Kindermusik International

Musical Learning Inspiration for your Little One

We’ve all had them… one of THOSE days when we’re at our wit’s end and fresh out of ideas for something – anything! – to cheer up an unhappy baby or to engage a very busy little toddler. Or maybe it’s a really good day, and we just want to take advantage of the perfect opportunity for a little extra learning through music.
If you are a Kindermusik parent, look no further than your Kindermusik @Home Materials that not only complement our newest curricula, but also give you instant access to music, activities, and e-books – all carefully designed with you and your little one in mind.
And no, we’re not suggesting that you turn over your device or tablet to your small child; but rather, we’re encouraging you that some of the best activities for kids and some of the most delightful music on the planet is right there at your fingertips!
We invite you to take a quick (and free!) peek at just what we’re talking about…

From Cuddle & Bounce, our new Baby Music Class for 0s and 1s

4 (Non-Laundry) Uses for a Laundry Basket – Who knew?!
Crinkly, Furry, Bumpy, Strange – Learning by exploring textures of every day objects

From Sing & Play, our new Toddler Music Class for 1s and 2s

Play Ideas: Fill and Empty – Sure to keep your child occupied for hours!
Let’s Make a Doghouse – So much fun to do and then to enjoy

The secret is out…

These incredible resources that we call Kindermusik @Home Materials are really for the parents, just one of the ways that Kindermusik truly helps make great parenting just a little bit easier and a whole lot more musical.

Want to learn more about Kindermusik classes and Kindermusik @Home? Try a FREE class on us!

Kindermusik International knows and respects that each family gets to decide what’s best for them when it comes to the issue of screen time or the use of technology and young children. In creating our new digital tools and parenting resources, Kindermusik has read about and researched this topic thoroughly. We have aligned our stance with that of the highly respected NAEYC and the Fred Rogers Center for Early Learning, recognizing that children can benefit from a responsible and age-appropriate use of technology in combination with hands-on experiences and in partnership with an actively involved caregiver. We are proud to bring these high-quality educational materials to your family in hopes we can truly embody the very best of both worlds- a responsible introduction to technology AND lots of hands-on, movement-rich, in-your-lap, down-on-the-floor learning.

Why teaching English to children at a young age matters

The age at which we begin teaching English as a second language (or any second language for that matter!) to a child makes a difference. Research already indicates that children who learn how to speak a second language at a very young age are more likely to sound like a native speaker. Now, a new joint study by the Montreal Neurological Institute and Oxford University shows that the brains of adults who learn more than one language at an early age look different when compared to the brains of adults who learned another language as older children.

Learning a second language is mind altering (really!)

By comparing MRI scans of bilingual and monolingual participants, the researchers found similar patterns of brain development if an adult learned one or two languages from infancy. For adults who learned a second language later in childhood, researchers found that the left inferior frontal cortex became thicker and the right inferior frontal cortex became thinner. Learning a second language later in life actually changes the brain! These areas of the brain are responsible for certain cognitive functions such as thought, language, consciousness, and memory.
“The later in childhood that the second language is acquired, the greater are the changes in the inferior frontal cortex,” said the lead author of the research study, Dr. Denise Klein, in a press release. “Our results provide structural evidence that age of acquisition is crucial in laying down the structure for language learning.”
The researchers compare acquiring a second language later in childhood to acquiring complex motor skills such as juggling. They predict that these brain changes in older ELL students might help researchers understand why learning a second language later in life can prove to be more difficult.

FOL Fridays – Explore and Discover

The preschool-aged child always seems to be curious, ready to find out more or explore and discover. And they have a big imagination to go along with it! These are some of the great delights of enjoying all kinds of activities with 3 year olds and 4 year olds, but especially the kinds of playful, creative, learning-oriented music activities we do in our Kindermusik classes for this age group.
For example, asking your child to broaden his or her understanding and experience of moving a ball in a way other than bouncing or throwing it opens up new play possibilities. Through repeated exploration experiences, the child can develop the concept that every object has unlimited possibilities for exploration. Becoming aware that an object can be used in many ways allows the child to problem solve – trying new things, making errors and learning from the total process. The child can then transfer this explorer attitude to other activities. This is true ownership of learning and becomes a lifetime tool.
Tips for parents (and fun for kids!): Kindermusik teachers love GERTIE balls for all kinds of ball play, even for toddlers. Gertie balls are easy to grasp and are safer for indoor play than regular balls.
Shared by Theresa Case, whose Kindermusik program at Piano Central Studios in Greenville, SC, is proudly among the top 1% of Kindermusik programs worldwide.

