Parents Archives - Page 13 of 16 - Minds On Music

“Music is a balm, use it liberally to calm your selves, to connect with your babies, to feel safe and grounded.”

The following email was recently written by Kindermusik Educator Helen Peterson to her Kindermusik families. Her work to help underserved children in the Minneapolis community was recognized with the first Inspiring Kindermusik Educator of the Year Award. Her love for children is as inspiring as her smile, and we’re grateful to share her words with you.

She is one of the helpers.

It is with such a heavy heart I write tonight, after 3 days of thinking, reading, listening, trying to sort out the tragedy that befell the families of Newtown Connecticut. It is of course impossible to sort, I am sure everyone has held their babies tight, have had rushes of intense love and gratitude followed by flashes of fear and breathlessness considering the unimaginable.

My hope is that Kindermusik, the joy and bonding, the sparkle that happens here, will be a safe harbor when you feel anxious. Music is a balm, use it liberally to calm your selves, to connect with your babies, to feel safe and grounded.

Connections between very young children and their parent are so profound and strong. We know, what you feel as a parent, becomes your child’s emotion in no time at all. Outrage, heartbreak and compassion is pouring out of us, in the wake of this unimaginable act.

Remember to take care of yourselves by being in conversation with other adults, and help those you know who may be struggling.

Images are everywhere, visuals on the television in news promotions during children’s programming, auditory on the radio, in grown up conversations that children always hear. As much as possible shield them.

There is nothing like scooping up a child for a dance around the house, a clean up song, a bathtub tune, a goodnight lullaby to bring equilibrium to lighten our heavy hearts.

Here is a resource you will find helpful in talking to children about tragedy.

I know that I am grateful everyday for the JOY, LOVE and BEAUTY that I experience and witness when we are together making music and making memories.

Warmly,

Helen

Why Spatial Awareness Is Critical to Whole-Child Development

Preschool children jump in a defined space to build spatial awareness skills during class.

In a nutshell, spatial awareness is the understanding of objects (including your own body) in relationship to the surrounding space. For children, that starts with discovering hands and feet, grows to moving safely on a playground, and leads to judging distances while driving or solving math problems. It’s a huge skillset that affects so many critical aspects of positive whole-child development.

So how do you know if little ones are on or off-track with these skills?

FOL Fridays: Pre-ensemble Development

One day, your child may want to participate in a team sport or play in a band. Kindermusik will provide him or her with the unique opportunity to develop and practice the skills that are required to perform in an ensemble, skills like distinguishing between sounds, listening for the appropriate entrance, timing the participation, accomplishing the steady-beat play with an outside source, and playing with others.

Ideas for parents:

Even the youngest children can experience ensemble, whether it’s in Kindermusik Village or it’s just the two of you at home tapping on the pots and pans. You might even enjoy putting together a Family Jam, a time when the whole family grabs something to tap, shake, or jingle as you all play-along to a recording or a song you’re singing.

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

FOL Fridays: Pattern Awareness

Kindermusik - Learning About Patterns with Kids Instruments

Pattern awareness is crucial to learning and memory. Just as in reading stories, singing and rhythmic speech expose participants directly to the patterns of language, including rhythm, speech sounds, syntax, and rhyme.

Tips for parents:

Patterns are all around – outdoors, indoors, in colors, how we arrange items on the counter or table, and even on the clothes we wear. With patterns surrounding us, it’s easy to play “pick up” pattern games with your child. First, point to the pattern. Have your child identify the individual parts. Then work together to point out how it all goes together. If there are objects that can be moved, you can even challenge your child to create some patterns of his own.

You can even try learning about patterns with your Kindermusik instruments!

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

FOL Fridays: Emerging Literacy

Parental Involvement Supports Early Literacy Developement

Children begin the process of learning to read long before they enter formal schooling. Families play an important role in this process. For decades, research has shown that children whose parents read to them become better readers and do better in school. Activities such as telling stories and singing songs may also encourage the acquisition of literacy skills (adapted from Sonnenschein, Brady, and Munsterman, 1996; Moss and Fawcett, 1995; and Glazer, 1989)

Ideas for parents:

Like many aspects of parenting, you know instinctively that reading together has huge benefits for your child.

If you’re looking to add more books to the reading list, get to know your local librarian.Preschool and elementary school teachers can also share their favorite book lists. There are also all kinds of lists online of books to read for kids. If you want to add to your own bookshelf, flea markets, yard sales, and even Goodwill are great places to purchase books very inexpensively.

