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Using Kindermusik@Home to Make Parenting a Little Bit Easier

One of the fabulous benefits of your enrollment in Kindermusik is Kindermusik@Home – a whole new way to access and enjoy your Home Materials throughout the week.  But how can Kindermusik@Home make parenting a little bit easier?  Well, you might turn to Kindermusik@Home when you…

  • need a lullaby to calm your baby to sleep
  • are looking for a special way to connect with your child and sneak in a few giggles or cuddles
  • are desperate for a diversion in the long line at the grocery store or the waiting room at the doctor’s office
  • can’t remember the words to your child’s favorite song from class
  • can’t get out on a rainy day and an educational activity for kids like a video field trip or kid-friendly recipe might be just the thing
  • want to help your child get even more out of his or her weekly Kindermusik class
  • have a few minutes to really engage with your child and need some inspiration to make that time meaningful and fun
  • have a child begging you to read his favorite story from Kindermusik class and you’re not anywhere near the bookshelf at home (Gotta love these mobile apps for kids!)
  • want to play a developmentally appropriate, kid-friendly game together
  • are ready to download all of the great music from your Kindermusik class
  • need expert advice and a window of insight into the precious miracle that is your child
  • are looking for an easy way to begin expanding your child’s awareness and understanding of the world around her
  • need some great music and activity ideas to soothe or clam, play together, chase away the blues, or share some giggles
  • need all of this with you wherever you are – at home or on the go

Kindermusik@Home… It’s all in there!

Kindermusik@HomeAnd here’s your sneak peek:
Take a TOUR on your PC, your Mac, or your Tablet or Mobile Device
Try a FREE Kindermusik@Home Activity, “Stroll around Town“
Written by Theresa Case, whose Kindermusik program at Piano Central Studios in Greenville, SC, is proudly among the top 1% of Kindermusik programs worldwide.

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3 ways to turn Garbage Day into recycling activities for kids

Garbage day causes lots of excitement in homes with small children. Preschoolers and toddlers can often be found with faces pressed to windows or jumping up and down in delight as they watch those big trucks noisily shift from house to house. And, oh happy day, if the driver actually blows the horn!
When parents think about activities for kids at home, most probably don’t think of “Trash Day” as one filled with educational activities for kids. However, it can be, especially if parents think about the environment! Try these three ways to learn about sustainability for kids.

3 ways to turn Garbage Day into learning about the environment for kids

1. Go on a virtual field trip—courtesy of NPR— to see what happens to glass bottles after they leave your at-home recycle bin.

 

2. Read “How a New Bottle Becomes a Used Bottle” and ask your child questions about what you read together. Make connections between what you read to the video you watched. Identify glass recyclables in your own home.

3. Play with magnets. In recycling centers, metal objects are separated from glass objects using powerful magnets. Gather various child-friendly objects from around your house and use magnets together to sort the objects into two piles.

Recycling activities for kids can be fun for the whole family. Plus, it helps your child to understand how we all impact the world around us.

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Parenting in the age of smart phones, Ipads, Ebooks, and mobile apps for kids

ipod_KindermusikNearly eight years ago, every employee-owner at Kindermusik International received an iPod with the engraving: “This changes everything. The potential is endless.” Over the years, we’ve experienced many changes in technology, music and early childhood education, parenting, and their connections to each other.

Smart phones, tablet devices, and eReaders—and iPods—did not permeate the everyday routines and rituals of the average family when we handed out those MP3 players. Now, they do in many cases. A new national study by the Center on Media and Human Development at Northwestern University set out to better understand how mobile devices, including mobile apps for kids, influence and change parenting and childhood in families with children newborn to eight years old. The study is based on an extensive survey of a nationally representative sample of more than 2,300 parents of children from birth to eight years old.

6 Key Takeaways from the “Parenting in the Age of Digital Technology” report:

  1. Parents use media and technology as a tool for managing daily life, but books, toys, and other activities are used more often.

  2. Parents still turn to family and friends for parenting advice far more often than to new media sources like websites, blogs, and social networks.

