Minds On Music – The Kindermusik Blog - Page 47 of 105 - For three generations, Kindermusik has helped millions of children around the world build a strong foundation for a lifetime of learning.

Take it outside—the benefits of music that is!

Ah, summertime. Warmer temperatures, playing in sprinklers, catching fireflies, and walking barefoot in the grass—summer is the perfect season to “take it outside.” In the world of childcare curriculum development, it can also mean the season of the slide. No, not the slide found at the local playground or park, but the summer slide, which refers to what can happen to the early literacy and language, early math or other cognitive development skills of children who do not participate in learning activities over the summer.
Thankfully, the benefits of music engage children in learning throughout the year. Summertime can be the perfect season to grab a CD player and take the educational activities outside as part of a childcare summer curriculum. Our early childhood curriculum, ABC Music & Me, includes 3-package units to make it easy to engage children in early literacy and language development as part of a summer camp or as part of summer programming. Plus, Kindermusik includes @Home activities to connect what happens at school with the every day routines and rituals of a family’s life.

3 summer programming options to take the benefits of music outside

1. Wiggle & Grow celebrates the unique joys of young toddlers. Children will love the songs, stories, and games and early childhood educators will love helping them practice a wide variety of skills such as gross and fine motor, turn-taking, social skills, and active listening.
The summer-friendly 3-unit package includes themes: Up in the Sky, Marvelous Me, Time for Lunch
Sneak-peek at one of the activities from Kindermusik@Home that supports parent involvement in early childhood education:
From “Up in the Sky”: Sky Counting
Learning number words (e.g., one, two, three, four) is the first number sense skill. Research shows that number sense is a critical early predictor of future mathematics success. A sky full of clouds, airplanes, blimps, and more… 1, 2, 3, 4, 5…families will love counting them all.
2. Laugh & Learn encourages preschoolers’ natural love of music, storytelling, and imaginative play with age-appropriate activities that introduce early music concepts and foster independence, social and emotional skills, language growth and self-control.
The 3-unit summer-friendly package includes themes: Home Sweet Home, Let’s Play, On the Go
Sneak-peek at one of the activities from Kindermusik@Home that supports parent involvement in early childhood education:
From “Home Sweet Home ” Home on the Hive
Measurement is one of the core areas of early math. In the activity, families will enjoy comparing relative size and position of the bees in the hive.
3. Move & Groove engages students in music and movement activities such as songs, rhymes, and dances that also promote creativity, social-emotional skills, physical coordination, confidence and more. Plus, language rich content boosts vocabulary while strengthening cognitive and literacy skills to help increase school readiness!
The 3-unit summer-friendly package includes: Sounds Abound, Jazz Kitchen, and Dance with Me
Sneak-peek at one of the activities from Kindermusik@Home that supports parent involvement in early childhood education:
From Sounds Abound: Can You Guess What Song?
In this game, children are asked to identify a familiar song by listening to the sounds presented through a voice humming. Sounds simple—but to be successful, children must process the sounds, connect them to the music and lyrics of songs they know, and then recall the name of the song. Processing skills are the primary skills being exercised here. Processing, or the ability to perceive information, is an important cognitive skill that starts developing rapidly during the preschool and early school years.

Want to learn more about taking the benefits of music outside at your preschool or childcare center as part of your summer programming? Email us at info@abcmusicandme.com.

Music is a parent’s secret super power

Parents of young children need special superpowers. Forget about leaping tall buildings in a single bound or even flying, parents really need the ability to turn invisible in order to check on a sleeping baby, the power to fully function on only 3 hours of interrupted sleep, and the capacity to do the laundry faster than a speeding bullet! Who knew someone so little could go through so many clothes!?
Music can’t help parents with those super powers (although we wish it could!), but the power of music can give parents other hero-worthy powers. After all, parents are heroes every day of the year—not just on Mother’s Day and Father’s Day.