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

Check out our related ABC Music & Me blog post…and consider recommending to your school!
5 Reasons Parents Should be Reading to their Children

Kindermusik and Your Child: Exercising Your Listening Muscles

Improve Listening Skills with Kindermusik

Like a muscle, your child’s listening skills need constant exercise in order to grow stronger. Kindermusik classes give your child weekly opportunities to “exercise” and develop listening skills as we listen to specific sounds, listen to many various instrumental sounds, listen to directions and musical cues, listen to suggestions from your Kindermusik Educator for ways to participate in class activities, listen to encouragement from you to participate and share ideas, listen to various styles of recorded and live music and singing, and of course listen to ideas from other parents and students!

A good listener is able to focus attention on what he/she hears. Becoming a good listener will help your child:

Learn more quickly and effectively for later academic success
Heed danger signals
Get along better with you and other adults
Make better friends

There are many things you can do to help your child develop listening skills. Your example speaks volumes to your child if you are a good listener, chances are, your child will learn good listening skills from you! If you ask your child “listening” questions, then your child’s neural network will learn to listen. For some great articles that contain tips for helping your child develop listening skills, check out the following links:

Getting Your Toddler to Listen (8 easy steps)

Fun Activities to Promote Listening Skills (by Learning Style)

How Can Parents Model Good Listening Skills?

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

FOL Fridays: Sign Language for Hearing Children

Sign language for children and babies at Kindermusik

Children are born trying to decipher the mystery of language from the moment they are born. It takes children 12 to 24 months to begin speaking, yet while they are preparing for this huge leap forward, they already have some of the pieces in place. Signing with hearing children takes advantage of their motor abilities, which develop months earlier than the equivalent skills required for speech. Using signing in everyday interactions will help open the door to early communication, facilitated speech, increased intimacy, and long-term learning (adapted from Kindermusik Sign & Sing).

Ideas for parents:

Start by incorporating just a few basic signs in your daily routines – signs such as “please,” “more,” and “all done.” Be consistent and patient in using the signs. Your child will likely catch on more quickly than you think! You can both have fun adding more signs, including “thank you” and of course, “music!” Visit SigningSavvy.com to find a wonderful video-based sign language resource. It’s quick and easy to look up – and learn! – a few signs.

You can also visit Kindermusik International’s Class Locator to find a Kindermusik educator near you offering Kindermusik Sign & Sing.

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

FOL Fridays: Benefits of Reading Aloud

Reading to a child on a regular basis benefits him in several key ways. Reading increases his knowledge of the world, his vocabulary, his familiarity with the written language, and his interest in becoming literate. In fact, the larger the variety of fluent readers a child hears, the better.

Ideas for parents: Even if other special adults in your child’s life do not live nearby, it’s still possible for your child to hear them reading aloud. Hallmark has recordable books. Skype offers free video calls. And MailVU makes it possible to record and send a video email. The possibilities are endless!

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

Kindermusik and Your Child: The Development of the Singer

Because they are experiencing an explosion of language, many preschool children tend to respond first to the words in a song rather than the rhythm or melody. Once they have heard the whole song and understand the song’s "story," they are most likely to then be able to concentrate on the melodic line. Children are most successful when singing songs that have a limited range, common rhythmic and melodic patterns, simple words, and plenty of repetition. That’s why Kindermusik songs are so catchy!

Joanne Rutowski, an expert on the child’s voice, describes the stages of vocal, or singing, development:

The Pre-Singer
Speaks rather than sings; uses little vocal inflection
The Speaking Range Singer
Talk-sings in a limited speaking range, with little vocal inflection
The Limited Range Singer
Sings in a range that is a bit higher than the speaking range but still limited
The Singer
Sings in a wide range; uses much vocal inflection when speaking

So what can you do to foster your child’s singing development?

Children love singing when they are singing songs they know. Download the tracks from your Home CD onto your iPod at http://play.kindermusik.com and keep your Home CD in the car so that your child can become familiar with the music from this semester.
Encourage your child to sing in a light head voice.
Surround your child with a rich listening environment.
Sing with your child. Love and enjoyment of singing is contagious!

When children are happily singing, they are stimulating all developmental domains: physical, emotional, language, and cognitive. Particularly

significant is the reinforcement singing provides in abilities relating to sequences, patterns, memory, and language.

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

She is one of the helpers.

Kindermusik classes are filled with laughter and learning…

Try a Free Class Near You!

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