learning to hear the difference between ...
   
• Nature sounds (animals, birds, insects)
• Instruments (oboe vs. clarinet)
• Melodic tunes (rising and falling pitches)
• Pitch and your own voice (matching will then be possible!)

Kindermusik classes provide a pressure-free, developmentally appropriate transition to musically succeed before taking on more formal types of instruction. In the hour class time there are numerous types of activities. It is NOT boring! Students explore many facets of the musical experience-speaking, singing, moving, dancing, listening, creating and playing instruments, as well as learning about reading and writing music.

Kindermusik helps the child develop a confident, joyful voice for singing and speaking as well as essential building blocks for a future of learning. Great home activities enhance the learning process and are so much fun. It has been said that "A child’s play is their work." These activities prepare the way for more disciplined practice later.

As the capstone to the child's Kindermusik journey, it broadens and deepens the child's introduction to the fulfillment and excitement of musicianship.

How do I know which class level is best for my child?

The first step in making our Kindermusik program a GREAT experience is choosing the right class for each child! Age is the first consideration when choosing a class, but KinderMelodies recognizes the uniqueness of each child and their development!

Please note, it is NOT a sign of your child’s musical abilities or advanced social & emotional development for a child to be able to change to the next level before other children his age. After over 10 years of Kindermusik experience, our faculty feel that children may be best served when they are allowed to fully enjoy EACH class level to the fullest.

Consider these 3 major transitional times in our Kindermusik class levels.

Village (Newborn – 18 mos.) vs. Our Time (18 mos. – 3 yrs.) Age Requirement for Our Time: Your child MUST be 18 months old by …

• October 1 (Fall Session)
• March 1 (Spring Session)
• First class (Summer Session)

Your child is ready for Our Time if he/she …

• Is beginning to imitate & explore a variety of traveling movements like running, jumping, leaping.
• Can follow 2 step directions.
• Understands what "one" means vs. a handful.
• Can give something up and put it away with gentle encouragement.
• Sustains interest and attention in activity for several minutes.
• Capable of following verbal instruction from farther away.
• Enjoys & participates in reading a book in parent’s lap.

Additional Consideration:

• If your child is one of the younger students in the Our Time class, recognize that it may require more energy, creativity, and involvement on your part to keep your child focused on each activity. Take heart! It is worth it! Each week you will see amazing progress as your child becomes acquainted with the classroom routine and as rapidly matures!

Our Time (18 mos. – 3 ½ yrs. ) vs. Imagine That (3 – 5 yrs.):
Age Requirement for Robins: Your child needs to be 3 years old by the first class of the session. Our faculty’s opinion is that a child may be better prepared for Imagine That when they are closer to 3 ½ years old.

Your 3 year old child is ready for Imagine That if he/she …

• Can be comfortable in a class by himself when you are in a room nearby or maybe just outside the door.
• Enjoys jumping, marching, skipping, but can STOP when instructed to do so.
• Enjoys sitting with other children and listening to very short stories.
• Can easily transition between activities or locations in the room.
• Is learning that "their turn" will eventually come and it is worth waiting for!
• Is thriving on imagination and story telling!
• Enjoys singing whole songs.
• Is ready for a 45 minute class time.

Additional considerations

• Enroll your young 3 year old in Our Time IF you feel like your child is growing up too fast! Being the oldest in a class has benefit too.
• Enroll your young 3 year old in Our Time IF you want to participate in the entire class time with your child. Many Imagine That parents have expressed that they miss THEIR music class.

Imagine That (3-5 yrs.) vs. Young Child 1 & 2 (4 ½ - 6 yrs.)
Age Requirement: If your child is NOT in Kindergarten, he should be 5 years old by October 1 to enroll in Young Chld 1 & 2.

Your child is ready for Young Child 1 & 2 if he/she …

• Is confident staying alone without parent for longer periods of time.
• Holds a pencil or crayon properly between thumb and fingers.
• Enjoys sitting and learning with classmates for longer periods of time.
• Has developed classification and sorting skills.
• Follows verbal directions easily.
• Is ready for a 60 minute class time.

Additional Consideration:

• Young Child classes involve a 2 year (4 semester) sequential curriculum, so a child may NOT change from Imagine That to Young Child 1 & 2 in the spring semester.

May a child begin on any class level at any time?

Yes, Village, Our Time, and Imagine That classes have new materials each semester that are nonsequential. A child may change levels at the beginning of any session (spring, summer, or fall).

Young Child 1-4 is a 4 semester sequential curricula called, "Kindermusik for the Young Child". Young Child 1 & 2 is Year 1 (Semester 1 & 2) and Young Child 3 & 4 is Year 2 (Semester 3 & 4). Each begins in the fall of the year and promotion/graduation is at the end of spring semester in May. The transition for current students from Imagine That and Young Child 1 & 2 should be at the end of Spring Semester.

What are your policies regarding behavior in the classroom?

If a child becomes irritable, excessively excited, or hard to manage, parents are asked to remove them from the classroom until they can return and not disrupt the class. If this is done promptly and consistently, the undesirable behavior will usually subside. In some instances, the teacher & parent may need to evaluate and develop a new strategy! KinderMelodies reserves the right to dismiss a student for disruptive or harmful behavior that is unconformable to class standards.

Can siblings attend class?

If siblings are not enrolled in simultaneous classes, we recommend that you make other arrangements for child care for the non-enrolled sibling. If that is not possible, we ask you to observe the following and realize that we must take into consideration our class enrollment, classroom size, and the overall benefit of each student & family. (The following statements do NOT pertain to siblings that are BOTH enrolled in the class.)

Village: Older children may attend, but not participate in the class. They must be able to independently occupy themselves.

Our Time: Older children may attend, but not participate in the class. They must be able to independently occupy themselves. Younger children must be confined & content to be in a backpack/frontpack, carseat, or stroller. There may be times when they need to be held, but this should not be the "norm". Each Our Time class will be limited to 3 families with siblings, so please let us know if you will have siblings coming with you.

Imagine That, Young Child 1-4 Sharing Times: If there is ample space and sufficient instruments and other manipulatives, siblings may attend & participate, but remember this is your time to focus on your enrolled child’s activities and instruction.

At NO time may siblings and/or their activities distract or disrupt the class.

How many children are in each class?

There are 2 considerations to determine class size: Kindermusik’s guidelines and classroom space. Kindermusik’s licensing agreement states that the maximum class size is as follows:

• Village – 12 children
• Our Time – 12 children
• Imagine That– 10 children
• Young Child 1 & 2– 12 children
• Young Child 3 & 4 – 12 children