Minds On Music – The Kindermusik Blog - Page 39 of 105 - For three generations, Kindermusik has helped millions of children around the world build a strong foundation for a lifetime of learning.

6 Ways Kindermusik Prepares Children for Formal Music Lessons

Which came first: the egg shaker or the violin? Well, if you ask us, we’d say the egg shaker of course! It’s a staple instrument in all Kindermusik classes from newborn through age 7. From that first instrument, we begin to teach children skills that can prepare them for formal music lessons when they are ready.

6 Ways Kindermusik Prepares a Child for Formal Music Lessons

#1 – Kindermusik develops the ability to keep a steady beat. Steady beat is fundamental to music and absolutely essential for playing an instrument.

#2 – Kindermusik reinforces music patterning. Learning to recognize patterns in music is vital to playing an instrument with musicality and with understanding.

#3 – Kindermusik teaches musical notation. Without a foundational understanding of music symbols, there can be no music reading.

#4 – Kindermusik develops a musical vocabulary. A rich musical vocabulary begins with an experiential knowledge of the words that help us describe music and express ourselves musically.

#5 – Kindermusik provides ensemble experience. From playing egg shakers together in our Baby Class to playing the violin in an orchestra, making music together in a group is one of the greatest joys of music.

#6 – Kindermusik inspires a lifelong love of music. When you plant the seeds at such a young age, a love of music will bloom and grow throughout a lifetime. A deep love for music is one of the most important contributors to a child’s success in music lessons… and in life.

So when is a child ready for music lessons?

Most music teachers agree that between the ages of 7 and 10 years is the best age for children to start formal music lessons. By then, a child is usually able to read on his/her own, follow directions, sit still and focus for longer periods of time, and feel motivated to practice at home each day.

If you’re unsure about whether or not your child is ready for formal music lessons, long-time Kindermusik educator and Maestro Michelle Jacques recommends asking these questions:

Do you and your child understand the enormous amount of dedication needed to learn to play an instrument?
Are you ready to make the purchase or rental investment in an instrument to have in your home for practice?
Is your child ready to accept the rules, guidelines, and suggestions of the teacher?
Will your child be able to respond positively when the teacher asks him/her to play a certain way or hold his/her hand in a certain position?
Does your child have the fine motor control as well as the maturity and attention span necessary for daily home practice?
Can your concentrate daily for 15 to 30 minutes on a series of directed tasks?
Will your child thrive in a learning environment where it’s just she and the teacher, or does she learn best in a social, play-like setting?

Want to learn more about how Kindermusik prepares a young child for success in formal music lessons? Come visit a Kindermusik class! Find your local Kindermusik educator at www.Kindermusik.com and give your child the best gift ever – a love of music that starts with Kindermusik.

Leave the Detective Work to the Kids

The ability to think critically about a situation is essential for all problem solving and academic learning. Deductive reasoning, the ability to reason from general premises to more specific premises, is one essential aspect of critical thinking.

In fact, renowned educational researcher, Dr. Howard Gardner, includes deductive reasoning within one of his seven areas of intelligence—the Logical/Mathematical Intelligence. Dr. Gardner (and other researchers) argue that the ability to detect patterns, think logically, and to reason is critical for developing text comprehension, mathematical, and science skills later in school.

What might be surprising to some is that very young children are at the very tip of their capacity for deductive reasoning, but like many areas of development, the most effective growth in learning comes through practice – in this case, brain practice.

The Critical Thinking Co., puts it this way, “Deductive reasoning can be taught, but it is its regular practice that yields the benefits to students. The brain acts like a muscle and exercising it through logic, analysis, and critical thinking is what gives it the strength to question, to learn, and to discover.”

So… if your young child is at the tip of their capacity for deductive reasoning and practicing those skills is so vitally important for learning and discovery, how can a parent tip the cognitive development scale in a child’s favor?

