Minds On Music – The Kindermusik Blog - Page 38 of 105 - For three generations, Kindermusik has helped millions of children around the world build a strong foundation for a lifetime of learning.

6 Signs You Have a Kindermusik Kid

Does your child have the fever? Not the kind of fever that calls for a doctor visit, but the kind of fever where the only prescription is more cowbell Kindermusik. A Kindermusik Kid can be easy to spot. They tend to sing and dance throughout the day—in bed, in the car, at the grocery story, in the library. (Inside voices, please.) And, yes, it can be highly contagious. Watch out for these symptoms to see if your child just might be turning into a Kindermusik Kid.

6 Signs You Have a Kindermusik Kid

Your child sings the “Hello” song to friends, family, stuffed animals, and even the cat. (And, no, the cat does not appreciate it.)

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FEJnOfdkFjA[/youtube]

After class, your child falls asleep before you even finish buckling the car seat. All that dancing, singing, playing (and learning to share) instruments, friend-making, and laughing can exhaust even the most spirited child out.

Your child uses a laundry basket as a toaster, wagon, washing machine, and a dance floor.

[youtube] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZOUfLiFzU7E[/youtube]

Everything becomes a musical instrument: pencils, water bottles, cereal boxes, and even coffee canisters.

Your child throws impromptu concerts. All. The. Time.

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WajoSonEwdE[/youtube]

Your little one loves to listen to all types of music like classical, jazz, African drumming, Native American flutes, traditional Jewish folk songs….and with lyrics in different languages: English, French, Hebrew, Spanish etc.

Do you want to have a Kindermusik Kid, too? Find a local educator at www.kindermusik.com.

Contributed by Lisa Camino Rowell, a freelance writer in the Atlanta area, who lives with her own two Kindermusik kids.

When it comes to math, music counts!

When you read an article title like “Why Math Might Be the Secret to School Success,” you stop and pay attention.

“We think math might be sort of a lever to improve outcomes for kids longer term,” lead researcher Pamela Morris said.

Now that’s a powerful statement. But here’s a more sobering statement when one considers how closely connected math skills and academic performance are:

“[T]here’s a real lack of math learning in pre-K.”

We have the solution – music and movement classes.

$when it comes to math music counts$

In Kindermusik, children learn:

Geometry: Spaces and Shapes

Moving to music and playing instruments in creative ways causes children to become aware of the space around them, deepening their understanding of positional and spatial concepts.

Try this at home – Rainy Day Playground
Encourage your child to climb over and under pillows, cardboard boxes and sheets turned into tunnels. Talk about how his/her body fits in these new creative spaces!

Patterns

Movement games, circle dances, and instrument ensembles help children listen for and identify the patterns in music which also develops their ability to recognize patterns in math.

Try this at home – Brown Bear, Brown Bear
Read a story with repetitive text. Afterwards, playfully challenge your child to come up with new “pages” that match the repeating pattern.

Numbers and Measurement

Rhymes, songs, chants, and fingerplays give practice with one-to-correspondence, counting, ordering, sequencing, and comparing and deepen early math skills.

Try this at home – Count It Out
Keep the numbers rolling with your child. How many buttons on your shirt? How many steps did we climb? Did we use five blocks or four?

To learn more about how music lays the foundation for early math skills, download one of Kindermusik International’s “Music and Math” ebooks at www.Kindermusik.com.

Contributed by Kindermusik educator Theresa Case, whose award-winning Kindermusik program at Piano Central Studios is located in beautiful upstate South Carolina.

Want a better memory? Learn to play an instrument.

With increasingly more sophisticated technological advances, researchers are learning more and more about the powerful effects of music on the brain and the cognitive advantages of learning to play an instrument.

A recent study at the University of Texas at Arlington gave researchers a unique glimpse into the brains of professional musicians, skilled musicians who had been playing an instrument for a number of years. The bottom line? Musicians definitely have an advantage when it comes to processing, attention, and particularly, memory.