Listening to Music Makes You Smarter

If listening to music while you study makes you smarter, then there must be a powerful link between music and its effects on the brain.

And what better time to get started listening to music than at the very youngest ages, during those critical early years when the brain is developing the most rapidly.
That supposition is why Kindermusik places such an emphasis on exposing children to a rich, varied musical listening environment from birth. And it’s precisely why the Music Album you receive with each new music theme is so invaluable. Kindermusik makes it EASY for you to give your child many happy, enjoyable moments of listening to music of all genres.
As this article suggests, choosing the right kind of music matters – music with variety, complexity, range, and depth is most stimulating and beneficial. That’s exactly what you’ll find in your child’s Kindermusik music library. In fact, many Kindermusik parents secretly confess that they enjoy their child’s Kindermusik as much as their children do!
Here are a few tips for helping your child enjoy the benefits of music listening… and do your part to help him or her become a little smarter too:

Download your Home Album to your phone or MP3 device so that you can take your music with you wherever you go.
Create playlists of different kinds of Kindermusik songs – lullabies, dances, play-alongs, dances, quiet listening, etc.
Burn a CD for the car or CD player if you have one.
Make music listening a part of your every day routines – play music in the car, during play time at home, before naps, at bath time, and before bedtime.

Are you looking to enhance your child’s learning and development through early childhood education in music? Look no further than Kindermusik, the world’s leader in music and movement classes for young children.

Try a free Kindermusik class today and learn more about how music makes your child smarter, more well-rounded, and prepared for life… not to mention that they’ll LOVE the bonding and memories you’ll create together in Kindermusik!

Shared by Theresa Case, whose Kindermusik program at Piano Central Studios in Greenville, SC, is proudly among the top 1% of Kindermusik programs worldwide.

3 benefits of music on early math skills

In early childhood education, the benefits of music include boosts to skills as varied as vocabulary development, gross-motor skills, empathy, phonemic awareness, active listening, and even early math development. Music and movement activities for three year olds (or toddlers or four,- five-, and older!) look like fun and games, but behind all the laughter and smiles is learning.
Consider these examples of the many benefits of music on children.

3 benefits of music on early math development

Spatial awareness. Children who participate in music classes show stronger spatial temporal reasoning skills than those without music instruction.
Counting by rote. Young children learn to count by rote—a memorizing process using routine and repetition. Learning to count by rote helps children develop foundational skills for math, including number vocabulary, memory, patterning, and sequence. Through music and movement activities, children encounter many opportunities to practice counting in a fun, engaging way. In an early childhood education classroom, musical learning examples include counting to three and jumping up during a circle dance or reciting the numbers as children receive (or put away) instruments, or tapping on a drum the beats.
Pattern recognition. The beats, rhythms, and melodies of music lead children to experience patterns through movement, listening, and playing instruments. Listening to music and then matching the steady beat through clapping or instrument play helps children recognize and translate a simple pattern.

Early childhood curriculum uses music to teach early math and language and literacy skills

The National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM) advocates for math learning in contexts that simultaneously supports other types of thinking and problem solving, such as music. Research continues to show the benefits of music on mathematics achievement.
Our early childhood curriculum, ABC Music & Me, uses music and movement to teach children early math skills, such as counting by rote, spatial awareness, and pattern recognition. Whether used as a preschool or daycare curriculum or even an after school curriculum, ABC Music & Me can also boost literacy and language skills, self-control, sharing, turn-taking, and other school readiness skills.

For more information about using ABC Music & Me as a preschool or daycare curriculum, email us at info@abcmusicandme.com.

Yes! Music education unlocks the door to success (and more!)

