music Archives - Page 4 of 6 - Minds On Music

Your child rocks!

When your baby cries, you instinctively scoop him up and rock him. His need to move and his ability to be soothed by movement are vital in the first 15 months of life when the vestibular system – the area that gives him a sense of balance and distance – is developing.

Aside from the physical benefits of movement, your child also recieves an emotional benefit from rocking and bonding with you. This quiet, rocking ritual can provide him with a sense of security, allowing him to grow into an assured, confident learner with a healthy self-esteem.

Rocking is still important as your young child grows and will often become a favorite – and memorable – activity for both child and parent. Even older children benefit from the stimulation of the vestibular system. Urges to run and tear around the house can be mellowed by taking a few minutes for quiet or even more active rocking.

Kindermusik Tips for your Baby, Toddler, and Preschooler

> Rocking your baby: Place a blanket on the floor and lay your baby in the middle. With an adult caregiver on either side, pick up a corner of the blanket and gently “hammock” your child. If your baby doesn’t like rocking this way, simple lay him on his back and gently rock him side-to-side to the rhythm of the music.
> Rocking with your toddler: Toddlers can rock a favorite stuffed animal, or while you sit on the floor, your toddler can hug you from behind as you rock back and forth to the music.
> Rocking with your preschooler: Preschoolers will love to curl their bodies into little balls, and rock and roll around the room. Want to let your inhibitions go? Do this with them! Fits of giggles are sure to follow.

Meet a Kindermusik educator: Jessica Solares

Name:
Jessica Rice Solares

Location:
Chicago, IL, USA

Studio name and link:
Bucktown Music
www.bucktownmusic.com

Number of years you’ve taught Kindermusik:
1.5

Describe yourself in five words or less:
From me: creative, passionate
From my customer loyalty surveys: talented, fun, clever

Favorite Kindermusik song:
So many great ones, but “Big Black Bear” really stands out. I love seeing the kids pretend to go on a walk and then the sleeping bear wake up and ROAR!

Favorite Kindermusik activity, and why:
Once again, really difficult to choose, but recently, “Snail & Grasshopper” from Village Dewdrops. I love that it teaches AB music form, fast/slow, major/minor, ASL, and incorporates so many senses: auditory, kinesthetic, visual. Plus the babies all crack up during the bouncing and anticipate the stopping.

A proud moment in a Kindermusik classroom:
When I looked around a Village class and saw most adults dancing with someone else’s child. What a wonderful community where everyone trusts each other with their children!

Something your Kindermusik children or families have taught you (could be inspirational, humorous, practical, etc.):
My families have taught me to be respectful and not to judge, and that there are unlimited ways to do something, or think about something. Everybody has their own way, and that’s good.

Something funny a child has said or done in your classroom:
One 3 year old boy wasn’t seeming to pay attention during a Family Time class, and then at the end, he grabbed his little sister’s hands, swung her around, and sang “Skinnamarinky Dinky Dink, Skinnamarinky Do, I LOVE YOU!!!” at the top of his lungs!

The reason you teach:
I love seeing the children and parents grow and learn, and am honored to be part of that experience. It is important to me to show the parents that THEY are their child’s most important teacher. I’ve also found that students who have completed the Kindermusik program have shown an increased ability for abstract musical concepts, have better rhythm and intonation, and better listening and attention skills.

What can your child learn from a puddle?

What would it be like to walk through a puddle for the first time? To not notice it coming up and then just hear the rhythm of your walk change from a tap tap tap to splish splish splash? . . . You look down and notice you are standing in water. You see it, consider it, feel it. What an adventure of the senses!

Parents know how lucky they are to see this happen right before their eyes: their child discovering something new – something that has a sound, or a feeling, or shines, or moves. Discovery can be an incredible gift.

By letting your child walk through that puddle, millions (maybe billions) of sensory connections are made. Thought patterns, optical pathways, auditory stimulation, and your child’s perception of the world are altered and strengthened.

Embrace what a difference you make for your child by taking those walks that last a long long time but cover very little ground. Remember, every stone, pine cone, ant, bird, leaf, and puddle holds a world of discovery. Don’t miss it! Don’t worry about the puddle – the shoes will dry and the pants can be cleaned. The work of the child is to experience something new every day, and that’s one of the best ways you can help your kids learn and grow.

-This post was contributed by Kindermusik educator Helen Peterson. Helen’s Southern Twin Cities program, Kindermusik of the Valley, is in the top 1% of Kindermusik programs around the world.