  3. Parents are less likely to turn to media or technology as an educational tool for their children than to other activities. About two-thirds (62 percent) say they are very likely to point their child toward a book when looking for an educational opportunity and 41 percent to a toy or activity, compared to 15 percent who say the same about using the computer, 12 percent for TV, and 10 percent for a mobile device such as a smartphone.

  4. Seventy-one percent of parents who say mobile devices help make parenting easier say it’s because there are lots of fun mobile apps for kids to keep them entertained, while a similar percent (68 percent) say it is because these tools have lots of educational activities for kids.

  5. The media and technology use of parents help shape the media environment for the household, which influences how much time children spend with media.

  6. Children’s use of media is not a top concern among parents with children eight and younger. However, parents do look ahead and worry about what the future holds when it comes to their children’s social skills. In addition, parents see a connection between media use and a lack of physical activity.

You can read the full report here: Parenting in the Age of Digital Technology by the Center on Media and Human Development at Northwestern University

Mobile apps for kids and Kindermusik@Home

“It turns out parents use a range of tools to help them as parents, and these include new mobile screen devices like smartphones and tablets,” explained Alexis Lauricella, one of the study’s co-authors in an interview with the Fred Rogers Center for Early Learning and Children’s Media. “But even more regularly, parents are relying on more traditional tools like toys and activities to help them out.”

With Kindermusik@Home and our mobile apps for kids, parents receive the best of both worlds: hands-on educational activities for families to do together both on and away from digital devices. After all, we understand that in reality after the birth of a child, every family can say: “This changes everything. The potential is endless.” As a child’s first teacher, we want to help provide parents with the tools and activities–both inside and outside the classroom–to use music as the vehicle for learning and unlocking that potential.

Contact your local educator to learn more about enrolling in Kindermusik classes and receiving access to Kindermusik@Home.

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4 family-friendly songs for English Language Learners

Henry Wadsworth Longfellow wrote, “Music is the universal language of mankind.” At Kindermusik, we like to say it this way: “Every child speaks music.” As a child’s first and best teacher, parents of young ELL students can use the universal language of music to help teach English to their children.

Why use music with ELL students?

Research shows that music can be an effective vehicle for teaching English to children. Finger plays, traditional nursery rhymes, and songs reinforce phonemic awareness, support vocabulary acquisition, and give English Language Learners practice in speaking or singing in a continuous flow.  So, turn up the music (and the English language learning!) with these four family-friendly favorites.
You can download a version (or two!) of these at play.kindermusik.com.

4 family-friendly songs for English Language Learners

  1. Old MacDonald Had a Farm

  2. Eensy Weensy Spider

  3. The Wheels on the Bus

  4. The Mulberry Bush

ABC English & Me - Teaching English to Children through MusicLooking for more ESL activities for kids or an English Language Learners curriculum? ABC English & Me uses music, movement, activities, and puppets to teach early learners English. Plus, Kindermusik@Home provides families with music, stories, and activities to do together at home to strengthen the learning.

Get more information on teaching English to children around the world with Kindermusik and ABC English & Me.

 
 

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The Top 10 Benefits of Enrolling in Kindermusik

Kindermusik Classes - Enroll Now - For a Child's Brain, Body, Heart & Soul

With so many choices out there for young children, we thought we’d try to help make the decision a little easier by sharing our top 10 benefits of enrolling in Kindermusik.
Kindermusik Classes - Enroll Now - For a ChildBenefit #1: Kindermusik gives your child that unique head start you’ve been looking for – musically, cognitively, and academically.
Benefit#2: Kindermusik inspires a love of music from an early age with songs, instruments, and activities that are just right for each age and every stage.
Benefit #3: Kindermusik enhances every area of your child’s development – we are so much more than just music!
Benefit #4: Kindermusik gives you the time and the tools to enjoy quality time with your child – in class and at home.
Benefit #5: Kindermusik Home Materials let you take the music, fun, and learning with you all week long, wherever you go.
Benefit #6: Kindermusik classes provide a happy social outlet for your child and a valuable support network for you.
Benefit #7: All Kindermusik activities are research-proven and giggle-approved, and all are supported by a developmental and musical focus.
Benefit #8: Kindermusik lays a strong foundation for future success in school and in formal music lessons later on.
Benefit #9: Kindermusik is something you and your child will use every day – at home or on the go!
Benefit #10: Kindermusik offers a comprehensive program with the potential for positively impacting your child from newborn all the way to 7 years of age.

