Kindermusik with Miss Peggy

Summer is Here! Time for A Break!!

2014-05-25T16:59:00.003-04:00

What a great year of singing, dancing and moving we have had together! But all good teachers need a break to get refreshed, renewed and re-energized for the Fall Season! I will miss you all. Check here for new updates!
Musically yours,
Miss Peggy

Did you know that music makes parenting easier?

2013-10-21T23:29:00.000-04:00

Come and learn something new! With Kindermusik we give you all the tools you need to continue the learning at home. Make music a part of your everyday experience.

Looking forward to sharing music with you!
Miss Peggy

2013-10-07T05:20:00.000-04:00

Before Facebook, making friends and maintaining relationships involved more than clicking yes to a “Friend Request” and commenting on the occasional status update. (Well, technically it still does.) To be a good friend, regardless of age, we need to share, use our “kind and polite words,” take turns, show empathy, listen, practice conflict resolution—essentially put into practice all those skills that make a good friend (or co-worker, neighbor, spouse, etc).

At Kindermusik, we know the first five years of a child’s life present unique and lasting moments for laying the groundwork for healthy social development. Each week in Kindermusik, we provide many opportunities for your child to practice cooperation, turn taking, active listening, paying attention, and other key social development skills that will help your child grow to be a socially confident and adept person. So while you see your child taking turns with a favorite instrument or rolling the ball back and forth with a friend, we see a child practicing social skills that will prepare your child for school—and life—success.

Everyday Connection: Friendly Gesture. Children love getting mail. With your child, pick a neighbor with a little one close in age to yours and become pen pals. Draw a picture. Leave a piece of candy or a special rock. Your child will enjoy leaving (and receiving) little reminders of friendship.

Musically yours,

Miss Peggy

2013-09-15T20:13:00.002-04:00

Seven unique learning experiences found in Kindermusik’s newest class—Sing & Play—for babies and toddlers. Check it out! Classes at Muzart Studios in Hollywood on Wednesdays.

Wiggle & Grow -- KINDERMUSIK FOR TODDLERS -- Now in Fort Lauderdale and Hollywood!

2013-09-01T20:36:00.001-04:00

For 2 and 3 year olds
This music-filled class celebrates the unique joys of your growing child. Each week your child will love singing, dancing, and playing instruments with you and her new friends and you’ll love helping her practice a wide variety of abilities such as gross and fine motor skills, turn-taking, social skills, and active listening. In class, we’ll also share tips and ideas for using music throughout the week. Plus, the fun (and learning!) continue with the Kindermusik@Home digital home materials, including music from class, musical activities, and each month’s story.

Class Time and Location:

Mondays at 11 am at Funderdome

Wednesdays at 10:45 at at Muzart Studios

Looking forward to sharing music with you!

Miss Peggy

New Kindermusik classes for babies & young toddlers start this month!

2013-09-01T18:01:00.001-04:00

Now offering two new Kindermusik classes for babies & young toddlers!

And they’re off! Babies, wobblers, and young toddlers grow and learn at an amazing pace. Seemingly one minute your child needs to be swaddled up snuggly and the next minute your little one wobbles (or runs!) around the room. Our two brand-new Kindermusik classes—Cuddle & Bounce and Sing & Play—use music and movement to nurture and guide all the learning that takes place during these years.

Cuddle & Bounce (for newborns to 12 months)

This class celebrates your first year together. With age-appropriate activities for newborns, infants and crawlers, this parent-child music and movement class will help you strengthen those early parent-child bonds, understand your baby’s development, and enhance communication with your little one.

In class, you and your baby will enjoy instrument play, dancing, exploration time, and together time in a loving and safe environment. Plus, as a licensed Kindermusik educator, I’ll share expert tips and parenting resources based on the most recent research in baby development. In addition, you can connect with other families experiencing all the joys (and challenges!) of this first year.

Sing & Play (for 12 months to 24 months)

This class focuses on your child's beginning movement, helping to build the muscles your child needs to walk, and vocal development, helping to nurture your child’s speaking and singing voice. Your child will love singing, playing, and moving with you (and new friends!) in this high-energy music class.