Use this free Kindermusik@Home activity: “Who Could It Be?” to practice some deductive reasoning skills with your child.

This activity may take some adult interaction and support—but then your child will be hooked! You’ll both delight in that first moment when your child figures out one of the answers on his/her own.

One way to reinforce a child’s growing deductive reasoning skills is for you to articulate your own reasoning for coming to a conclusion and then to ask your child to do the same. For example, in “Who Could It Be?,” you can clearly explain that you figured out that the sheep took the bunnies in his car because there were tire marks leaving the Pet Shop and only the sheep was driving a car. Then ask your child, “HOW do you know it was the monkey who made a mess at the ice cream cart?”
Predicting what comes next in a story is another way to develop deductive reasoning. For example, ask your child, “WHAT do you think will happen next? And WHY do you think that?”

It doesn’t take much to boost your child’s critical thinking skills, but it does take intentionality mixed with fun and engaging activities. This is why Kindermusik has been such a favorite experience for parents for so many years – our class activities and @Home Materials give parents the time and the tools to make great parenting – including giving your child every possible cognitive and academic advantage – that much easier and that much more joyful.

To learn more about music supports the development of deductive reasoning skills, visit www.Kindermusik.com.

5 Musical Ways to Manage Holiday Meltdowns

A mom uses gentle rocking to comfort her toddler during a meltdown.

Ah, the holidays—a time of rest, joyous family gatherings, and the harmonious sound of…meltdowns.

The reality is that this season often adds stress to families, especially for its youngest members.

Different schedules, new places, travel times, rich foods, family photos, and general overstimulation affect everything from mealtime to bedtime, which can contribute to not-so-merry meltdowns.

While grownups have the ability to command self-control faster, the brain’s pre-frontal cortex (where this function is typically associated) is not fully developed until adulthood. Additionally, relaxation is a learned behavior, which is why trying to reason with a toddler during a tantrum doesn’t usually work.

So, in the midst of holiday chaos, it’s important to gently teach children how to relax. Music and movement are some of the best tools out there to help little ones reset, recoup, and get ready for the next event.

Continue reading “5 Musical Ways to Manage Holiday Meltdowns”

Kids Tap Their Way to Better Grammar

“Conjunction Junction wants your function? Hooking up words and phrases and clauses.” Do you know the rest of the lyrics to that old School House Rock favorite? Take a listen and sing along!

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U6GrqMtlrf4[/youtube]

You might be surprised to learn that the song provided more than a Saturday morning distraction. It also actually taught children about grammar. In fact, a first-of-its-kind research study from Vanderbilt University shows an association between musical rhythm and grammar.

Exploring the links between grammar and musical rhythm

In the study, Reyna Gordon, Ph.D. measured the grammar skills and music skills of 25 typically developing 6 year olds. While the two tests were different, Gordon found that children who performed well on one of the tests also did well on the second test. Musical experience, socio-economic backgrounds, or IQ did not matter. Gordon suggests that the similarities between the rhythms in music and the rhythms of language explain how children who did well on one test also did well on the other.

According to the study, in grammar children’s minds sort the sounds they hear into words, phrases, and sentences. The rhythm of language helps them to properly sort those sounds. In music, rhythmic sequences give structure to musical phrases and help listeners move to a steady beat.

“I’ve been thinking a lot about this idea… is music necessary?” confesses Gordon in a press release. “Those of us in the field of music cognition, we know—it does have a unique role in brain development.”

Yes! Yes, it does!

Don’t Do Try this at Home or in Class

Parents and early childhood educators can support young children’s grammar skills by actively engaging in musical activities together. Try putting on some music or singing a song and inviting children to tap along to the steady beat. Children can clap hands or knees, gently bang a wooden spoon on a plastic bowl, or shake a homemade instrument. This Kindermusik class in the Ukraine tapped to the beat using rhythm sticks:

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

Find out more about Kindermusik at www.Kindermusik.com.

