Minds On Music – The Kindermusik Blog - Page 85 of 105 - For three generations, Kindermusik has helped millions of children around the world build a strong foundation for a lifetime of learning.

Ben. Autism. Kindermusik. Dancing. Miss Allison. They’re all connected.

The below article is from Miss Allison, of Studio3Music, the largest Kindermusik studio in the greater Seattle area. You can visit Studio3’s Web site here.
The big question of what I would be when I grew up was not such a big question. I’d known since before I went to school that I wanted to be a teacher. Occasionally I get an AFFIRMED stamp on that decision, and on those days my heart just sings. Last week, on Tuesday morning, October 4th at about 10:55, I had one of those moments.
I have this little guy in that Our Time music class. His name is Ben, and he’s been in class with me since before he was born. I actually think he was in class before his mother even knew she was pregnant. After he arrived on the outside of mom, he came as a tag along in a car-seat with his older brother, and when he could sit up, he came to Village (you don’t have to wait that long… come before they sit up!) and now he is coming to his second year of Our Time. So he’s less than three years old and has been in class longer than that.
Ben and I have a connection that I can’t quite explain… so when his mom came to me last fall and said Ben had been diagnosed somewhere on the Autism spectrum I was literally shocked. Not this child, who is so lively and connected, who smiles at me and hugs me and makes eye contact and snuggles into my shoulder so tight that you couldn’t slide a piece of paper between us. Nope. I couldn’t see it… ‘cause Ben and I are connected.
But I started watching him with other folks and I did notice that he only makes eye contact with his mom and me in class. He doesn’t touch anyone but the two of us, and he doesn’t really interact with the other children, and the other moms are treated like shadows on the wall. He is very interested in the activities, but on his terms. So after the shock wore off, I began to understand. It didn’t change anything, ‘cause Ben and I are, well… we’re connected. Continue reading “Ben. Autism. Kindermusik. Dancing. Miss Allison. They’re all connected.”

Minds on Music Quote

“Music is the hardest kind of art. It doesn’t hang up on a wall and wait to be stared at and enjoyed by passersby. It’s communication. It’s hours and hours being put into a work of art that may only last, in reality, for a few moments…but if done well, and truly appreciated, it lasts in our hearts forever. That’s art. Speaking with your heart to the hearts of others.”
– Dan Romano

FOL Fridays: Movement & Learning

It is through dancing with others that children can quickly learn to work within the group dynamic. Movement becomes more than just fun – it becomes the road to communication, fostering both social interaction and cooperation. Structured dance, such as what we often enjoy together in Kindermusik, or free dance, which is easy to enjoy together at home, allows for creative self-expression while also giving the children the opportunity to learn how they understand themselves in relation others.
Tips for parents: Make it a family dance night – even just a couple of numbers will do! Start by making a list of some of your favorite “move-to-it” music selections. Choose from your own library or try something new from play.kindermusik.com. Then forget everything else and just have fun! The joy of dancing together will benefit not just your child, but all who are involved.
– Contributed by Theresa Case, whose Greenville, SC program, Kindermusik at Piano Central Studios, is proudly among the top 1% of Kindermusik programs worldwide.

Kindermusik Success in Northern Ireland

The Ballymena Times, of Ballymena, Northern Ireland, recently featured the newest Kindermusik program, which just got off the ground this summer. Congratulations to Kindermusik educator, Alicia Murphy, for the success she’s seeing in this area!
Here is the article in its entirety:
DURING the summer holidays a new music and movement programme with classes for newborns up to seven-year-olds began in the Ballymena area.
Kindermusik is an award winning programme that has had global success.
Kindermusik may be new to Ballymena but after a series of summer and autumn term classes the signs are that it is going to be just as popular here as it has been elsewhere.
Kindermusik has been brought to Ballymena by local musician and private music teacher, Alicia Murphy. She says: “With two children of my own I was keen to find music and arts activities which would aid their development. I was surprised by the lack of such programmes in the area for young children”. Continue reading “Kindermusik Success in Northern Ireland”

