Your child will do many activities in the years to come that involve tempo. Did you know there is a tempo to running, swinging a golf club, a tennis racket, a baseball bat? There is a tempo in moving up and down the basketball court, the soccer field, the football field. There is tempo to speech, and of course, music.  Your child’s Kindermusik classroom experiences with tempo translate later into valuable skills that cross into every area of your child’s life – music, sports, dance, gymnastics, art, drama, and more!

Backed with reasons why your child ought to practice, let’s now turn our attention to four of the major “practice termites” that can eat away at the quality of your child’s practice time. Once you know what to look for, you as the parent can better protect your child’s scheduled practice time.

Practice Area

One of the best ways to protect your child’s practice time is to ensure your child has a quiet place to practice, supplied with everything he/she needs (i.e. reeds, valve oil, rosin, music stand etc). If your child’s practice area is located in a high traffic area of your house he/she may quickly become frustrated with his/her inability to focus on practicing.

Too Many Activities

Often, busy schedules and too many extra curricular activities can also eat away at your child’s available time for practice. While playing on the soccer team, taking art lessons or being apart of the scout troop are all good things, sometimes there comes a point where there are too many activities pulling at both you and your children. Perhaps a simple solution would be to choose only 1 or 2 extra activities rather than trying to juggle 3, 4, 5 or more at the same time.

Technology

Technology completely surrounds us, no matter where we go. While technology is good in its place and can be a useful tool in music education, it can also prove to be a major distraction for your child during practice. Whether it’s a phone call, text messages, video games or the TV, technology can quickly become a magnet pulling your child away from practice. Solution? Simply turn the TV off, make sure the cell phone is in a separate room and make sure practice is done before video games and TV is allowed!

Siblings

Siblings are great—but they can also be distracting! Having a sister or brother that is “helping” during practice, running through the house or entertaining a group of friends will not produce quality practice time for your child. What can you do? Schedule a practice time when your home is typically quiet, ask your older child to be respectful while his/her sibling is practicing and keep your younger children preoccupied to minimalize potential distractions.

Striving to ensure your child is able to practice in a supportive environment free from “practice termites” will go a long way to ensuring your child’s practice session is successful and productive. Next week we will focus in on some specific things that you as the parent can do to help your child progress in his/her musical studies!

All NFMC participants from Piano Central Studios will be recognized at our Spring recital.  In addition, students who earn three consecutive Superior ratings will be awarded a Gold Cup Trophy at the Spring recital.   Besides receiving special awards and recognition at the Piano Central Studios’ Spring recitals, students who participate in the NFMC Festival year after year can also earn additional awards through the NFMC.

Many thanks to our PCS teachers who work hard to prepare their students for this special event.  PCS students are often chosen as Room Winners or Alternates and frequently go on to represent District II at NFMC’s South Carolina State Convention.  Good luck, everyone!!

With this one annual specially designated week, we will be able to publicly and corporately give voice to that light in a child’s eye, that song in her heart, that little person just waiting to blossom – to acknowledge all those precious, miraculous moments we as Kindermusik educators are privileged to nurture and celebrate with our Kindermusik families each and every week.  Simply put, WE LOVE KINDERMUSIK WEEK is a small way we can raise up together to celebrate the wonder and magic that is uniquely Kindermusik.

And so, with much joyful delight and anticipation, Kindermusik International and the Partnership for Kindermusik Educators invite you to join us in celebrating WE LOVE KINDERMUSIK Week during Valentine’s week, the week of February 13 – 18, when Kindermusik educators and families around the world will join together to show – and tell! – how much we all love Kindermusik and what Kindermusik means to each of us!

As a little background, you might find it interesting to know that WE LOVE KINDERMUSIK Week, to be held annually in February of each year, was designed to:

• raise awareness and generate good will for the Kindermusik brand
• unite families and educators around a common cause
• give educators a way to show families how much we love Kindermusik and how much we love them!
• encourage families to share why they love Kindermusik
• highlight ways we can all do some good and spread the joy of Kindermusik
• remind all of us of the magic that is uniquely Kindermusik.

WE LOVE KINDERMUSIK week is truly intended to be a week of happy reminders of why we all love Kindermusik and most importantly, of all the special people – educators, families, and children – who come together every week to change the world through music…. one child and one song at a time.

As you rock from center to one side then the other, or even as you rock forward and backward, there is an experience of alternating between being on-balance and off-balance.  This gentle motion stimulates the vestibular system, helping children develop an improved sense of balance and coordination.  Rocking, especially active rocking, is also a good way to burn energy without having to race around the house!

Tips for parents:  Rocking can be a quiet and calming activity, or it can be a wonderful outlet for pent-up energy!  Depending on the need of the hour, choose the appropriate music and take some time together just to rock.

For your child, few things build her brain and open opportuniites for learning more than consistent repetition of healthy activities and experiences.  Every new activity in which she participates makes a new neural pathway in her brain.  Each time that experience is repeated, the neural pathway is strengthened. That’s why in Kindermusik class we deliberately repeat activities from week to week and give you the tools to repeat them at home, too.

Everyday connection: Practice makes perfect learning.  Listen to the music from class and do the activities together at home. Repeat. Listen to the music from class and do the activities together at home. Repeat. (Learning is that easy … and fun!)

At Kindermusik, we believe in the power of hello. So, each week, we begin class by singing: “Hello, hello let’s sing together!” Using your child’s name helps him make an emotional connection with the song and activity right from the start. It also encourages social interaction by inviting him to respond with his own greeting, such as a smile, wave, laugh, or even a little peek-a-boo. As an added bonus, it helps you learn the names of the other grown-ups in class, too!