Music and movement: magical ingredients to learning

Music and movement are magical ingredients to learning for both the child and parent. A baby’s first communication is through movement. A toddler immediately responds to lively music with silly gyrations and flailing limbs – and while these movements usually make us giggle, to him they are serious attempts to coordinate movement with rhythmic patterns. The preschooler seems to be constantly moving – leaping off couches, rolling down hills, and spinning around and around until she falls down in a giggling flop on the floor.

Movement is fundamental for the development of the central nervous system, and science proves it. But what’s more, movement and rhythm are also essential for the development of the soul. These are things that can’t be measured with research and studies.

When a parent moves with her infant, a special bonding takes place that is key to social and emotional growth. When a parent sings to her child, not only are language skills being developed, but also a sense of love, comfort and harmony. The special touching, laughing, and rhythmic moving that takes place in a music and movement class lays a very strong and much needed foundation for a happy, healthy and joyful life!

Here are just a few of the ways that Kindermusik children learn through the interactive music and movement activities of the Kindermusik classroom:

Intentional touch is designed to provide stimulation of the nervous system, relaxation and bonding.
Activities involve unilateral, bi-lateral and cross-lateral movements that help develop the brain and muscles.
Movement and dance steps allow the caregiver and child to experience different rhythms and locomotor movements.
Synchronized dances develop sequencing, provide reassuring repetition and social interaction.
Expressive movement provides variety, creativity, and opposing feelings such as fast and slow, high and low.
Rocking and swinging stimulate the vestibular system, which is so important to balance and even eye movement.
Props, such as the “humongous” scarves and parachutes, provide tactile and visual stimulation.

So put on your Kindermusik CD at home and don’t worry about performing the dances “just right.” Don’t even worry about right and left! Simply move to the music and have fun! It all makes a difference.

-This post was adapted from a past issue of Kindermusik Notes and was originally written by Anne Green Gilbert, Director of the Creative Dance Center and Kaleidoscope Dance Company in Seattle, Washington, and a consultant for Kindermusik International.

The family that laughs together…

Giving your child a simple smile can improve his or her self image and brain development. When your child sees you smile, it not only makes her feel good, it strengthens connections in the brain as well.

Studies have shown that smiling and laughter can strengthen the immune system, lower blood pressure, and reduce stress levels. And a healthy sense of humor can help a child handle problems as they grow into adults, as well as enhance the social skills they need to make friends.

Along with smiling, laughter is a sound that’s naturally interesting to your toddler. As he’s getting ready to learn to talk, he needs help learning how to listen so he can distinguish one sound from another to form his first words. Play active listening games like “One ha-ha-happy family”, described below. As you listen, exaggerate your body posture, lean into the sound, brighten your eyes, and model the body expressions of a good, active listener for a happy, talking toddler.

One ha-ha-happy family
Laugh out loud. Ask your toddler to make the sound back. Laugh lots of different ways to your toddler. Wait for her to copy you, and vice versa. Record the sound of your toddler laughing. (Family idea: Make a “Laughter Scrapbook”! Record your family laughing together and all the different ways you can laugh. Keep adding to the recording as the years go and by and hear how the sound of your laughter changes.)

As well as listening games, why not combine physical games with music? This will give your toddler something to laugh about, learn more words about, and develop better coordination.

When you’re a toddler, running is usually accompanied by fits of laughter. This new found physical control makes games like “Ring around the Rosy” a huge hit. Rosy can fall down or do the silly walk – have fun by exploring lots of ways Rosy can “all fall down” by doing other movements that your toddler finds funny, like playing chase or running. Explore sound with your baby before bedtime. Put on your favorite lullaby (or sing it yourself) and play along gently with a musical instrument.

Say “Cheese!”
Smiling and laughing play a large part in the bonding and attachment process that help your child feel secure and safe. Children primarily use their parents’ facial expressions as a guide for behavior. The emotional experiences a child has (especially during the first years) help shape emotional responses throughout life. It’s worth remembering that a simple smile is one building block for your relationship with your child. Your face is where your child looks for reassurement, comfort, and attention. So don’t be afraid to show your child those pearly whites!