What Real Riches Mean to Us

“Real riches are the riches possessed inside.” – B.C. Forbes

That’s why we cherish those impromptu, heartfelt hugs our children give us. Those hugs are the stuff memories are made of, the kind of memories we hold in our hearts forever. And nothing prompts a hug faster than when you are truly present with your child, engaged together in an activity that brings a smile to his face.
Kindermusik educators all around the world are privileged to observe these smiles and spontaneous hugs nearly every week in class, and we regularly hear from parents about the joy that overflows at home too, all as a result of one amazingly magical experience… Kindermusik.
But the benefits of Kindermusik – especially the giggles and the hugs – aren’t just reserved for a select few. As licensed educators in partnership with Kindermusik International, our shared mission is to change the world through music, one child and one family at a time.
We’d like to invite you to see what it’s like to be a part of the Kindermusik community. Just sign up try a free preview class at the Kindermusik studio nearest you. We know you’ll love the class. And we promise, you and your child won’t be short on hugs, music, laughter, or learning either!
– Shared by Theresa Case whose Kindermusik program at Piano Central Studios in Greenville, South Carolina, is proudly among the top 1% of Kindermusik programs worldwide

Free Music Download: "Wild Geese Are Flying"

Kindermusik celebrates the changing of the seasons with a free music download. Go to play.kindermusik.com to download the free kids song “Wild Geese Are Flying”. You will need to login (if you’re already a Kindermusik parent) or register to receive the free song. Just search for “Wild Geese Are Flying.”
Parent & Child Bonding Activity:
Read aloud the below poem on wild geese, after you listen to your new song and talk about the birds’ yearly migration South!
SOMETHING TOLD THE WILD GEESE
By Rachel Field
Something told the wild geese
It was time to go,
Though the fields lay golden
Something whispered, “snow.”
Leaves were green and stirring,
Berries, luster-glossed,
But beneath warm feathers
Something cautioned, “frost.”
All the sagging orchards
Steamed with amber spice,
But each wild breast stiffened
At remembered ice.

Something told the wild geese
It was time to fly,
Summer sun was on their wings,
Winter in their cry.

FOL Fridays: Learning by Contrasts

Children enjoy learning within the context of contrast, as it is one of the primary tasks of their preschool years. Understanding contrasting concepts (i.e., loud and soft, fast and slow, high and low) is a significant aspect of cognitive development. The capacity to learn relationships between ideas and then apply the learned information in other situations is highly related to a child’s success in school. (Johnson-Martin, Attermeier, and Hacker, 1990)
Tips for parents: Play the Contrast Game. Sing a line from a song or say a line from a favorite little rhyme or chant in a high voice. Ask your child what she heard. Was it high or low? Then invite her to copy you in her low voice. Repeat this with other musical contrasts like fast and slow, loud and soft, or long and short. You can also switch and let your child be the leader. (This is a great game for the car, while you’re getting supper ready, or while you’re waiting in line at the store!)
– Contributed by Theresa Case, whose Greenville, SC program, Kindermusik at Piano Central Studios, is proudly among the top 1% of Kindermusik programs worldwide.

Activities for Toddlers: "Daddy/Mommy Says"

This activity for toddlers 12 to 18 months is a great one for the child who LOVES to mimic! At this age, your little one loves to imitate you. Daddy Says (or Mommy Says) is like the well-known game “Simon Says.” But, it’s better because it’s led by Daddy or Mommy! Encourage your child to imitate you as you wiggle your fingers, stomp your feet, wave your hands, flap your arms, or shake your head. Toddlers learn by doing! Engaging games that link movement and words help your toddler learn words faster.
Kindermusik music classes are another great ways for parents to bond with their children. Find out how to be a part of the world’s largest & most researched musical learning program or sign up for a free class, a no commitment, fun activity to do with your toddler anytime!

A Minds on Music Quote

“When words fail, music speaks.” ~ H.C. Anderson

The Power of YOU

Recently, a new tablet came on the market, designed specifically for children ages 4 and younger. (Yes, that’s 4 years old and younger!) The Vinci is a “real touch-screen Android-based product” with a tagline of “Inspire the Genius.”
Technology is a great thing, but I’m still a firm believer in some old-fashioned approaches to childhood. No one – and no thing – is better for your child than YOU. As your child’s first and best teacher, here is some simple, every day encouragement that I hope will help you inspire the genius that is uniquely your child.
Start by embracing your role as your child’s first and best teacher. You know your child better than anyone – what makes him giggle or what calms him down. It’s the little things like the happy little rituals and time together that you incorporate throughout the day that matter the most to your child developmentally, academically, and emotionally in the long run. Continue reading “The Power of YOU”