Everyday connection: Say hello to your little friends. Try singing hello to the people, animals, and objects you see around your house. Sing to Nanna…clap to doggie…wave to the bathtub, wave hello. Your child will love it and you will be encouraging social interaction, emotional connections, and even vocabulary development!!

Classes will be held at our Pleasantburg Drive location on Thursdays, February 16 - March 15, 9:00 – 10:00 am

For more information or to register you call the office at 232-5010 or visit our website.

In this first article of our new series “Practice Demystified” we need to consider first of all why your child should practice. More frequently we hear of children asking their parents why they have to practice—so DO you know why your child should practice?

Musically

Practice is absolutely essential in order for your child to make progress in his or her musical studies. Just as no one can expect to be able to do a lay up without having spent time on the basketball court trying it over and over, so your child cannot magically play a musical instrument if he/she doesn’t practice!

Physically

Daily practice keeps all the muscles strengthened, toned and relaxed. Skipping days of practice allows the muscles weaken, leading to greater frustration and increased muscle tension for your child when he/she returns to practicing. If your child practices, he/she will be saved this added stress.

Character Building

One of the benefits of enrolling your child in music lessons is the discipline and dedication it can build. However, these character traits don’t just appear! Your child will learn discipline and dedication only if he/she is daily practicing, learning to put practice time before playtime (i.e. playing outside, video games, TV etc.).

Financially

Generally, when you spend money you expect to gain something in return. The same applies to music lessons—as you continue paying the monthly music lessons bill, you will want to see your child making steady progress! Such progress can only be made if you child practices.

Maintaining Interest

Your child needs to be able to see constant improvement. Otherwise, he/she will begin to lose interest in continuing with music lessons. If your child practices your child will remain motivated, interested and encouraged!

Future Perspective

How many times have you heard, or even said yourself, “I wish my parents had made me stay with it” or “I wish I could play?” Never have you heard someone say, “I wish I had quit” or “I wish I didn’t know how to play.” Your child will be saved from later regret in life if he/she continues to practice!

Perhaps I’m sounding like a broken record by continually restating “if your child practices”, but I cannot emphasize enough how directly your child’s musical development correlates to practicing. In next week’s article we will take a look at some obvious and maybe not-so-obvious distractions that can hurt the effectiveness of your child’s practice time.

Kindermusik VILLAGE (0 to 1.5 yrs)

Cock-A-Doodle-MOO! explores a farm theme through music, motion and multi-sensory activities.  Your chidl will enjoy the movement of “a hayride,” the vocal play and discovery using farm animal sounds (cock-a-doodle-OINK!), and lots of singing activities ranging from classic favorites like Old MacDonald and You Are My Sunshine to a Swedish rhythm song and a beautiful Armenian lullaby.

DewDrops takes you and your child into the middle of a flower garden, seeing the dew drops glisten in the morning sun and feeling the cool breeze blow.  Varying styles of music are represented from the lively Celtic dance of the Belfast Hornpipe to the gentle, soothing melody of Scarborough Fair.  Whether hammocking, dancing a jig, exploring a drum, singing a lullaby or using a mirror in vocal play activities, you can celebrate the joys of music and your special relationship.

At Home Materials for each unit include:

• Home CD
• Literature Book
• Featured instrument
• Art Banners
• Free Diaper Bag for first-time enrollees

Kindermusik OUR TIME (ages 1.5 to 3 years)

Toddlers love to GO. Going is their gift, their license to venture out into the world and their means of retreating to the security of Dad or Mom. With toddlers’ desire to go comes an attraction to other things that go – people, animals, pull toys, tricycles, cars, planes, and more. Away We Go! focuses on things that go. Together you’ll journey through fun and exciting musical activities relating to trains, cars, buses, horses, wagons, airplanes and boats.

At Home Materials include:

• Two Music and Movement Books
• Home Activity Book
• Two Home CDs
• Shiny Dinah Carry Box
• Featured instrument: pair of harmonicas

Kindermusik IMAGINE THAT! (ages 3 to 5 yrs)

With the help of the Toy Maker, Toys I Make, Trips I Take will lead your child on a magical musical journey into a remarkable Toy Shop filled with boats, trains, balls, jack-in-the-box and many other toys. And while activities within Toys I Make, Trips I Take are centered on a child’s pretend play and imagination, Imagine That! firmly integrates the learning process by placing a strong musical emphasis on singing, steady beat and ensemble, as well as rhythm and rhythmic patterns.

At Home Materials include:

• Toy Shop Play Set
• Two Literature Books
• Two Home CDs
• Kindermusik Hand Drum
• Imagine That! Backpack (free to all first-time IT enrollees!)

Kindermusik® for the Young Child SEMESTER 2 and SEMESTER 4 (ages 5 to 7 yrs)

Building on the concepts introduced in Semester 1, Semester 2 in Kindermusik for the Young Child will excite the young mind as it focuses on concepts such as piano/forte, crescendo/decrescendo, and legato/staccato.  Explore string and woodwind instruments, notation, and even a bit of Beethoven.  Apply new knowledge of aural skills, and read and write music notation while further developing glockenspiel skills.  Lesson highlights include “Peter and the Wolf,” “The Orchestra,” and “Sing and Celebrate!”

Semester 4 is the final semester of this exceptional program.  Together we will explore the sounds of wind with the introduction of the recorder!  As this terrific curriculum winds down, students learn about verse and refrains, solos and chorus, and musical form (ABA and rondo).  Review notation, rhythms, treble clef, and the scale.  Highlights include “Meet the Recorder” and “World Music Celebration”.

At Home Materials include:

• Folder, Activity Pages and Stickers
• Weekly Music at Home cards
• Games Bag and Manipulatives
• Family Songbook and Home CD
• FREE Glockenspiel Box (Semester 2)
• Recorder (Semester 4)