So why are these kind of findings important if you’re the parent of an infant, toddler, or preschooler? It’s because the early years are the best years for instilling a love of music, building on the benefits of music making, and laying a foundation of musical understanding – all of which can grow into the successful and lifelong pursuit of learning to play an instrument, as a hobby or as a career.

With your Kindermusik enrollment, your child not only benefits from the richness of the weekly musical activities, but you are both able to take advantage of Home Materials that extend the learning and enjoyment from class to home all week long.

For a fun sneak peek into just the kind of unique music and memory benefits that Kindermusik provides, enjoy this free Memory Game with your child.

Want your child to experience the lifelong benefits of music? Enroll in Kindermusik! Find a local Kindermusik educator at www.Kindermusik.com.

Contributed by Kindermusik educator Theresa Case, whose award-winning Kindermusik program at Piano Central Studios is located in beautiful upstate South Carolina.

5 Ways to Get the Most from Kindermusik

Thinking about enrolling in Kindermusik class with your child? Well, if you’ve never experienced a class before, you probably have a few questions. It’s okay. You’ve come to the right place! In class, you may already know to expect lots of music, movement, instrument play, cuddles, and giggles that all support your child’s development and your key role in the process. So, we thought we’d share some tried-and-true tips to make the most of your Kindermusik experience and this precious time with your little one.

5 Ways to Get the Most from Kindermusik

Arrive 5-10 minutes early. Most children need a few minutes to transition into something new. Those extra few minutes give your child the opportunity to take off shoes, find a spot to sit, interact with the other children, or even to explore the room. Plus, it gives you the opportunity to connect with other parents in class. You will both find the Kindermusik community a loving and encouraging group!
Dress comfortably. We sit on the floor. We dance around the room with scarves. We lift children in the air, swing them in a blanket, or even roll around on the floor. Your child will love every minute of it—and so will you—but admittedly at times it might feel like a workout.
Follow your child’s lead. We ask for children’s ideas throughout the class. In fact, we start each class singing or waving or running or even blinking hello. It all depends on the ideas each child shares. Go along with the ones your child provides or the way your child chooses to respond to the music or play the egg shakers, etc. Your child’s response to class can range from sitting in your lap pretending to be asleep to running around the room the whole time. We’ve seen it all—and welcome it all!
Actively participate.Your child learns from your words and actions. When your little one sees you authentically engaging in class or at home, your child will, too. So go ahead, sing and dance and be silly. Rediscover the joys of childhood with your little one as a tour guide. Your voice is your child’s favorite one to hear.
Play Kindermusik outside of the classroom. Kindermusik isn’t just a weekly class. We intentionally include the music from class and other materials for families to use together throughout the week. Connecting the classroom learning to those “everyday” moments supports your role as your child’s first and best teacher and makes the learning stick. Take a peek at how one mom and daughter “play” Kindermusik at home.

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vsKuRTncmgQ&list=PLLSMo0LCnI5C1ORlIspEIYZ9GM7gkZ78Q[/youtube]

Put these tips into action. Find your local Educator at www.Kindermusik.com and visit a free class!

Contributed by Lisa Camino Rowell, a freelance writer living in the Atlanta area.

9 Life Lessons Young Children Learn from Music Class

If you peek in the window of a Kindermusik classroom, it might look like we are just playing with bells, having fun with friends, cuddling with mom, and dancing around the room. But the real truth is that we are using the power of music and the joy of movement to help children learn and benefit from valuable life lessons and skills that are setting them up for success in school, at home, and later in the workplace.

Nine Life Lessons I Learn from Music Class

Life lesson #1: When I have to wait my turn for an instrument, I learn how to work well with others and be a good friend.

Life lesson #2: When we get to share our ideas for how to move or play an instrument, I learn not only that my own ideas are important, but also that my classmates’ ideas are valuable too.

Life lesson #3: When it’s time to quietly listen and rock to music, I learn how to be still, focus, and relax. Life is stressful, even for kids!