Kindermusik - Where Music and Learning PlayFrom music skills to life skills, it’s all there in Kindermusik. Best of all, your child will

love it, and so will you. Find a class near you and enroll today!
Contributed by Theresa Case, whose Kindermusik program at Piano Central Studios in Greenville, SC, is proudly among the top 1% of Kindermusik programs worldwide.

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Musical Variety is the Spice of Life

Infants are born with the ability to process musical sounds and patterns, and there is an optimum window of time between birth and three years when the ear is ripe for aural language development. The musical stimulation we provide as parents is so important for this language development.
Because music is also important in developing a child’s sense of patterning and memory skills, it follows that providing exposure to a wide variety of music should be one of our educational goals as parents. Kindermusik effectively widens the musical world for your child by providing choice selections from many lands and cultures.

Exposure to cultures through music

Children need a balance between the familiar and the new… and Kindermusik provides just that. One of the ways we can help our children appreciate and begin to understand other cultures and people groups is by exposing them to their music. One of the great joys of music is the connection it provides emotionally across cultural lines.
As your child listens and engages in musical experiences provided by Kindermusik and at home, he acquires a musical repertoire that will last a lifetime. He is developing his musical “taste buds”, to “appreciate the finer things”, and to enjoy new musical “tastes and textures”. The wider the array of musical styles, the richer that repertoire will be. Listen to your Kindermusik recordings and you’ll find multi-cultural music in a variety of musical styles. And the best part? It’s just plain fun to listen to! Now if only Kindermusik could accomplish the same thing with your child’s diet, right?!

Are you looking for some musical variety?

Try a free Kindermusik class today!  It’s a musical experience with songs and activities the whole family will love – in class and at home.

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

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FOL Fridays – Creativity: It's In All of Us

child playing dress up

child playing dress upCreativity isn’t a trait that some people have and others don’t.  It’s a way of using your mind and body as you engage in a task that has no prescribed approach.  In the creative process, your ideas, feelings, skills, and knowledge flow together in innovative ways, allowing you to make or learn something new.”
(“Creative Minds at Play” in Scholastic Parent & Child Dec./Jan. 1998 by Charlotte Doyle, Ph.D.)
Ideas for parents: There are many simple ways to effectively encourage your child’s creativity.  Here are just a few…

  • Ask open-ended questions or silly “What if…” kinds of questions.
  • Use the technique of scaffolding – Observe what your child is doing.  Copy it, then suggest or model a slight change to what they’re doing.  (This is a good technique with instrument play.)
  • Recycle paper towel tubes, plastic containers, and boxes and keep them available for open-ended play inspiration.
  • Keep a box of dress-up clothes in the playroom – from cowboy hats to princess shoes to tutus to a fireman’s vest to scarves.
  • Stock up on simple art supplies like large sheets of paper, washable markers, finger paints, and crayons.  Turn on some music and encourage your child to draw what he hears.
  • Turn off your cell phone, sit down, and play with your child.  Pretend play is a great way to relieve stress and bond with your child!

Try this Creative Activity with your Kids

Here’s a sample activity from Kindermusik@Home that allows your children to show their creative side. Watch these silly animals and let your kids imitate their movements – in their own creative way.
Shared by Theresa Case, whose Kindermusik program at Piano Central Studios in Greenville, SC, is proudly among the top 1% of Kindermusik programs worldwide.

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Quiet Time – Good for Your Child's Brain Development

In our busy lives, it’s vital to find time to simply do nothing. This downtime is physically necessary for your child’s brain to process the learning that occurs during structured activities and interactions. Plus, helping your baby learn to relax will serve him well as he encounters the inevitable stresses of the world.

