Hello, hello! Let’s sing together, Hello, hello! Let’s sing hello. So starts a Kindermusik Village class, where children from birth to 18 months spend time with a caregiver singing, dancing, playing, relaxing, learning and developing. Children 18 months to 3 years old have
a similar experience in Our Time classes.
“It’s very intentional, all of it, even if it looks like we’re playing,” says Katie Stephens, youth and programs coordinator at the Club and licensed Kindermusik instructor. Katie has been teaching Kindermusik at the Club for almost five years. Whether the children are dancing with scarves, singing traditional kids’ songs or rocking with mom or dad, “there is always a reason—and multiple reasons” for their activities, Katie says. She explains Kindermusik is “music as a tool to aid (children’s) development. They might be learning and developing and not even realize it. We’re not singing our ABCs or anything like that, but there are different musical concepts that are built in.”
Kindermusik classes run year-round at the Club, with
15-week school-year sessions and six-week summertime sessions. There are also four week-long summer camps. Each session has a theme, such as “Milk and Cookies” or “Away
We Go” and each class within the session has a focus. The focus is not a goal to be accomplished by the end of class; instead, it’s something to think about when doing activities. For example, a common focus is up and down. During that class’s activities, parents and their children might move instruments, scarves, their bodies or their voices up and down. The same rings true for other class focuses such as fast and slow or smooth and bumpy.
Elizabeth Totten practices the day’s concept while dancing with streamers.
Different age groups do different activities in Kindermusik, but each class has a lot of singing and movement, plus exploration time and quiet time. While every class in a semester might only have a handful of songs, the classes are far from repetitive. “I can teach the same exact curriculum three times in a row and get three totally different experiences out of it,” says Katie. “The kids shape what happens in class, not just the activity.”
aul and Clara Chae, like many
Kindermusik participants, are
full of smiles during class.
The activities each have a specific purpose, and what the children are learning are outlined in things Kindermusik calls Foundations of Learning, or FOLs. These are touched on during class, and are also explained in materials given to each family that participates. FOLs are placed into one of five categories of development—physical, language, cognitive, social or emotional—each of which is stimulated by music. Cindy Moss says Kindermusik is a large reason her family joined the Club. She has now been attending class with her 2-year-old daughter, Josie, for a year and a half. “It’s a different way for her to learn,” says Cindy. Besides picking up everything taught in class, Cindy says now Josie is very social—“to the point where sometimes she kind of steals the show.” Josie also met her best friend in the Club’s Kindermusik classes, and Cindy is now close with her friend’s mom. Julee Bennett has seen similar changes in her daughter, Brooke, age 2. Because Brooke gets so much interaction with other children during Kindermusik classes, she interacts more comfortably with neighbors when she goes on play dates. “I think socially it’s really good for her,” says Julee.
Even if parents don’t see changes in their children in class, things can emerge later. “You get the child that will just sit there and absorb during the class and I think they’re not liking it, or they’re not comfortable,” says Katie. “Then I find out from the parent they do everything at home.” Katie says she also thinks sometimes activities aren’t going to work, but they always do—“Even if it’s not that week, it’ll work the next week.”
The benefits of Kindermusik extend beyond what children learn. With families so busy, Katie says, “I think parents appreciate the opportunity to have a set time out of their week just for their kids.” The children also look forward to Kindermusik. “The kids come walking in the door and look for Miss Katie and Kindermusik whether it’s Kindermusik day or not,” says Katie. “They value the time together.” Julee and her daughter, Brooke, were unable to attend together during the end of Julee’s recent pregnancy. Now that she is able to take her daughter again, Julee says, “It’s really great because it’s our time together, and we can go to the little café (Luna Express) afterward.” Julee says she will also start Kindermusik with Brooke’s two new twin siblings as soon as she is able.
Vincent and Suzanne Scalzo play the bells during a Kindermusik Village class. Parents and children will often play bells, shakers or other instruments along with music that matches the theme of the Kindermusik session
Cindy also looks forward to class with Josie each week, and enjoys taking what they’ve learned home. She says her husband picks up much of the music from Kindermusik classes and will also sing with Josie. “It’s the continuation of class for a week,” Cindy says. Each session, families receive take-home materials, including a music CD with the music from class and an age-appropriate book. Older children also receive an instrument. These materials allow the family to sing and play together between classes.
Jennifer and Lucy Lomas (l-r) see how many ways they can play with scarves.
Katie says even tiny babies benefit from everything, including books. Although the youngest children are not reading or understanding the books, even doing something as simple as playing peekaboo with a book helps. “Later, when you need them to read a book, it won’t be so intimidating,” Katie says. While some parents might be worried about being asked to sing and dance around during classes, Cindy says that doesn’t become a problem. “The class is fun enough that you don’t care what you sound like, what you look like. Everybody is doing the same thing, so you just gotta go with it.” Besides, she adds, your child doesn’t care what you sound like. “I really do love the program,” says Julee. “I think it’s neat to watch her (Brooke) develop. Each week she does something new.” Cindy insists even if parents aren’t sure if Kindermusik will work for their family, it should be tried at least once. “Your child is going to eat it up.” Classes at the Club are often full, with a maximum of 10 kids. Kindermusik classes need at least five families signed up. In addition to Village and Our Time classes, there is also a Family
Time Kindermusik class, where multiple siblings enjoy time together as a family. Classes run year-round, and the next session of Kindermusik starts Jan. 29.
MORE THAN 28 YEARS OF MUSIC Kindermusik started in West Germany in the 1960s when a group of music educators created “Musikalische Fruherziehung,” or music for the young child. The program was taught in community music schools as a way for kids to experience learning music before starting formal musical instruction. In the 1970s, the program proved so popular that it was translated and adapted for the United States and renamed Kindermusik. Since then, the company has revised its programs for a culturally diverse audience and set up headquarters in Greensboro, N.C. The company is now called Kindermusik International, Inc.
Kindermusik classes can be found in 36 countries, and according to Kindermusik International, the program has reached more than 1 million children and parents. Kindermusik Instructor Katie Stephens believes the program is so popular because of the research that goes into everything Kindermusik does. “They’re all over the country talking to experts all the time,” she says.
Mazie and Molly Park (l-r) share a hug during down time. Each class includes time to slow down and teach children relaxation.
KINDERMUSIK PHILOSOPHY Kindermusik is the community of families and teachers passionately committed to bringing music to children’s lives through developmentally appropriate curricula,
CDs, books, instruments and activities for our classes
and for family time at home. Kindermusik’s philosophy is founded upon rigorous research and our fundamental beliefs:
Every parent is the child’s most important teacher.
Every child is musical.
The home is the most important learning environment.
Music nurtures a child’s cognitive, emotional, social, language and physical development.
Every child should experience the joy, fun
and learning which music brings to life.