Meet a Kindermusik educator: Holly Lesnick

Name:
Holly Lesnick

Location:
Orlando, FL

Studio name and link:
Grow and Sing Studios
http://www.growandsing.com

Number of years you’ve taught Kindermusik:
8 years

Describe yourself in five words or less:
Wife, mother, friend and teacher

Favorite Kindermusik song:
Butterfly Wings

Favorite Kindermusik activity, and why:
There are so many favorites, but nothing brings me more joy than a roomful of babies and their caregivers dancing to Hop Up my Baby! The smiles and laughter are infectious!!

A proud moment in a Kindermusik classroom:
One day, I greeted my Our Time class as they entered the classroom. One by one everyone entered the classroom, and I realized I had an overfilled day with my full class of enrolled families, plus preview families and families making up classes. I welcomed the challenge and during quiet time, I looked around, and every single child was cuddled up with their parent or caregiver, and all were singing together. It was magical.

Something your Kindermusik children or families have taught you (could be inspirational, humorous, practical, etc.):
That each week is like a box of chocolates, you never know what you are going to get. I love it, and it keeps me on my toes at ALL times!

Something funny a child has said or done in your classroom:
“Miss Holly, can you come live with us?”

The reason you teach:
The question should be why I teach KINDERMUSIK. It is the most fulfilling work I’ve ever done. I love connecting with the children, but also with the parents, and sharing my passion for music. My motto is “Connecting Families through the Magic of Music”, and that’s what I get to do. It’s such a wonderful combination that makes it right for me.

Music and art are peas in a pod

A little child gripping a paintbrush in her hand can quickly discover her “inner conductor.” Smocked in your old shirt and hovering over the kitchen table, arms raised, she conducts the swirl of colors on—and sometimes off—the page.

That’s just one small example of how music and art can go hand in hand. Plus, the same activities that develop musical skills in a young child also develop skills that a young artist needs: hand-eye coordination, creative expression, and visual literacy.

Want some ideas for bringing music and art together with your child? We’ve got some!

For Babies…

Your face is the artwork. You instinctively tend to hold your baby about eight to nine inches from your face—just close enough to provide her with needed visual stimulation. In the first two months of her life, that’s also her best field of vision. According to Carla Hannaford, author of Smart Moves, Why Learning is Not All in Your Head, sight is the least developed sense in a young baby. Most learning—almost 90 percent—occurs through touch and taste. Visual literacy (the ability to see texture and perspective in two-dimensional pictures) is learned later. You can help your baby develop visual literacy by showing her things that encourage her eyes to move. And in the first year of life, her favorite thing to look at is your face.

Your baby loves the contrast between your bright eyes and dark mouth, the many lines of your face, your facial expressions, and so on. The distance between your facial features begins to give your baby the information she needs to build her visual literacy.

Visual and auditory experiences actually shape the wiring of the brain. While seeing moving objects is not necessarily easy for infants, your newborn’s attention will also be attracted to bold, sharp patterns and objects. Showing your infant high contrast items such as black-and-white designs, brightly colored toys, and smiling faces is a great way to support his or her development.

Here are a few more activities to develop eye strength:

> When you read together, trace your finger across the words as you read. This encourages your baby to follow your finger.
> Hold and shake a rattle or instrument. Move it slowly allowing your baby to track the instrument with her eyes.
> Sing. Research has shown that babies will turn their heads to look in the direction of the sound of their parent’s voice.

For Toddlers…

The development of your toddler’s drawing ability begins when the scribbling stage is over. Sometime between the ages of 12 and 18 months, your toddler will probably attempt to “write” by making marks on paper, and at about 18 to 24 months she may surprise you by drawing vertical and horizontal lines or a circle, according to Art and Creative Development for Young Children by Robert Schirrmacher.

The toddler years also mark a phase of drawing sometimes referred to as “Potato People.” These are drawings that feature wide bodies with stick figure legs and arms. Since your toddler spent so much time looking at your face as a baby, much of what he draws in the first year will be faces like these with appendages as an afterthought. Give him plenty of time with paper and crayons to help him develop his drawing skills and move beyond the “Potato People” phase (despite how cute those drawings end up being).

For a colorful activity, “paint” with tissue paper:

> Cut the tissue paper into strips, or squares and put a very small amount of water into shallow bowls.
> Show your toddler how to scrunch up the tissue and dip into the water to create a watercolor effect.
> Encourage your toddler to tell you all about his creations. Talk about the colors, ask him about the shapes. To incorporate music, can you two make up a little song about the creation? Point and label—as you do with everything else in your toddler’s world.