Inspiring relaxation and quiet times together

Your baby: Bring you baby into your lap and simply enjoy the time together. If he’s fussy, rub his belly in a heart-shaped motion, or gently squeeze his arms and legs in a “milking” motion.
Your toddler: Turn down the lights and play soft music. Allow your toddler to simply wander if he’s not ready to sit still. He’ll learn to relax by watching you.
Your preschooler: The urge to stay awake and learn is strong in preschoolers, and they often need help calming down. Play quiet games: Who can whisper the softest? Can you float like a feather? Or a cloud? Listen to soft, soothing music and then lie on the floor and do… blissfully, quietly, absolutely nothing.

Fun with Kindermusik@Home

Enjoy this special quiet-time activity from Kindermusik@Home called “Animals at Home,” compliments of Kindermusik International.  This is just one of many activities that are part of your online Home Materials included with your enrollment in a Kindermusik class.  We think you’ll really love how Kindermusik@Home inspires fun times, together time, happy times, and yes, quiet times through learning games, recipes, crafts, music, activities, downloads, and more.
Shared by Theresa Case, whose Kindermusik program at Piano Central Studios in Greenville, SC, is proudly among the top 1% of Kindermusik programs worldwide.

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ESL Activities for Kids Inspired by Kindermusik@Home

Can farm animals and a bear aid oral language skills development, fluency, and vocabulary development in English Language Learners? Yes—especially when featured in Kindermusik@Home!

ESL activities for kids that support:

Oral language skills and fluency

The “Wake Up!” Game featured in the Good Morning, Good Night! unit of ABC English & Me is a fun ESL activity for kids and parents to do together. In the game, children help wake up all of the farm animals by saying, “Wake Up!”

to each animal. Teaching and practicing a short, simple, and useful phrase supports oral language fluency. Children can try this at home by helping to “wake up” favorite stuffed animals, dolls, or even pets.

Vocabulary development and fluency

The “Bear Gets Dressed” Word Game featured in the Sunny Day, Rainy Day unit of ABC English & Me focuses on the "clothes" vocabulary theme. Theme-based games provide structure and repetition to help English Language Learners deepen their understanding of new words. Parents can encourage children to use the English word for each piece of clothing they put on in the morning.

Looking for more ESL activities for kids or an English Language Learners curriculum? ABC English & Me uses music, movement, activities, and puppets to teach early learners English. Plus, Kindermusik@Home connects the classroom learning to the everyday routines and rituals of the whole family.

Get more information on teaching English to children around the world with Kindermusik and ABC English & Me.

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Child's Play

Benefits of Play for Children

We call it play, the work children do all the day long. From rolling a ball to tasting it, from building with blocks to knocking them down, a child’s job is to play.

Activities for Kids at Home

Children learn and grow through play. Toys that mimic everyday objects, like kitchen appliances and gardening tools help a child to act out what he sees the grown-ups doing. Toys that specifically encourage creativity, like blocks, scarves, and Legos equip children as they use their ever-amazing minds to construct and pretend. Other simple things that inspire open-ended play include cardboard boxes, dress-up clothes, and Lincoln logs. Read here for more open-ended play ideas.

The most important play-thing

As parents, we want our children to have the best toys to help with their development. After

all, creating a stimulating home environment is the least we can do. But the most important play-thing that your child can have does not come in a box or from a store. Children need loving parents and caregivers to not only provide them with quality tools for their work, but they need adults to stop, sit, and become co-workers at play. This is one of the best educational activities for 2 year olds, 3 year olds, and beyond. It’s easy to delight a child with a new toy and walk away. But a child needs personal interaction with the adults in her life as she learns and grows.

It’s hard to take a break from what we view as important: work-related issues, financial problems, the upkeep of a home. But investing daily in the lives of our children by sitting down with them, allowing them the freedom to choose what to play, following them and labeling their actions, resisting the urge to organize and perfect their play, is the most important work that you can do as a parent.

Inspiring play through music and movement

In our Kindermusik classes you’ll find lots of inspiration for play, both musical and non-musical. Though our classes are music-based, we’ll give you lots of tips and ideas for playing with your child in class and at home – tips and ideas that come from an understanding of the concept of scaffolding, from learning more about your child’s developmental stage, and from the child-centered way that we approach our classes. There’s nothing like a Kindermusik class to give you a reason for playing with your child – once a week in class and throughout the week at home.

The simple act of investing time in play with your child is one of the very best investments you can make. Take a few minutes to play today!

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