In class, you and your child will engage in a mix of parent-child joint activities and child-focused activities. From instrument exploration and play to dancing and singing to learning musical concepts like steady beat and tempo, you will enjoy interacting together and connecting with the other families in a loving safe environment. Plus, as a licensed Kindermusik educator, I’ll share the developmental benefits behind the activities so you can continue the learning (and fun!) throughout the week.

Enrollment in Kindermusik classes include:

A weekly class and access to Kindermusik@Home, online parenting resources where you can access your music and stories from class, developmental information, and specific ideas on how to incorporate music and movement activities into your family’s daily routines and rituals—and help make parenting just a little bit easier.

Come “Cuddle & Bounce” or “Sing & Play” with your child in one of Kindermusik’s newest classes. Contact me to reserve your spot today!

Learning through Music

2012-09-17T16:06:00.001-04:00

Listening vs. Hearing
Listening skills provide the foundation for all aspects of language and reading development. In Kindermusik, we help your child develop active listening skills that she needs for later school success. When your child starts elementary school, she will spend an estimated 50 to 75 percent of classroom time listening to the teacher, to other students, or to media. In Kindermusik, we help your child develop her listening skills. That's why along with singing, dancing, and instrument exploration, children gather around to listen to the sounds of the bath, an elephant, cat, or other specially chosen sounds. She is learning to understand and make meaning out of the sound. In other words, she is learning how to be an active listener. (That doesn't mean her "listening ears" won't fall off when you ask her to pick up her toys!)

Everyday connection:
Go for a Sound Walk. Ask your child what he hears. Does he hear the geese flying overhead? What about the leaves crunching beneath his feet? Is that an ambulance or a baby crying? Point out sounds you hear and see if he can hear them, too.

Enjoy everyday music!

Miss Peggy

Classes Start August 28th for Fall Session

2012-08-27T22:12:00.001-04:00

Our Kindermusik Curriculum

Three specific programs based on research:

providing the right experiences to introduce and teach music to young children at each stage of development
using music to help develop all aspects of the whole child.

Infants up to 20 months Tuesdays at 10:30 am

Village is for lap babies, crawlers, and walkers. It incorporates the most current research on early childhood development and provides families a special place for learning and connecting with other parents and babies through music and movement.

Toddlers and Preschoolers Tuesdays at 9:30 am

Each week in class we combine your child's natural love of music, storytelling, and imaginative play with age-appropriate activities that introduce early music concepts and foster independence, social and emotional skills, language growth, and self-control. We also connect you with other parents who share in the wonder of parenting a preschooler.

Children of all ages Tuesdays at 4:15 pm

Family Time brings adults and children of all ages together, providing a dynamic and integrated musical learning experience for everyone.

Classes Begin August 28th!

I look forward to sharing music with you!

Miss Peggy

Free Demonstration Class On August 21

2012-08-12T03:14:00.000-04:00

Greetings!

Looking for a way to share music with your child that involves something more than just popping a CD? Kindermusik is a great music and movement program that encourages 1-on-1 time in the classroom and brings the musical experience home!

Mission

Kindermusik is an age-appropriate music and movement program for infants, toddlers, preschoolers, and big kids.

Our research-based, research-proven approach will help your child develop early literacy, math, social-emotional skills, as well as music appreciation and laughter appreciation!

Description

Listen and move. Play and grow. This is Kindermusik, the most trusted music and movement program for infants, toddlers, preschoolers, and young children.

Kindermusik® is about kids, parents, and teachers—coming together and having a great time! It’s about helping you grow closer to your child. Enriching her environment and her development. Giving him a lifelong love of music and a foundation for learning.

Come visit a Kindermusik Class! Free Demonstration on August 21 at ArtServe, 1350 E. Sunrise Blvd. Call or email TODAY to reserve your spot.

I look forward to sharing music with you and your child!

Miss Peggy

Why we engage in pretend play...