4 ways music is a parent’s secret super power

Music gives families the power of laughter and silliness. Children literally bring more laughter into our lives by laughing 10x more each day than the average grown-up. Children can easily find a reason to laugh. Bubbles in the bathtub, funny sounding words, dogs wearing clothes, and, even just jumping off the front step can all cause a child to erupt into fits of giggles. In Kindermusik, we laugh, giggle and even, yes, guffaw a lot when we sing silly songs like “G ang-Goo” or “Sally the Camel,” play or listen to funny sounding instruments, and even share a few knock-knock jokes during story time. Children develop a sense of humor over time as they learn what is and isn’t funny—and when it is appropriate (or not) to laugh. In our music education classes, we support your child’s growing sense of humor and give your whole family more reasons to chuckle. Plus, all this giggling strengthens your immune system, lowers stress, and supports your child’s divergent thinking skills.
Music provides families the power to predict the future. OK, this one is for your little ones…but it certainly helps make a parent’s job easier! Young children’s brains seek predictable patterns to help regulate their internal clock and navigate daily transitions. Routines and rituals teach children that the world is a predictable (and safe) place. Listening to lullaby music at the end of the day, signals to children that bedtime is near. They can predict what comes next in the routine—warm bath, infant massage, special book, final bottle or nursing for the night, etc. Rituals and routines work closely together to provide continuity and connectedness—both vital to your child’s development. Adding musical cues helps make the transition to bedtime easier for everyone!
Music transmits the power of relaxation and sleep. Have you ever heard someone say, “You need to learn how to relax”? Well, they were right. Relaxing is a learned behavior that even the youngest child can begin developing. In Kindermusik, we include an unstructured quiet time with soothing music specifically designed to learn and practice relaxation. Your child’s world can be full of stimulating experiences. Teaching young children how to relax after a period of activity gives them time to recoup and prepare them for what’s next. An added bonus: Children who know how to relax and self-soothe can be better sleepers.
Music celebrates the power of love and affirmation for parents. In school, we learned that following the rules, completing assignments on time, and studying for tests usually equals passing grades. That lesson continues into the workplace where a yearly performance evaluation determines bonuses, raises, or even promotions. Unfortunately, the same evaluation system does not exist in the world of parenting. Eighteen years is a long time to wait for a passing grade! At Kindermusik, we don’t think you need to wait that long to receive affirmation. Breathe. Enjoy the moment with your child. You ARE your child’s best and favorite teacher. Every smile, every hug, every kiss is an A+. Each week in our music classes for babies, toddlers, big kids, and preschoolers, we intentionally include bonding activities, such as rocking and infant massage, to support the amazing connection you share together. It’s okay if you don’t have all the answers. (No parent ever does!) You do have all the love and that is better than any letter on a report card.

Looking to tap into music’s super powers for your family? Find a local Kindermusik educator and visit a class!

Contributed by Lisa Camino Rowell, who loves tapping into the secret (and not so secret) powers of music.

How Kindermusik Graduates are Prepared to Succeed

This is the time of year when many Kindermusik educators are bidding a fond farewell to their Kindermusik graduates – a bittersweet time for sure! But they are sent way with so much pride, not just because of their accomplishments, but because of how Kindermusik has prepared them to succeed.

How Kindermusik Graduates are Prepared to Succeed

Musically – With hands-on experience with musical instruments and musical concepts under their belts, Kindermusik graduates are ready to take the next step into formal music instruction. The rich foundation that was laid in the early years with Kindermusik uniquely prepares a child not just to do well, but to excel in music lessons.
Cognitively – Experiencing music with Kindermusik affects nearly every kind of intelligence and stimulates development in every area of the brain. Kindermusik kids are problem solvers, creative thinkers, and eager learners. They have strong, independent reasoning skills.
Creatively – Kindermusik kids have been given the freedom to be self-expressive, to explore the possibilities, and to think outside of the box. Their imaginations have been encouraged and their minds stretched to think in terms of possibilities and “what if’s.”
Emotionally – Being in the safe, nurturing environment that Kindermusik provides has helped develop the key social skills and resilience that are essential for school-readiness and success. Kindermusik kids are well-adjusted and socially adept.
Socially – Self-confidence and the ability to cooperate and work together in a group are just some of the social skills that set Kindermusik kids apart. The friendships that blossom in Kindermusik and the sense of belonging that results imbue a sense of confidence and emotional well-being and connectedness that last long after graduation from Kindermusik.
Physically – Kindermusik graduates know how to move! They’ve developed a sense of self, learned to move creatively, and experienced the joy of movement. Kindermusik has provided these graduates with opportunities for noncompetitive, success-oriented, creative experiences. Gross and fine motor skills have been refined.
Aesthetically – A child in Kindermusik develops an appreciation of the arts and is more aware of the beauty around him. His soul has been touched by the power of music during the early years when these kinds of musical and aesthetic experiences have the greatest impact.