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

Give the Gift of Musical Memories

When thinking back to our own childhoods, holiday memories rarely bring to mind a specific gift we received. (Unless, you happen to be Ralphie and you can narrate a whole movie about that Christmas you received a Red Ryder!) For the rest of us, however, we tend to recall the time spent with loved ones.
Do you remember piling into the car to drink hot chocolate and look at the neighborhood Christmas lights? Or did you learn how to make latkes by watching your now-deceased Bubbe make them? And how many rounds of “Over the River and Through the Woods to Grandmother’s House We Go” did your family sing on the way to a holiday gathering?

Making Music, Making Memories

In addition to “Over the River,” you probably associate this time of year with other songs, too, like “I’ll Be Home for Christmas,” “Frosty the Snowman,” or “Jingle Bells.” Those songs can evoke memories of the distant—and not so distant—past because they are linked to the people we love and the memories we created together.
Of course, the way to give your child memories is by creating memorable moments. Music can help you. Here are just a few ways making music as a family creates lasting memories:

Lullabies passed on from generation to generation
Receiving that first unofficial piano lesson by mimicking a grandmother
Singing songs together on road trips or while you roast marshmallows
Dancing around the house to that one song that gives everyone in your family the giggles
Making up nonsense rhymes during bath time
Introducing your own favorite musicians to your children—The Beatles, Van Morrison, U2…maybe even music from a CD or vinyl! (That can be a history lesson, too!)

Give the Gift of Kindermusik

As parents, we often look for that perfect gift for our little ones. However, one of the best gifts we can give our children is time spent together. In fact, in the Huffington Post article, “18 excellent gifts for kids that aren’t even toys,” most of the suggestions involve activities. Of course, we love #1:

“Classes. Music, dance, riding, drawing—classes are a great way to encourage children in their interests and let them know that you pay attention to them and what they enjoy.”

You know the best thing about memories? Making them. It’s true about Kindermusik classes. Of course, Kindermusik classes support a young child’s development in so many areas, including social and emotional, cognitive, physical, language and literacy. However, families also create lasting memories through singing, dancing, and simply taking time away from everything else on their To Do lists. Those songs remain imbedded in the hearts and minds of children and parents for the rest of their lives.

Contact your local Kindermusik educator at www.Kindermusik.com and ask about Gift Certificates. Family members can purchase gift certificates to use towards Kindermusik classes.

Contributed by Lisa Camino Rowell, a freelance writer living in the Atlanta area, who can’t wait to pile her family into the car to drink hot chocolate and look at all the lights!

New Research: Music Therapy Benefits Babies

Deanna Hanson-Abromeit, assistant professor of music education and music therapy at the University of Kansas, is doing some significant work in learning how music helps premature infants not just survive, but thrive, according to this recent article from the Kansas Health Institute.
Dr. Joanne Loewy, director of the music therapy department of Mount Sinai Beth Israel Hospital in New York, highlighted some of the astounding effects that music therapy had on premature infants, including the ability to “…render other heart rates, different sleep patterns, improve caloric intake and sucking behavior, and that parent-preferred lullabies could decrease stress.”
The study, and its results, are revelatory and insightful, not just for music therapists, but also for parents. Using music in an interactive way has positive effects on brain development. However, it’s not just any kind music that makes the difference. What’s important is the kind of music and how it is used.
Here are a few tips from Hanson-Abromeit’s findings that are very helpful for parents of babies, especially the premature babies but also for full-term babies.

Simple is best. Singing a favorite lullaby or children’s song to your little one can be the best kind of therapy you can give.
Live music is better than recorded music. Premature babies in particular benefit the most from attentive, interactive musical experiences.
Watch for baby’s cues, or non-verbal communication. For example, breaking eye contact, squirming or arching the back, or wrinkling the forehead are some of the signs from baby that it may be time to try something different.
It doesn’t always have to stay the same. Changes to the music’s volume and tempo are ways of adapting and adjusting to baby’s cues.
Musical experiences have the power to soothe. For a small baby who is often overwhelmed with external stimuli, music can help the brain organize at staying calm.
Intentional loving experiences with music help the bonding process. There’s something very personal about a shared musical experience, especially one within the arms of loving parent-child connection.