2012-05-08T00:57:00.003-04:00

Did you ever have the Jennifer Anniston, Halle Berry, or "insert name of famous person"haircut? Pink hair anyone? While a haircut doesn't magically transport you into another person's life, it can be fun to imitate someone else's look.

Imitation starts young. For your child, imitation is the first stage of pretend play and begins as an infant when she mimics your facial expressions. As imitation evolves, it becomes more imaginative. A child uses pretend play to re-examine life experiences by adding or changing what actually happened. In Kindermusik, we encourage imitation and imagination by rolling like pigs or flying like birds or going on an adventure walk. Along the way, your child develops vocabulary and social skills, learns the difference between reality and fantasy, and even experiences emotional support from you as you pretend along with him. So, let's sing, dance and play together!

Everyday connection: Make it a laundry day! An empty laundry basket can transport you anywhere. Is it a car? A train? A pirate ship? A princess carriage? Hop in and let your child lead the way.

Enjoy your day!

Miss Peggy

Free Music Concerts!

2012-03-19T21:25:00.000-04:00

For the Classical enthusiast: Ars Flores presents Music For Munchkins where donuts and culture come together! Free to the public, the next concert is Saturday, March 24 at 11 am at the Miniaci Performing Arts Center at Nova Southeastern University in Davie. More Info.

For the Jazz enthusiast: Come listed to the sounds of budding Jazz musicians with the Gold Coast Jazz Society. Free to the public the next jam session is Friday, April 6 at 7:30 pm at ArtServe, 1350 E. Sunrise Blvd in Fort Lauderdale at 7:30 pm. More Info

In search of... ACTIVE LISTENERS!

2012-01-16T21:38:00.003-05:00

By exploring with sound, babies and toddlers practice their visual thinking skills or spatial-reasoning skills. Good visual thinking skills are essential for a child to later excel in math, science, and geography. We spend time in Kindermusik doing this together by playing different instruments and experimenting with lots of sounds, such as the different bird calls we "sing" together. In fact, children participating in Kindermusik tripled spatial-reasoning skills during a recent research project.

Everyday connection:
Be a Sound Explorer with your child. How many different sounds can a bath book, spoon, and Kindermusik Chime Ball make? Does a sippy cup with milk make the same sound as a sippy cup filled with cereal? What items on your changing table make sounds that can entertain your baby during a diaper change?

Want to learn more?

Come check out a Kindermusik class! The first one is FREE!

Enjoy!

Miss Peggy

New Year! New Music! New Session!

2011-12-30T02:23:00.002-05:00

It's time for music! Classes begin Wednesday January 4 in Davie and Tuesday January 10 in Fort Lauderdale. For more information or to sign up for a free trial class -- click the treble clef (in the purple circle) to your right.

I look forward to sharing music with you!

Miss Peggy

Multi-sensory learning

2011-11-01T23:56:00.002-04:00

Babies need learning experiences that stimulate all their senses. In Kindermusik we have found the perfect way to do just that! The "On the Farm" activity is a wonderful example of tapping to multi-sensory learning -- listening to the music and animal sounds, making the animal sounds and moving like animals to the music. Research shows that participating in an activity, such as "On the Farm" activates several senses at the same time, making a number of neural brain connections at once. Multi-sensory learning makes the most lasting impression and with repetition the brain connections are strengthened.

So while you are singing "Old MacDonald Had a Farm" feel free to move like a duck and quack like a duck too!

Here's another idea! Liven up diaper time by making an animal sound and then waiting for your little one to imitate you. This back and forth barnyard talk could be the extra ingredient needed to divert an upset or cranky child who doesn't want to be changed!

Enjoy!

Miss Peggy

Top Ten Reasons to Enroll in Kindermusik

2011-10-24T00:14:00.001-04:00

10. You want to nurture your child's love for music...

9. You want more than just a class, you want an experience that you can continue at home...

8. You want a well-rounded experience that develops the whole child; physical, musical, language, social and cognitive...