Poised for success in music, in school, and in life.

Kindermusik kids are ready… perfectly poised to succeed in music, in school, and in life. And the path to readiness has been filled with exuberant delight, happy memories, and joyful learning – all of it accomplished through the power of music and an experience that is uniquely Kindermusik.
Congratulations, Kindermusik graduates! We couldn’t be prouder.

Interested in learning more about how Kindermusik will benefit your child? Learn more at www.Kindermusik.com and also visit a free class!

10 Ways Music Gives Teachers Super Powers

For over 30 years now, we here at Kindermusik International have been empowering music teachers all around the world with a special kind of super power – the power of music.

10 Ways Music Gives Teachers Secret Super Powers

Secret Super Power #1: Engaging a child’s mind, as well as his heart. Many studies over the past two decades have suggested that there is a strong connection between music, learning, and academic success.
Secret Super Power #2: Stimulating development in every area of the brain. Music powerfully affects brain development including vision, balance, hearing, speech, behavior, sensation, skill, movement, and emotion.
Secret Super Power #3: Capitalizing on the close connections between music, movement, and learning. It is movement, often in response to music, that “…integrates and anchors new information into our neural networks,” according to Dr. Carla Hannaford.
Secret Super Power #4: Making classroom routines and transitions easier. Using a simple song or rhythmic chant to transition from one activity to the next is often more effective – and more fun! – than verbal instructions.
Secret Super Power #5: Accessing a powerful tool that makes learning stick. Ever met an adult who learned the state capitals of the United States by singing a song? They can probably still sing all of those capitals!
Secret Super Power #6: Changing the energy level in the room at the touch of a button. (The “play” button on your device, that is!) Whether it’s a need for calm or a need for more focus, music can make the difference.
Secret Super Power #7: Music creates a positive atmosphere that enhances learning potential. A classroom without music is like a teacher without a smile! Music is one of the joys of life, and it can also result in more joyous and motivated learning.
Secret Super Power #8: Facilitating multi-sensory learning. Children who learn through more than one sense tend to have the kinds of cognitive connections and associations that allow for more ways for information to be remembered, retained, and recalled.
Secret Super Power #9: Enhancing self-confidence and friendship through shared musical experiences. Music has a way of bringing people together, and no where can this be more true than in a classroom.
Secret Super Power #10: Touching places in the heart that nothing else can. Humans are innately musical beings, and we respond instinctively to the power of music.

For more ideas about integrating music into the classroom (and improving your super powers!), we recommend this article from the Johns Hopkins School of Education. You can also learn more HERE about becoming a licensed Kindermusik educator.

And to all of the teachers who make such a difference in the hearts, minds, and lives of children every day… Happy National Teacher Day! (Celebrated in the United States on May 7 and in Columbia/Mexico on May 15)

Music and Movement Benefits: What's Your Tempo?

What is TEMPO you ask? Simply put, tempo is the speed of the music. Fast, slow, and everything in-between!

But why is TEMPO so important?

There is a tempo in every sport your child will play, in every speech, every talk, every meeting your child will hold, and of course, in music. Here’s where being in a Kindermusik class is so valuable – your child’s Kindermusik classroom experiences with tempo will later translate into critical skills that cross into every aspect of your child’s life – music, sports, academics, dance, gymnastics, art, drama, and more!