Life lesson #4: When I’m in class with my special grown up, I learn the most from the very best teacher I will ever have. (That’s you, Mom, Dad, or Grandma!)

Life lesson #5: When it’s time to get up and move, I learn that I can be so creative in how I move – it’s helping me be much more self-confident.

Life lesson #6: When I have to stop on cue or go on to a new activity, I learn how to control my actions and responses. (My teacher calls this “inhibitory control.” My mom calls it a really great idea.)

Life lesson #7: When I have to play an instrument in different ways or use exploration to learn more about a musical prop, I learn how to be an effective problem-solver.

Life lesson #8: When I get to do things more than once, I learn that practice doesn’t make perfect, but it does make me better.

Life lesson #9: When I sing, listen, and move to music, I learn that I have many ways to communicate my ideas and feelings.

Want to help your child learn these same life lessons and skills? Come visit a class. Find your local Kindermusik educator at www.Kindermusik.com.
Contributed by Kindermusik educator Theresa Case, whose award-winning Kindermusik program at Piano Central Studios is located in beautiful upstate South Carolina.

Favorite Minds on Music Blog Posts from 2014

At the beginning of January, we often reflect on the passing of another year. For parents, that might mean celebrating all of those “firsts” that happened last year like a baby’s first steps, a little one’s first time sleeping through the night, or maybe that first tooth (or first lost tooth!). In the life of a young child, so many firsts happen in one year! For early childhood teachers, it might mean celebrating how much your students have grown in confidence and abilities.

For us at Kindermusik, we also like to look back at all of the amazing new music research published in the last 12 months that helps answer the question, “Why Music?” After all, we recognize how music really does give children a good beginning that never ends. We invite you to travel with us down Abbey Road Memory Lane as we highlight 11 of our favorite blog posts from 2014, including new research about the power of music.

11 Blog Posts from 2014 about the Benefits of Music Education

Want to see these blog posts in action? Contact your local Kindermusik educator at www.Kindermusik.com and come visit a class.

Contributed by Lisa Camino Rowell. A freelance writer living in the Atlanta area.

Quotes from 2014 that captured the magic of Kindermusik

We love music and children. It’s why we do what we do. Sometimes we come across a quote or picture or video that perfectly captures why we love it so much. Some people call it an “A-Ha Moment.” Here are a few that caught our attention—and our hearts—last year.

Do you want your children to do something to make their hearts sing, too? Find a local Kindermusik educator at www.Kindermusik.com and make 2015 a year full of music, memories, and a good beginning that never ends.

New Research Alert: Playing instruments boosts kids’ brainpower!

There’s a lot of buzz about the significant findings of some exciting research from the University of Vermont College of Medicine which has identified a direct link between “…playing a musical instrument and brain development.”

How music and the brain are linked

Analyzing brain scans, identifying cortical indicators, and factoring in the entirety of a child’s familial and social environment were key to uncovering the astounding evidence of the direct effect that music and music playing had on the brain. Playing an instrument requires control, focus, and coordination, and utilizing these skills actually alters the motor areas of the brain. Not only that, but making music can also cause changes in the “behavior-regulating areas of the brain,” according to this study.

“Such statistics, when taken in the context of our present neuroimaging results,” the [research] authors write, “underscore the vital importance of finding new and innovative ways to make music training more widely available to youths, beginning in childhood.”

Beginning in childhood

This is precisely what excites Kindermusik educators the most – new and significant evidence that making music and playing instruments in early childhood is critical for brain development, and in particular, in developing executive function skills like focus, self-control, and emotional processing.

And why is executive function so important?

Author Amanda Morin summed it up this way, “Executive function is like the CEO of the brain.” When you improve a child’s executive function skills, you impact a child’s potential for success – on the playground, in the classroom, and in life.