7. You want a teacher who loves sharing music with you...

6. You want a great value for your money...

5. You want to meet other parents and children who love music like you do...

4. You want one-on-one time with your child...

3. You want class where your child matters, not a kid-factory...

2. You want original music and songs, not just the same old twinkle twinkle...

1. YOU WANT TO HAVE FUN!

One-day classes available now. Click on the purple circle to enroll today!

Music and Math Play Well Together

2011-10-18T23:23:00.002-04:00

There is no longer any doubt that there is a significant link between early music instruction and cognitive growth in certain other nonmusical abilities, such as math, memory, and spatial-temporal reasoning.

In fact, studies focused specifically on music for young children even suggest that these cognitive gains increase according to the number of years that students engage in active music learning, and even that the younger children are when they begin, the greater the gains will be!

"Early experiences with music that are successful and fun prepare children to be successful in other areas of learning -- particularly math." For a free e-book: The Impact of Music on Mathematics Achievement by Deanne Kells, M.A. click here.

Now who says math can't be fun?!?

Have a Musical Day!

Miss Peggy

It's Free Class time! Aug 31, Sept 1 and Sept 6

2011-08-25T00:31:00.002-04:00

The new semester is about to begin! Come check out a Kindermusik class for FREE. Classes are being held at the David Posnack JCC on Wednesday, August 31 and Thursday, September 1. Free classes are also being Held at ArtServe on Tuesday September 6. If you want more information about the classes click on the purple circle to the right to FIND A CLASS and sign up for your free preview. Classes are limited to 12 students so sign up today!

Miss Peggy

Why Music Classes in Early Childhood?

2011-08-19T00:00:00.005-04:00

Compelling Reasons for Early Childhood Music Classes.

If you think that music and movement classes for little children are just fluff, an article written by Autumn L. Zander in the Aug-Sep 2010 issue ofAmerican Music Teacher will make you think again. According to Ms. Zander, early childhood music classes (like Kindermusik!) will:

1. Expose children to basic music fundamentals that will help them be successful when pursuing private lessons later.

2. Introduce social skills.

3. Ease children into a nurturing learning environment.

4. Promote peer interaction in a setting in which theyshare, listen to others, and support their friends.

5. Help children discover that different learning styles abound.

6. Make music - and music lessons - a routine priority in their schedule, now and in the future.

Ms. Zander stresses, "Caregivers play an enormous role in the support and commitment needed for children to succeed in private lessons. The musical foundation that teachers strive to introduce and create is nearly impossible to accomplish without the caregiver's support. From the first day of classes, the joy of creating music in a classroom, as many of my own families share with me, continues on the car ride home, in line at the grocery store, at the park, before bed time ... everywhere. What a wonderful foundation to build upon-one in which music is a vibrant and active part of a family's daily life."

Please read Ms. Zander's insightful article in its entirety:

Creating a musical foundation: the value of early childhood music class in the transition to private lessons. The article, in a most excellent way, takes apart and defines the first reason listed above, all the ways that these classes contribute to a child absorbing basic music fundamentals.

Come to a class and watch how these things happen!

Miss Peggy

I'm movin' on up... to the EAST SIDE!!

2011-08-05T23:11:00.002-04:00

Greetings Friends!!

Well I'm happy to announce that I have finally done it! I've opened a Kindermusik studio on the EAST SIDE of town. Starting in the FALL I will be in ARTSERVE, an artist facility located 1 mile east of I-95 on Sunrise Blvd. Classes will be on Tuesdays. To learn more, call me or click on the purple circle on your right!

Have a Musical Day!

Miss Peggy

The Importance of Sensory Play

2011-07-25T23:03:00.002-04:00

Splish, splish, splash! Did you take a moment today to make bath time giggly, musical and fun? For you and your baby, water play is a great sensory experience -- mixing play time, water, a rhyme, baby and you!

And although we call it play, your baby's mind calls it thinking, experimenting, figuring it out, exploring and problem solving. Play that taps into many of your baby's senses, is fundamental in helping your baby learn, prompting actions or responses, and interacting with others.