Tempo at Home

And that’s not all! Even at home, you can use tempo to keep your child engaged in an activity, supporting both increased attention span and cognitive repetition. For example, you can repeat a song or rhyme many more times with your child if you vary the tempo, and each time we repeat the activity we strengthen the new neural connections in your child’s brain, helping to create retained learning.

How do kids learn about TEMPO?

First, little ones must FEEL it (baby music classes), then they can later PRODUCE it (toddler music classes). Next, they can UTILIZE their sense of timing (preschooler music classes) so that by the time they are in our big kids classes they will be able to sense tempo as a group in ENSEMBLE play, and further develop their organizational skills for home, school, and beyond!

Want to see how Kindermusik can benefit your child? Try a free class today and see how your child will learn and grow with music.

The Family Taxi: A Great Place for Music!

Busy mom and music educator, Lisa Huisman Koops, has found the perfect solution for finding the time in her family’s very busy schedule to develop her child’s awareness and interest in music… the family car. And then she did a study to prove her theory that the family car, or family “taxi,” was indeed an excellent music space for fostering musical development and family togetherness. After all, the family car is one place where families are regularly together a lot!
Here’s what Koops discovered about utilizing the family car for enhancing music appreciation and development:

“It is distraction-free from home activities, such as cooking, cleaning and phone calls.
Minimal eye contact by parents gave the children a sense of freedom to experiment.
Confined space in the car helped parents focus on their children, play games and reflect about what music the child listened to or composed on his or her own.
The divided front and back seats provided a close space where siblings could interact with each other through music making.
Families also found siblings interacted in singing and playing musical games together.”

Read this recap of the study from Case Western music educator, Lisa Huisman Koops:

Family “taxi” may be the ideal place to develop child’s interest in music

At Kindermusik, we’re all about helping to make great parenting just a little bit easier… and a whole lot more musical. So we’ve put together some helpful resources and ideas that help you put the music, love, and happy times in your own family taxi.
As our gift to you, we want you to have this free download which includes ten easy ways to make your “Family Taxi” a more musical place that inspires learning and creates lifelong memories. Don’t feel you have to try them all at once, by the way! Even one or two at a time will go a long way towards creating a happy, musical, learning environment while you’re on the go.

Free Download: Make your “Family Taxi” a more musical place

BONUS! Includes a Road Trip Playlist and 5 Free Song Downloads from Kindermusik.

Kindermusik International is also happy to extend an invitation for you to try a free Kindermusik class since Kindermusik is the ideal place for being inspired with music and child development tips that help you put a song in your child’s heart… and in the family car!

Increase parent involvement in early childhood education with a Breakfast Club

Looking for an easy and fun way to increase parent involvement in early childhood education? Start a Breakfast Club. In a recent issue of the NAEYC publication, Teaching Young Children, Lynn A. Manfredi shares her success at inviting parents to join the class during breakfast time. In the morning, parents eat with their children, connect with other parents and the teachers, and children start the day surrounded by people who love and care for them.
“In my family child care program, we start the day with a healthy breakfast. When I asked parents if they would like to join us while we eat, Breakfast Club was born,” Manfredi explains in the article, Building a Community through Breakfast. “My relationships with families and their relationships with each other have blossomed. It is family engagement at its best!”

Breakfast Club ideas to use as part of an early childhood program

In our early childhood curriculum, we include materials for families to use together at home that connect the classroom learning with the home environment. Here are a few Kindermusik@Home ideas to try at your Breakfast Club and share with parents!

For Newborn to 1 year

Cuddle & Bounce: First Foods from Around the World
Opinions about what solids babies should eat, in what order, and at what intervals…well, they’re endless and ongoing!
Check out some recipes for “baby’s first foods” from around the world!
Tip for Parent Involvement in early childhood education: Share this activity with parents as they eat breakfast or use the link in an email to invite parents to attend.

