A. All Kindermusik Educators are certified by Kindermusik International after having successfully completed the training. Before enrolment in the Kindermusik Educator training, candidates have to pass a stringent pre-qualifying process which determines their musicality, command of the English language, suitability in working with young children, and attitude. What makes Kindermusik educators special is the fact that they come from very diverse careers, having chosen to teach Kindermusik out of love and appreciation for the program and working with children.

 

A.Yes, you can. Your child can start with any of the appropriate classes subject to space availability. We will pro-rate your tuition fee in accordance with the remaining number of classes in that semester. However, the purchase of Home Materials for the program is a pre-requisite.

 

A. Family involvement in a child's learning is a fundamental cornerstone of the Kindermusik philosophy; that the parent is the child's most important teacher and the home is the most important environment for a child's learning to take place and develop. To extend learning at home, all Kindermusik curricula include the highest quality home materials including music CD's, instruments, and interactive activities. The Home Materials are part and parcel of the Kindermusik curricula. One doesn't go without the other. The 'materials' become a part of your child's life, as they learn the tunes of the songs and dances, enjoy reading the story books and most of all doing the activities from the activity book and playing with their own percussion instrument!

 

A. We've all had them: the "what ifs." "What if she cries?" "What if he won't sit still?" In fact, they are so common, there's even a video about them.
The truth is: Kids are kids, and they all respond differently. Some even respond completely differently at home to the same activities they experience in class.
Some children are naturally hesitant and others are over-stimulated by a group environment. Some learn best by watching. Others need to jump right in and try it out from the start. Help your child find her best way to participate and feel free to adapt much of what we do in class or at home to suit your family's personal interests and learning styles.
What can you do? Support him. Perhaps she needs a brief moment in the hall to calm down. Maybe an extra hug or some gentle redirection will do the trick. And always set an example with your own active, enthusiastic participation. Joyful involvement and a spirit of being fully present with your child in the moment is not only contagious, it helps build a spirit of cooperation with even the most tantrum-prone toddler.

 

A. To the casual observer, it might indeed look like we are just playing and having fun. While the approach is necessarily playful, every aspect of the Kindermusik curriculum is built upon a solid musical and developmental foundation. While playing and singing, children are improving their rhythmic competency, developing a sense of steady beat, achieving the ability to match pitches, becoming acquainted with timbre, learning a repertoire of songs, experiencing many different instruments, increasing their ability to listen, and of course, gaining a love of music that will last throughout their life.

 

A.As children reach the age of 3 to 4, a world of possibilities in the community opens up to them. We can send our children to any number of wonderful activities, but they don't all involve the family. Being able to enjoy our families in a rich musical environment is priceless. These days’ children are being pushed out into the world at younger ages than ever and it's nice to have an activity where family involvement is celebrated. Many of the benefits of the other activities, such as promoting physical coordination and social skills, providing a structured routine, building self-esteem and developing talents and cognitive abilities, are all encompassed in a Kindermusik class. PLUS there is the added benefit of a development for a love of music that will last much past the time the dance shoes and karate gees are put away - in fact, as we say at Kindermusik, "A good beginning never ends." The opportunity to creatively express their individual imaginations through art, vocal, dance and instrument activities is unique to Kindermusik.

 

A. Not to worry! Although this is sometimes frustrating to parents because of our performance-oriented society, developmentally, pushing children to perform has no place in an Early Childhood program of any kind. We believe the parent is the child's most important teacher, and the home is the most important place for that learning to grow. When you think about it, success should be measured more by what a child does all the rest of the week than what he does in the 45 minutes at Kindermusik class. And remember that Kindermusik is about Process, not Performance. Every child can be successful in a Kindermusik class no matter what developmental level he is on.

 

A.Kindermusik firmly believes that children learn best when exposed to a group from which they can gain from a variety of perspectives, but where the overall group shares common developmental criteria. Each curriculum level is designed to best suit the stages and goals of the age range they address. The child at the bottom of the age bracket will be ready to flourish in the environment, and will be looking to the older children to provide them with a model of new ways to move, create, and explore concepts. The child in the upper end of the bracket benefits from the ability to fully involve themselves with the imaginative aspects of the lesson, the ability to take a leadership role in developing the ideas presented, and the chance to have true mastery before moving on to a new challenge. It is a true strength of the program that we are privileged to see many stages of concept development going on simultaneously, rather than requiring only one "acceptable" outcome. A well-matched grouping can understand the strategies need to play and create together at their level, have a natural spontaneity while still maintaining the structure of the activities, and is stimulated by the varied abilities and perspectives of its members. What can happen in such a group is enriching musically, socially, and developmentally.

 

A.During the first 3 years of life, children learn mostly through his/her own experiences. Every time an activity is repeated, it strengthens and branches out the neural pathways in the brain. So next time your child asks for "more" for the umpteenth time, gladly go along with her.

 

A. This is an indicator that your child is tired or perhaps not feeling well. Families need to evaluate these factors themselves; what I can suggest is that if it is near the end of a nap please allows time to gently arouse them (sing a familiar song, cuddle them, rock them and massage their hand or brow). Babies may be just as comfortable to be left in their car seats and brought down to the class. Many sleepy or tired Kindermusik children are slowly stimulated by our voices, singing, and activities that they soon awake to join in the fun.

 

A. Please practice a quiet time activity regularly at home (dim the lights to de-stress all, use quiet soothing music, lullabies or classical music without lyrics often is most successful). Some children worry that it may be nap or bed time. Assure them through words, gestures, and a routine that this is not the case ... the time is for relaxing, deep breathing, cuddle-time and not sleeping. If your child continues to be sad or disturb other families during their Quiet/Rocking time, please use the outside room as a place to recompose or chat about one's behavior.

 

A. It is not a matter of allowing or not allowing soothers/pacifiers. The best practice is to leave these in a pocket, bag upstairs, or in your vehicle until bed or naptime. Some children enjoy them during Quiet/Rocking Time and this would be an acceptable time to bring them out if necessary. Children are all different and each situation is dealt with on an individual basis. I do recommend that children use their singing voices in class and this is best done without a pacifier, of course.

 

A. It is important that we care for each other in my classes. Please clean shakers, for example, with a cleaning cloth if your child has mouthed it. Props such as scarves, ribbons, curlers, balls, or mirrors are washed on a regular basis. If they are soiled from class they will be washed in the laundry prior to another child's use in my classes. Other objects that cannot be placed in the laundry will be disinfected with hot water and soap in the sink, then rinsed well with hot water to sterilize the surfaces before the next use.

 

A. Yes! Babies are in a "receptive" mode of development, in preparation for movement towards a more expressive stage of development. When he stares at you with eyes wide open and smiles, while we can't know his thoughts for sure, during these moments of alert attention, he probably is thinking that he is enjoying the stimulation of the Kindermusik experience. During a musical rocking or bouncing activity, for example, he feels the pleasure of movement that is beneficial to him - helping him develop his sense of internal balance.
One of the goals in the Village class for young babies is to develop a supportive community of parents who encourage the children and each other. It is important that young children are comfortable with the teacher, the parents, and the other children so that they feel the security to try out their independence in a safe, supportive environment.