A recent article in the New York Times asked the question: Is music the key to success? Of course, at Kindermusik, we would answer a resounding: Yes! We wouldn’t be alone in that exclamation either.
The body of music education research continues to grow concerning how musical learning can increase social-emotional abilities, math skills, language development, inhibitory control, collaboration, empathy, creativity, cultural understanding, and so much more. Studies show music can decrease pain during medical procedures, lower blood pressure, and lift our overall spirits.

Getting personal about the benefits of music

However, the music education research only tells part of the story. Music is personal as much as it is social. Take the case of United States Congresswoman Gabby Giffords. A bullet to her brain left her in critical condition and unable to speak. However, through music therapy, she is learning how to speak again.

In the above television interview, Dr. Oliver Sacks, Professor of Neurology and Psychiatry at Columbia University sums up the benefits of music on language by explaining: “Nothing activates the brain so extensively as music to it to have been possible to create new language areas in the right hemisphere.”
The New York Times article provides more personal stories from individuals who credit the benefits of music to their success in other areas:

The television broadcaster Paula Zahn (cello) and the NBC chief White House correspondent Chuck Todd (French horn) both attended college on music scholarships.
Larry Page, a co-founder of Google, played saxophone in high school.
Steven Spielberg is a clarinetist and son of a pianist.
Condoleezza Rice trained to be a concert pianist.
Alan Greenspan, former chairman of the US Federal Reserve, was a professional clarinet and saxophone player.
The former World Bank president James D. Wolfensohn has played cello at Carnegie Hall.

(Source: WorldBank.org James Wolfensohn performs with Bank/IMF Choral Group at Christmas Concert, 2004)

Music provides balance, explains Mr. Wolfensohn in the New York Times article, who began cello lessons as an adult. “You aren’t trying to win any races or be the leader of this or the leader of that. You’re enjoying it because of the satisfaction and joy you get out of music, which is totally unrelated to your professional status.”
So, again, we answer the question, “Is music the key to success?” with a resounding, Yes…and so much more!

Come experience for yourself how music education can unlock the doors of success for your child. Find a local Kindermusik and try a free class!

4 reasons why music therapists love Kindermusik

American writer Sarah Dessen is not a Kindermusik teacher nor does she specialize in early childhood special education. However, she seems to understand how music can reach individuals of all

abilities. She wrote: “Music is the great uniter, an incredible force, something that people who differ on everything and anything else can have in common.”

In Kindermusik, we say it this way: “Everyone speaks music.” In the classroom, Kindermusik educators celebrate the individuality and contributions of each child. It’s no wonder music therapists love recommending Kindermusik and teaching Kindermusik. With our similar child-centered philosophies, music therapists are discovering Kindermusik offers opportunities for both their practice and their clients.

4 reasons why music therapists love using Kindermusik as part of a special education curriculum

The Kindermusik curriculum naturally integrates typically developing children and children with special needs into one welcoming and loving environment.
Kindermusik classes support the work done in individual music therapy sessions. Music therapists and families appreciate how Kindermusik takes many of the concepts children with special needs work on in occupational therapy, physical therapy, and speech and puts it into a group learning environment.
Music therapists understand firsthand the benefits of music on children, including cognitive stimulation, self-expression, self-awareness, and increased motor movements.
Music therapists can use their music therapy skills to reach more children and to expand their income potential.

Teaching children as a Kindermusik educator

“Being able to integrate typically developing children and special needs kids was just a dream come true,” explains Julie Wade, music therapist and Kindermusik educator. “The Kindermusik curriculum enables you to do just that in a positive therapeutic environment.”

Listen to what else Julie loves about being both a music therapist and Kindermusik educator. Plus, hear from her students, too!

Learn more about becoming a Kindermusik educator!

Improving Socialization and Communication for Children with Autism

Sep. 11, 2013 — In a new study looking at toddlers and preschoolers with autism, researchers found that children with better motor skills were more adept at socializing and communicating.