For 1 to 2 years

Sing & Play: Let’s Make Toast
As simple as it seems, a piece of toast offers all kinds of opportunities to help young children develop fine-motor skills. Provide toast for families to eat during Breakfast Club as well as child-safe plastic knives.
Tip for Parent Involvement in early childhood education: With the help of a parent, let children use a plastic knife to spread some butter, margarine, or cream cheese on a piece of toast. Use a spoon to scoop some jelly! Child will develop his or her grasp and practice wrist rotation. If children are not quite ready for the spreading action, line up a row of raisins or pieces of cereal and lead children to place them on the toast, one at a time. This gets the thumb and forefinger working together (a.k.a., pincer grasp) and develops hand-eye coordination (a.k.a., visual-motor integration).

For 2 to 3 years

Wiggle & Grow: Fruit, Fruit Where Are You?
Memory is an excellent game that can encourage the development of numerous early childhood skills that go beyond simple visual processing.
Tip for Parent Involvement in early childhood education: At breakfast, extend the benefits of this game by using the images on the cards as oral language enhancers and fun conversation starters about color and preferences (e.g., “Which is your favorite food to eat?”, “What food did we see that was red?”).

For 4 to 5 years

Move & Groove: Let’s Make Fruit Rainbows
Healthy fruits come in a variety of shapes and colors, which makes them perfect (and fun!) for practicing patterns. Identifying, creating, and extending patterns is a critical early math skill that is also a prerequisite to more advanced math.
Tip for Parent Involvement in early childhood education: Provide fruit for parents and children to make patterns. Parents can start a pattern and encourage children to finish it and vice versa.

Looking for more ideas on increasing parent involvement?

Learn how using music in the early childhood classroom connects with parents and supports the cognitive development in children, including early math, science, literacy, and language skills.

Music and Movement Benefits: Routines and Social-Emotional Health

From breakfast to playtime to naptime. That’s one routine. Bath time, story time, then bedtime. That’s another. Cartoons or waffles on Saturday morning – that’s a routine, too!
As unpredictable as life with young children can sometimes be, routines and rituals are the secret to creating a calmer, saner life, to helping your children feel secure, and to building loving family relationships. As reported by Reuters Health, a recent study has also found that children with predictable family routines “tend to be emotionally healthier and better socially adjusted.” And there’s a close connection between thriving at home and thriving in school.
Routines provide structure and predictability – they are a child’s time keeper, both internally and externally. Zero to Three lists these ways that love, learning, and routines are all interconnected.

Love, Learning, and Routines (from ZeroToThree.org)

Routines help babies and toddlers learn self-control.
Routines can bring you and your child closer together and reduce power struggles.
Routines guide positive behavior and safety.
Routines support children’s social skills.
Routines help children cope with transitions.
Routines are satisfying for parents, too.
Routines are an important opportunity for learning.

These are some of the very reasons why a Kindermusik class has many happy routines that give your child a sense of belonging and security in the classroom: after a few weeks, just experiencing the hello song, goodbye song, and all of the beloved activities in-between reassure each child that he/she is in a safe and loving community. Repeating some of these very same activities at home with the help of your @Home Materials helps parents create family routines that will be remembered for a lifetime.

Get started on the Kindermusik routine today! Try a free class and see how music makes every part of the day even better.

Compiled and written by Theresa Case, who has an award-winning Kindermusik program at Piano Central Studios in Greenville, SC.

A whole new rhythm to English Language Learning

We rock out in our early childhood music classes—literally and figuratively. From our classes for babies, toddlers, big kids or families to our early literacy and language program in preschools, Head Start programs, and daycares to our ELL curriculum, we use the benefits of music to engage children of all abilities in learning. And, we have a lot of fun in the process!
In the first several years of life, the cognitive development of children fires up. Connections in the brain are formed as children engage in new experiences—and repeated multi-sensory activities strengthen those connections. It’s one of the reasons research indicates that it is the critical period for teaching a child another language. Before age 8, children who learn another language are more likely to speak like a native speaker. In fact, young children who learn to speak another language, such as English as a second language, actually reshape the brain, and also strengthen their first language abilities (contrary to a previously debunked myth).