What your child needs when it matters most

Music is the one activity that has been proven over and over to have a compelling and long-lasting impact on a child’s overall development, especially brain development. And before a child even knows what a violin is, there’s Kindermusik – a place where parents can intentionally and joyfully immerse their child in all of the rich benefits of music and music making, from newborn to age 7.Learn more about giving your young child all of the advantages of early music exposure and music making with Kindermusik at www.Kindermusik.com.

Contributed by Kindermusik educator Theresa Case, whose award-winning Kindermusik program at Piano Central Studios is located in beautiful upstate South Carolina.

Sing in the New Year with Kids

The holidays look a little bit different when children enter the family and New Year’s Eve is no exception. So, while you probably won’t be watching the ball drop in Times Square, oohing and awing at the fireworks at the stroke of midnight, (or even staying awake that late…unless you count that midnight feeding), your young family can start new traditions. We put together a few of our favorite ways to ring sing in the New Year with young children.

4 Ways to Ring in the New Year with Kids

Make a musical time capsule with a 2015 playlist of your family’s current favorite music. Over the years, your family will love listening to past favorites and rediscovering the memories, too.
Pick a country ringing in the New Year about an hour before your child’s regular bedtime and celebrate the stroke of midnight with them. After all, it’s midnight somewhere in the world! This will help to keep your child’s bedtime at a “normal” time while also giving your family plenty of opportunities to celebrate 2015 through song and dance and, of course, the countdown to the New Year.
Sing “Goodbye” to 2014. Change the words to your favorite Kindermusik goodbye song or make up your own. These two Kindermusik cuties brought out instruments for their special goodbye song.

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rdpyDGi0Zh4[/youtube]

Put a Kindermusik twist on a New Year’s Eve staple. The song “Auld Lang Syne” is a nostalgic expression of friendship. So, why not celebrate the turning of the calendar with your favorite Kindermusik activities to remember your new and old friends from class? Some of our favorites include lap bounces like “Giddy Up Horsey,” instrument exploration, hayrides, ball play, and hammocking. Need some more ideas? How about 24 more?

Want to sing in the New Year with your family? Find a local educator at www.Kindermusik.com and visit a free class in 2015.

Contributed by Lisa Camino Rowell, a freelance writer in the Atlanta area.

New Research: Teaching Self-Control Leads to Academic Improvements

How our brains regulate and manage cognitive processes is referred to as executive function. As with most cognitive skills, executive function is a skill that grows and develops in children as they grow and develop.

According to this recent and fascinating article in Science Daily, the executive functions that are crucial for a child to develop include the ability to:

avoid distractions
focus attention
hold relevant information in working memory
regulate impulsive behavior

But what’s really exciting news for parents and educators is this: “Recent advances in neuroscience suggest that focusing on self-regulation – which includes executive functions and regulating one’s emotions – can enhance children’s engagement in learning and put them on an upward academic trajectory.”

So how can a parent give their child this cognitive advantage? One place to start with very young children newborn to age 7 years is in a Kindermusik class where we joyfully introduce and reinforce important executive function skills through stop and go activities, focused listening, ensemble play, gathering time, and circle dances – just to name a few.

For example…

Stop and Go Activities like “Walk and Stop” give a child practice in learning to stop and think by learning to stop his/her body in motion.

Focused Listening helps children do just that – focus on a certain sound, often when there are other distractions around them.

Ensemble Play allows children to be a part of a whole. They each play their own instrument as part of making beautiful musical together.

Sharing instruments during Gathering Time teaches children how to self-regulate by waiting for their turn for a favorite instrument and by handling the instrument gently.

Circle Dances are a beautiful way for children to interact with peers and adults and also have to remember what comes next in the dance.

“The ability to control impulses and regulate behaviors and emotions is a critical function to build into early childhood education, ensuring children’s success in both gaining knowledge and learning life skills.” – Dr. C. Cybele Raver of NYU Steinhardt

Experience firsthand how music can teach other important life skills, such as sharing and inhibitory control. Contact your local licensed Kindermusik educator at www.Kindermusik.com and come visit a class!