This was the exciting headline in Science Daily just recently, giving fresh insight for those in early childhood special education. Researchers have now identified a clear link between autism and motor skill deficits. Expert Megan MacDonald specifically recommends taking the approach of early intervention by teaching motor skills.
“Even at this early age [14 to 49 months], we are already seeing motor skills mapping on to their social and communicative skills,” MacDonald said. “Motor skills are embedded in everything we do, and for too long they have been studied separately from social and communication skills in children with autism.”
As the world’s leader in music learning for young children, Kindermusik International has long been an advocate of the strong correlation between movement and learning. “You have to move to learn!”, our educators are fond of saying, as they encourage the parents and children not only to move, but to explore moving in different and creative ways.
“Movement is a universal, full-time, personal, childhood occupation, and its importance in children’s early learning experiences cannot be overemphasized…” (from Moving and Learning for the Young Child by William J. Stinson, Ed.)
The Kindermusik curricula reflect and embrace the different developmental stages of children, with appropriate motor skills explored, practiced, and enjoyed accordingly. Kindermusik believes strongly in the powerful combination of music and movement that is important for all children, but is especially potent for those with special needs – including autism. The benefits of music on children, especially during the early years, are immeasurable.
Read the full article from Science Daily here.

Improve your child’s motor skills and inspire them with a love of music with Kindermusik. Try a free class today!

Written by Theresa Case, whose Kindermusik program at Piano Central Studios in Greenville, SC, is proudly among the top 1% of Kindermusik programs worldwide.

Introducing two new Kindermusik classes: a baby music class and a toddler music class

Have you meet the newest members of the Kindermusik family? We are talking about our two newest Kindermusik classes: Cuddle & Bounce and Sing & Play. Babies and toddlers grow and learn at an amazing

pace. Seemingly one minute your child needs to be swaddled up snuggly and the next minute your little one wobbles (or runs!) around the room. In our Kindermusik baby music classes and toddler music classes, we use music and movement to nurture and guide all the learning that takes place during these years.

New baby music class: Cuddle & Bounce

Babies grow by leaps and bounds their first year—or more accurately by grasps and scoots. In our new baby music class, Cuddle & Bounce, we nurture a baby’s development through music and movement activities that also support a parent’s role as a child’s first and best teacher. Monthly lessons might focus on language and vocal development, brain development, fine- and gross-motor skills, social-emotional development, and musical development. Enrollment includes access to Kindermusik@Home, where parents and caregivers can download the music from class, gain developmental insights behind the activities, find practical tips to support your baby’s development, and more.

New toddler music class: Sing & Play

Your child will love playing, moving, and singing in this high-energy toddler music class. Sing & Play includes activities for toddlers with a special emphasis on movement and vocal development—two major areas of growth for toddlers. Monthly lessons include instrument play, dance, exploration time, musical concepts, together time, and expert advice offering insight behind these activities for toddlers. Plus, enrollment includes access to Kindermusik@Home, where parents and caregivers can download the music from class, read a monthly eBook during storytime at home, go on virtual field trips, discover new ideas for activities for toddlers, and more!

Come experience for yourself our two new Kindermusik classes! Classes also available for older children and families. Contact a local educator and try a free class!

Help us name our new Reading Rainbow music island and WIN!

Author and winner of the Nobel Prize in Literature Gabriela Mistral wrote: “Many things we need can wait. The child cannot. Now is the time his bones are formed, his mind developed. To him we cannot say tomorrow, his name is today.”
Children need both music and reading at a young age. The research clearly shows how both can impact the the trajectory of a child’s life. It’s one of the reasons Kindermusik is partnering with Reading Rainbow, the beloved leader in early literacy and education. Together we are bringing a “Musical Island” to the RRKidz iPad app. And we need you to help name the island! See below for details.

Within this educational app for kids are different ‘islands,’ each of which has its own theme. Within each island are a few short educational videos (many pulled from the Reading Rainbow archives) and a selection of the best children’s books, in eBook format. We need the help of Kindermusik families in the United States to name the new Kindermusik “Musical Island.”

Reading Rainbow + Kindermusik Island Naming Sweepstakes

The new Kindermusik Island will contain a limited selection of eBooks from the Kindermusik library and some additional videos that Reading Rainbow and Kindermusik will produce together around musical topics (similar to many of our video field trips in Kindermusik@Home).
Help us name the new Kindermusik/Reading Rainbow Music Island! Enter your suggestion by clicking on this link. If your name is chosen you will win a $100 Amazon Gift Card, a free 6-month subscription to Reading Rainbow AND a Kindermusik prize package!
(Mobile Users click here.)

Author: Kindermusik