Take a peek inside the brain of bi-lingual children:

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rhpVd30AJaY[/youtube]

3 reasons to use music and movement in a bilingual curriculum

Musical activities engage all of the senses and stimulate development in every area of the brain. Regardless of a child’s first language, every child speaks music and research shows it positively impacts English language learning, including these three ways:

Music stimulates language learning, builds phonological awareness, and enhances language skills.
Children who learn through movement show a marked improvement in memory.
It’s fun! (Never underestimate the power of fun—and music—when it comes to engaging children!)

Try this activity for young ELL students

ELL students will love hearing the rhythmic language of “This Little Car”—over and over again. And doing so will help them learn to speak, and later read, in English, because this video is full of opportunities for them to increase their English language phonological awareness. Phonological awareness is the ability to hear and manipulate words, syllables, and sounds in oral language. Research has shown that phonological awareness is one of the strongest predictors of later reading success—in English as well as in many other languages.

Learn more about our bilingual curriculum…

that meets the EYFS framework in the UK, CEFR developed by the Council of Europe, and TESOL English Language Proficiency Standards for Pre-K.

10 ways to celebrate Earth Day with little kids

Happy Earth Day! Today (and every day, truth be told) we celebrate the beautiful world around us. After all, working (and playing, singing, and dancing!) with children brings out the best in us. They teach us to pause and notice the beauty in the tiniest of details. Through the eyes of a child, a puddle becomes a splashing adventure; a caterpillar provides a reason to giggle as it creeps up an arm; and a stick morphs into just about anything.
At Kindermusik, protecting the earth is a process. It doesn’t happen overnight—kind of like raising a child. It takes deliberate, consistent steps. (Y ou can see how we actively seek ways to reduce our carbon footprint as a company.) Today, however, we celebrate Earth Day the best way we know how—by involving the youngest members of our world in the process! So, we hope you enjoy 10 of our favorite ways to celebrate Earth Day—and teach kids about sustainability—with these kid-friendly activities from Pinterest!

10 activities for kids to celebrate Earth Day!

Fine Motor Play with Recyclable Materials. Use paper towel or toilet paper rolls, egg containers, and duct tape to create a fun “fine motor skills center” for toddlers and preschoolers. Young children will enjoy the playtime and you will model for them how to re-use and recycle materials!
Recycled Outdoor Music Station. Make this with children and play with it all year! Young children will enjoy designing and decorating their own little musical symphony.

(Source: http://mynearestanddearest.com/)
Earth Day Hunt. Go on a nature treasure hunt with little ones. Provide them with a list of things to look for on your walk, such as “collect three rocks” or “make a leaf rubbing.” Consider taking a small bag to pick up trash along the way, too!
20 Family-Friendly Books about the Environment. Looking for a good book about the environment to read with young children? This list will get you started! Plus, it will teach kids about sustainability and support early literacy skills.
Go on a Virtual Field Trip to learn about and listen to the Landfill Harmonic.
Make a Recycling Bin with Children. Use a trashcan and some paint to decorate a recycling can for the entire family. Then talk about (and show) the different types of things you can recycle. Children love to contribute to the family or class, so give a child “the job” of recycling certain items, such as plastic water bottles or juice containers.
Go bird watching (and listening!). Bird watching celebrates key Kindermusik skills of listening and engaging and helps children notice the world right outside their window. After your bird walk, sing along with Kindermusik bird songs and use instruments to mimic birdcalls.
Create a “plant pal” by planting grass seeds. Children learn best by engaging all of their senses. Planting seeds and watching them grow gives them the opportunity to learn more about a plant’s life cycle. Toddlers and preschoolers will especially love this fun twist! When the grass grows long enough, give the “plant pal” a trim!
Host a Recycled Dance Party. This party has it all—music, movement, and a fun way to learn more about recycling for kids.
Follow our “Living Green with Kids” board on Pinterest! Need even more ideas? Be sure to follow Kindermusik on Pinterest!

Contributed by Lisa Camino Rowell with a little help from her 8-year-old daughter and former Kindermusik student, Emerson. After all, living green with kids takes input from every family member!