For Preschoolers…

With preschoolers, you can dive in and draw to the music! With her increasingly abstract reasoning skills, her imagination is soaring. She’s also more physically coordinated and able to hold a pencil, crayons, and scissors with greater control. And while she enjoys being to able to draw more geometric shapes, much of the preschooler’s choice of color, is emotional, according to Art and Creative Development for Young Children.

What does the music look like? The emotional aspect of music, combined with tempo and rhythm, make drawing to music a perfect activity for this age.

> To really get the imagination going, pick out some music and ask your preschooler to “draw out the music.” Ask him if this is blue music or red music. What would purple sound like?
> Use the paper for wall art or wrapping paper. Glue it to bookmarks and give them to Grandma and Grandpa.

Meet a Kindermusik educator: Amy James

Name:
Amy James

Location:
Bend OR

Studio name and link:
DevelopMusic
www.developmusic.com

Number of years you’ve taught Kindermusik:
5 years

Describe yourself in five words or less:
Loves music, loves to dance

Favorite Kindermusik song:
Our Time Hello since it’s the one my daughter sings when she “plays” Kindermusik with her dolls

Favorite Kindermusik activity, and why:
I love any of the circle songs because I love the sense of community we create as we all come together in a circle and dance.

A proud moment in a Kindermusik classroom:
When there is a connection made between a parent and child, parent and parent, or teacher and child

Something your Kindermusik children or families have taught you (could be inspirational, humorous, practical, etc.):
Be uninhibited, just go for it when singing, dancing or moving. Throw off the outside pressures of parenthood and just have fun with your little one because they do not stay little for very long!

Something funny a child has said or done in your classroom:
There was a little boy who never crawled, he would just scoot on his bottom around the room and he was fast!

The reason you teach:
I teach because what we teach can make a difference. It makes a difference for the families in the present by allowing them a special time together. It also makes a difference in the future because of the foundation being laid for future learning. I’ve seen the tremendous difference it has made, especially for those kids with other special needs. Kindermusik is a place where they can have fun and be successful.

Music is from everywhere!

Let’s take a spin around the world to find some of the wonderful music you’ll hear in Kindermusik this semester. Have a look!

Your babies 0-18 months will enjoy the sounds of: May There Always Be Sunshine (Russia), Zum Gali Gali (Israel), The Keel Row (Northumberland) Suliram (Indonesia, Polovtsian Dance (Poland).

Join your toddlers 18-36 months in singing: The Barn Sull (Scandanavia), Duermete, mi Nino (Latin America) Fais D0-Do (France).

Preschoolers will love hearing and learning: Japanese Rain Song (Japan, Wggis Song (Switzerland) Funiculi Fuicula (Italy) Lirum Larum (Germany), Siyahamba (Zulu).

And that’s just a sampling of what you’ll find at Kindermusik right now.

Exposing your child to different music and cultures at a young age is a fantastic way to promote understanding, diversity, and spark developing minds and imaginations. After class, talk to your child about faraway places and cultures. Let your child know there is a great big world out there to embrace, explore, and enjoy.

To find a class near you, visit the Kindermusik Class Finder today. You can also hear some of our music from around the world at play.kindermusik.com (register today to get three free download credits)!

Thanks to Kindermusik educator Helen Peterson for contributions to this entry. Helen’s Twin Cities program, Kindermusik of the Valley, is one of the top Kindermusik programs in the world.

Parenting a special needs child

Are you the parent of a special needs child, or know someone who is? It can be as challenging as it is rewarding, and sometimes a little extra help is welcome.

We recently came across a magazine called Parenting Children with Special Needs. It’s relatively new and currently only being distributed in print in the Kansas City area, but it’s available online to anyone. The content is not specific to any region or situation. You’ll find some really great stuff there that is sure to be valuable.

Magazines like this, and others like it, give parents and caregivers ideas, suggestion, and–sometimes most importantly–support, when it comes to raising a child with special needs.

At Kindermusik International, we often here stories from parents and educators who have seen success with Kindermusik when it comes to their special needs child. In many cases, music is one of the rare things that the child responds to. We’re proud to have our name associated with helping special needs children and their parents in any way we can.

So if you’re a parent looking for a little help, a supportive word, or something new to try, there are resources out there. We’ll routinely post them here at Minds at Music. Have a special needs resource you want to share? Post it in the comments area below!

Want to try Kindermusik with your special needs child to see if it’s a good fit? You can find classes and sign up for a free class preview at our Kindermusik Class Finder.