At Kindermusik, and especially in our baby music classes, we use music with the same intentionality and purpose as suggested by the findings of Hanson-Abromeit’s study. In fact, it’s one of the things that has caused many music therapists to also become licensed Kindermusik educators. It’s a joy to celebrate that once again research confirms what we music educators and parents have known along – music is a powerful key to unlocking every part of who we are and what we have the potential to become.
Learn more about the difference Kindermusik can make in your life at www.Kindermusik.com

Contributed by Theresa Case whose award-winning Kindermusik program at Piano Central Studios is celebrating 20 years of offering the best music and movement program around!

7 Crafts to Get Kids' Hands Dirty and Minds Engaged

We love this quote around here at Kindermusik: “We didn’t realize we were making memories – we just knew we were having fun.”
This perfectly summarizes what happens in a Kindermusik class and at home whenever families engage in musical activities together. This quote also rings true around the November and December holiday season, too. As you gather together with family at home—or at school for special holiday open houses—consider adding a few of these hands-on crafts for kids into the mix. Of course, we would also suggest adding in some music, too!
TIP: Whip up any of these ahead of time so that it’s easy to give your child something new to explore while you wrap gifts or cook dinner.
#1: Puffy Paint
1 part white glue
1 part shaving cream
glitter or food coloring
squeeze bottles
Mix equal parts of the shaving cream and glue in a bowl. Now you can add food coloring or glitter. The surprising texture after it has dried is fun, too.
#2: Bubble Bath Finger Paints
2 cups flour
water
1 teaspoon salt
food coloring
bubble bath (not the foamy type)
Mix water with the flour until you get a paste. Add food coloring and bubble bath until you get the thickness you like. This works well in the bath tub. They can paint themselves or the walls and it washes right off. It may turn the water the color of the food coloring but it won’t stain the child. If you want to make different colors, try putting them in a muffin tin!
#3: Bubbles
1 cup water
1/3 cup dish soap (Joy, Sunlight, etc.)
2 Tablespoons light corn syrup
Combine ingredients and enjoy. Try using different objects from your utensil drawer as a bubble wand.
Bubble Blowing Tools
Use a plastic straw, or make lots of little bubbles by wrapping colored masking tape around five or six plastic straws.
Berry baskets
Fly-swatters
Plastic rings from soda six-packs
Wands made from pipe cleaners
#4: Flubber!
In a large container combine:
1 1/2 cups warm water
2 cups white glue
Food coloring
In second, smaller container, combine:
1 1/3 cups warm water
3 tsp. Borax
Mix ingredients in each container thoroughly. Pour contents of smaller container in to large container. Gently lift and turn mixture until only about a tablespoon of liquid is left. FLUBBER will be sticky for a moment or two. Let excess liquid drip off then FLUBBER will be ready! Next, play! You’ll be amazed at how your Flubber will stretch, bounce, and roll!
Store in an airtight container for about three weeks of use.
#5: Silly Putty
1 part Sta-Flo Liquid Starch
1 part Elmer’s White Glue*
Food coloring (optional)
Mix glue and starch together until it feels like a putty. If desired, add food coloring and mix thoroughly. When not in use, Silly Putty may be stored in an airtight container.
*Important Note: Be sure to use Elmer’s White Glue, NOT Elmer’s “Washable” or “School Glue.”
#6: Edible Peanut Butter Playdough
1/2 cup peanut butter
1/2 cup honey
1 cup powdered milk
Knead until smooth, then shape and enjoy!
#7: Slime
Corn starch
Water
Food coloring (optional)
Put cornstarch in bowl. Add enough water to make a paste. If desired, you may also add food coloring. This makes a messy slime that goes from liquid to solid.
Did you know?? Children rely on sensory input to learn about their environment. Sensory play builds neural connections that support thought, learning, and creativity.
Learn more about music classes for kids at www.Kindermusik.com.