This week include some sensory play time. Take a look around your house for a common household item that would be engaging, fun, safe and employ many of your baby's senses. You don't have to limit yourself to the bathtub! Some ideas: empty boxes, pots and pans, or just plain paper can provide sensory play opportunities.

Until our next Kindermusik day,

Miss Peggy

Music means quiet time too!

2011-07-20T23:22:00.002-04:00

Ahhh... quiet time -- listening to calming music, relaxing, snuggling, and getting still -- is what we focus on. Each week, we plan on a quiet time activity -- for parents as well as for the little ones.

It may look like we are "doing nothing," but quiet time allows your baby to learn how to calm down, take in new information, and process new experiences in a more relaxed state of mind. Learning how to relax helps soothe daily stress and frustration, becoming a necessary skill that will last into adulthood.

This week, plan to tuck in a few quiet times during each day. Take a deep breath, turn on some quiet music and let yourself "be" with your baby. As a side note, many babies associate quiet time with sleepy time. Since relaxation is actually a learned behavior it may take several days to establish your new quiet time routine.

Here's to Quiet Time,

Miss Peggy

How to dance with a squirmy child

2011-06-06T19:42:00.003-04:00

So your newborn is not so new anymore. And you're thinking I would LOVE to put her in a music class but she wont sit still! The crazy days of an infant child have just been converted to the crazy days of an early toddler. You long for the days when you could hold her in your arms and dance to your own rhythm.

Just as our babies are starting to crawl, it's getting even harder to get them to be still and "rock" with Mommy! And a slow song just won't do!! Not to worry, as the purpose of dancing to lullabies is to faciliate tender bonding moments and relaxation time. Older babies who do not like to feel restrained can stand behind their adult and rock on their back! Adult/child pairs can face one another and push and pull like a row boat (either standing or sitting) or both may stand and rock like a pendulum (either back and forth or side-to-side). Or you can even model the behavior with a stuffed animal and let her copy you!

Try it and tell me how your child reacts!

Rock on...

Miss Peggy

New Family Time Class

2011-05-22T23:23:00.002-04:00

Do you have more than one child? Are you looking for a way to share music with everyone? Kindermuisk now adds Family Time to its list of class options!

Family Time brings parents and children together of all ages -- giving you a dynamic and energetic experience for the whole family. Each class allows you the opportunity to sing, move, read stories, play instruments, learn musical concepts and receive expert advice in a fun and engaging way, all based in music! In this class, every child is cherished and the family's together time is celebrated!

Click here to learn more!

Family Time classes will be held on Thursdays at 1 pm at my JCC location starting on June 16, 2011. Call or email me to reserve your spot in this new class! Class size is limited to 7 families.

Summer is almost here!

2011-05-18T00:59:00.002-04:00

It's time to start thinking about enriching activities to make your child's summer special. Why don't you try a Kindermusik class? A free trial is available June 9 at the David Posnack JCC. Call or email me to learn more!

Routines

2011-03-29T00:19:00.001-04:00

In your first Kindermusik lesson through your last, you and your baby are introduced to several activities that will quickly become your favorite routines. Weekly class routines, such as the ones listed below help regulate your baby's inner clock and help your baby cope with change more easily. This, in turn, allows your child to develop a sense of identity within our new community.

Gathering Time -- Let's get to know each other before class begins!

Hello Song -- What better way to start off class than by singing hello to your baby and everyone else's!

Baby warm- up and exercise -- A great way to develop a life skill -- warm up those little muscles before becoming physically active.

Goodbye Song -- The perfect way to end the day and say good bye to our friends.

Adding music and movement to any of your baby's routines at home can make life more enjoyable for everyone. Choose a couple of your favorite songs and claim them as your routine songs -- one your early morning, one for diaper time, one for calming down -- no matter what time of day (or night). Stay with the song and routine combo and soon your baby will start to make the song and routine association, triggering a specific response.

Want to learn more? Contact me to join us for a free class! Or click on the treble clef to find a class near you!

Miss Peggy