Along this vein, My husband would also request I pick a great jazz album for your children. This album begins with Ella Fitzgerald and ends with Louis Armstrong. You cannot go wrong with those two.

Keep it simple. Children cannot discriminate through a lot of different sounds. A lot of loud, synthesized, music is very difficult for young children to process. I just discovered Justin Roberts, and, so far, he gets a thumbs up!
But, don’t be afraid to pass on your own musical heritage! If you love U2, Taylor Swift or Tim McGraw, your children will associate that with you, and hearing that music later will connect them to you. Just, no Miley for a while, ok?
The most important thing, though, is for your children to see you enjoying music. So relax! Enjoy some tunes together!

This is on purpose. Babies learn through repetition! When an adult hears something new, it is generally pretty easy for us to figure out what is going on. We take cues from our past or our environment and interpret what is around us.

Babies don’t have that context for new activities, though! It may take them 3 repetitions of a song before they even realize something new is going on. Then it may take another 3 before they decide if it is fun or not. THEN, once they decide it is pretty fun, it takes another 3 or 4 times before they can recognize the pattern and anticipate what is coming. It’s so fun to watch, but it takes a lot of patience!

As we repeat activities ad nauseum throughout our class and week to week, don’t worry! Realize you are on “baby time”, slow down and enjoy this unique time before they switch focus every 15 seconds.

You can also really help your child this week at home by repeating your favorite class activities. Try singing “Pop! Goes the Weasel” or “Diddle Diddle Dumpling” after every diaper change and watch how your child grows to anticipate that time!

Cheers!

Elizabeth

Megan has taught private music lessons and group drama classes at Bowman Music and Creative Outlet since 2009, and loved serving as middle school youth director at Hebron Lutheran Church from 2010-2014. Megan married her hunky husband Matthew Moss in September 2014 and they are having a blast being married and building their life! Megan loves teaching Musikgarten classes because it is a joy to partner with parents in helping their children discover their inherent musicality and build life-long memories.

Megan teaches a variety of classes throughout the week, but mainly focuses on toddlers and preschoolers.

Imagine this: the first 3 years of your child’s life, you take your child to music class once a week. You focus your attention completely on her during this time. The phone, computer, TV, chores and cooking is all put aside for this precious half hour. During class you dance to great classical music, rock to soothing lullabies, jump enthusiastically like rabbits and cuddle while doing intimate finger plays.

When your child is 30, she will not remember music class. Sad, but true. The feelings she associates with class, however will persist. She may hear, “A Little Night Music” and smile without knowing why. The connection between loving mom and music will become blurred as she gets older, so a natural love for classical, traditional music will develop. Safe, warm feelings will be identified with music which will be identified with mom and family. It’s a beautiful thing!

It’s never too early to start! Register today!

A preschooler’s imagination has taken off, and they are innately attuned to the world around them. Our preschool curriculum, “Cycle of Seasons” nurtures that developing creativity and independence. As its name suggests, the program cycles through the seasons of the year with songs and activities that explore dandelions, clouds, trees, birds, bugs, fish and so much more!

In the preschool curriculum, we allow children the opportunity to express their creativity through story-telling, musical stories they tell with their bodies, and by allowing them to help guide the class activities. Children experience more freedom from mom and begin to play very simple ensemble pieces.

One of the foundational parts of the “Cycle of Seasons” curriculum is the focused listening time. Children learn to listen to the subtle differences of sounds from nature, preparing their ears for further musical study. They also begin giving names to the different melodic and rhythm patterns we have been practicing since they were babies!

Jim and Julie have been married for 15 years and have three girls:  Kaitlyn (10), Erin (4) and Audrey (2). They moved to Kentucky in 2010 just before Erin was born. Both Jim and Julie have worked in technology, though Julie now stays home with the girls. She grew up taking music lessons and she and Jim wanted to give their girls the opportunity to learn through music as well.

The Southwick family decided to try a Musikgarten class because they were looking for a class that would expose Erin and Audrey to music in a fun and positive environment.  Musikgarten has exceeded their expectations in many ways!  Each week has enough repetition to be familiar to the kids, yet there is plenty of new material to keep things interesting. Even when one of the girls isn’t in the mood to listen, Miss Elizabeth stays positive and tries to include her in the group.

Taking music classes has had a positive impact on their children -Julie said, “the girls have always looked forward to music class day! Participation is encouraged, but not pushed. I have noticed the girls’ participation increase every semester! They sing the songs in the car long after the semester is over and love to put on shows with the instruments we have acquired. I believe Muskgarten has instilled a love for music that will last a lifetime!”

What would you say to another family considering trying a class? “We have referred several friends to this program and not one has been disappointed! Try it! You will love the program!” (Julie and Jim Southwick)

Children listen and participate differently than adults. Children running around the room or hiding in a parent’s lap are still acutely aware of what is going on around them. Many parents are surprised to see the child who appears to be in their own little world during class go home and repeat music class activities with a circle of stuffed animals! So don’t worry! And please don’t feel like your two-year-old has to “sit down and listen” in order to benefit from our classes.

In fact, our music classes will help your “wild child” learn about the structure of a class, routines, sharing, taking turns and many other skills. Future kindergarten teachers will thank you. You will be so surprised one day when your shy child steps out of her shell to play a pattern on the drum or offer up a movement suggestion for the first time. Children love our classes because we meet them where they are and help them grow in a no-pressure, fun atmosphere. It may take a few weeks, but your child will settle in and have a blast!

Musikgarten has a nine year plan for your child. When children start our toddler class, at around 18 months, most have a few words, very little impulse control, and LOVE to wander around and explore our room. By the time children finish the two years of toddler classes, music is just another part of their language. They sing, dance and chant very naturally. They are used to the routine of class and are well prepared for preschool. Most importantly, their ears and brains have been trained to think musically. This will affect the way they respond to music for the rest of their lives.

We have four unique semesters of toddler curriculum which help your child develop their musical voice at the exact same time their speaking voice is developing. Over these two years, children develop their sense of inner rhythm and beat at the same time their bodies are learning to move in coordinated ways. They learn to sing at the same time they learn to speak. In short, they are learning musical skills at the exact time in their development when they come the most naturally.

Once children have musical skills, they never lose them!

Don’t wait! Now is the perfect time to start your child in music!

What types of connections are you helping your child make in those first three years? Much of the way children will relate to the world as adults is formed in this critical time. Being surrounded by love and security now will help them feel loved and secure their entire lives. Surrounding them with music now will help them develop musical skills they will keep for life!  Elizabeth