Happy Universal Children's Day!

Make and celebrate! In celebration of Universal Children’s Day, we’re happy to share this Kindermusik @Home activity idea for a homemade instrument that you can make and enjoy together.

Learn more about how Kindermusik celebrates kids, families, and music every day at www.Kindermusik.com.

Kindermusik Unites Educators in Costa Rica

Ever wonder what happens when a group of teachers gather together for Kindermusik training? Well, we sing, laugh, play instruments, dance with scarves on our heads, and learn through (and about!) music. In fact, it looks a lot like a Kindermusik class without little kids.
This past July a group of educators gathered at Yimbore in San Antonio de Belén for the Costa Rica Conference. Thirty educators participated and gained hands-on experience learning more about various topics including:

The importance of music and English language learning in young children
How Kindermusik integrates with music and movement to teach both English and music
The importance of digital materials to continue the learning process throughout the week and support a parent’s role as a child’s first and best teacher.

“We would love to give more of these conferences to more schools around the country,” confesses Paula Bassi, International Director Latin America, Central America and Caribbean. “It is wonderful to create a community of Kindermusik schools in Costa Rica and around the world.”

Interested in learning how to bring Kindermusik to your school? Visit Kindermusik.com/schools to learn more.

3 Musical Activities Every Parent Can Do

“It began as a heartbeat and sprouted a rhyme…” We are all musical beings. It’s why babies respond to music in utero, why toddlers do that adorable little bounce-dance to music, and why preschoolers and big kids love to sing and play instruments. But how exactly do you encourage that song in your child’s heart? Here are three simple suggestions.

3 Ways to Put a Song in Any Child’s Heart

1. Sing to (and with!) your child.
You may think your voice is only good enough for the shower, but to your child, your voice is the sweetest, best sound in the whole world. Babies especially respond to the soothing sounds of the lullaby you sing, but you also model using your voice to express yourself when you sing to or with your older child. Singing is also a great “together time” activity. Before naps, in the kitchen, during bath time, in the car – all of these are perfect times to hum and sing along.
2. Keep the music playing.
With music that streams on our phones, Internet radio stations that play our favorites at the click of a mouse, and even still some CD players in our cars, it’s easy to fill your child’s world with music. But it does take some intentionality. Not only will you be able to expose your child to a wide variety of music and begin to shape their musical preferences, but you can also use music to bring out a smile, inspire a cuddle, or chase away the grumpies with an impromptu dance around the kitchen.
3. Invest in some age-appropriate instruments.
Bells, shakers, sticks, and drums… Keep some musical instruments handy, perhaps in a container near your child’s favorite basket of books. You might be surprised at how much pure joy your child will derive from being able to make music on his own. And when you need a fun little activity to do together, simply turn on your favorite Kindermusik song, grab some instruments, and enjoy your own little family jam!
Hint: Need a source for some high-quality, safety-tested, age-appropriate instruments? Look no further than the Kindermusik store online at shop.Kindermusik.com.
And when you need a little more musical inspiration…
A weekly Kindermusik class is one of the very best ways to enhance your child’s musical development and natural love of music. You’ll be amazed at how a gently structured, delightful weekly music class will maximize the rich benefits of early music instruction and capitalize on that critical early window of opportunity. In addition to providing a social outlet for you in a small class with friends you really get to know and enjoy, a weekly music class also gives you a lot of musical inspiration and ready resources for making music a part of your daily routine at home in between the weekly class.
Learn more about music classes for children at www.Kindermusik.com.

Contributed by Theresa Case whose award-winning Kindermusik® program at Piano Central Studios in beautiful upstate South Carolina is joyfully celebrating 20 years!