Building the musical foundation of a lifetime

Fostering a love of music

Kindermusik for the Young Child is the final part of the multi-stage Kindermusik curriculum. Since each age and stage provides unique learning opportunities, enrollment in Kindermusik for the Young Child does not require prior Kindermusik Experience.

In a Kindermusik for the Young Child class students explore many facets of the musical experience through speaking and singing, moving, listening, creating and playing percussion instruments, and learning about writing and reading music.

The objective of Kindermusik for the Young Child isn’t necessarily to make your child a musician. Instead, Kindermusik begins the musical learning that will enrich every life, whether it leads your child to Carnegie Hall, a church choir, the school band, or the keys of a family piano and supports future learning in all areas of life including reading, math, science, sports and working both independently and in a group.

Striking a responsive chord in your child

Any parent will confirm that five- and six-year-olds approach the world with a very definite mindset. Young children are highly impressionable, but hardly blank slates. Each child is guided by his or her own inner drives and learning instincts. One of the best ways to make a deep positive impression on these young explorers is through music and movement.

Why? Because no other learning vehicle so completely embraces the whole child. Your child’s entire sensory, emotive, and cognitive self responds positively to the Kindermusik for the Young Child experience.

Gently unfolding, not molding

You may already know that much of your child’s learning takes place in critical periods that occur quite early in life. During these once-in-a-lifetime phases, your child is highly receptive to particular types of learning experiences. For instance, most of your child’s fundamental learning about language has already taken place before the seventh birthday. Never again will your child be as sensitive to hearing and internalizing the subtleties of language—or of music.

Kindermusik for the Young Child helps your child make the most of these critical windows. Developmentally appropriate lessons promote vocal development and language skills, symbolic thinking, coordination, social interaction, and active imagining in a way that is joyful and supportive of each child’s individual learning style.

Introduces the joys and responsibility of being an instrumentalist

The first year of Kindermusik for the Young Child consists of rhythmic, aural, tonal and physical preparation of playing an instrument. Once the glockenspiel is introduced the children spend the remainder of the school year practicing on the glockenspiel the music they have already learned in class through games and songs. The second year continues this learning with multi-cultural music, movement, games, songs and instruments which is then applied to the two-string dulcimer and the recorder. The children are asked to do Kindermusik activities at home each week and are responsible for bringing their Kindermusik tote bag with folder, games bag, activity sheets and instrument to class each week.

Educational for you as well as your child

In Sharing Time each week your Educator will share information and observations about the day’s class as well as Kindermusik Foundations of Learning—how the activities are fostering your child’s development and ways to continue the learning throughout the week. In addition, you will receive weekly Parent e-mails with further information, reminders and suggestions.

Kindermusik for the Young Child classes
Weekly classes are for 5 to 7 year-olds and are 60-minutes in length. Parents and caregivers (and siblings)
join for the last 15 minutes.

What you’ll experience in class

• Singing and vocal development. It may sound like a foreign language when your child sings “ta” and “ti-ti,” but he’s using the language of professional musicians and composers and getting ready to read and write simple rhythm patterns.
• Movement. You’ll see your child dance expressively to music, giving him the practice he needs to coordinate his body movements to the sound of music. This kind of musical play not only improves musicianship, but his physical coordination as well. Reading and writing. He’ll learn melodic notation and identify pitches such as the C, A, and D notes on the treble clef, plus rhythmic notation. Eventually he’ll even compose his own music.
• Reading and writing. He’ll learn melodic notation and identify pitches such as the C, A, and D notes on the treble clef, plus rhythmic notation. Eventually he’ll even compose his own music.
• Focused listening. Your child will learn to identify a range of orchestra instruments and their sound qualities, while also gaining an early awareness and knowledge of composers and masterworks in Western arts tradition.
• Exploring and playing musical instruments. Authentic percussion, string, pre-keyboard, and woodwind instruments expose your child to the many choices for future musical study, and at the same time provide your child with the opportunity to musically succeed before taking on more formal instruction.

The learning continues throughout the week

Throughout the year your child will receive full-color folders, two games bags, and picture, song and drawing pages, illustrating many of the class themes, songs, and activities. Each child will also receive a purple canvas Kindermusik tote bag for carrying their supplies to and from class each week. Each week you will receive Music At Home Cards with games and activities to do with your child to help reinforce the learning that took place in class. Through this process you will learn not only the information that your child is learning, but how your child thinks, perceives and follows through with that information. In addition, you will receive weekly Parent e-mails with further ideas, reminders and suggestions.

Home materials allow you and your child to continue the learning experience together during the week so that music becomes a natural in important part of your family life.

In order for you to enjoy and get the most out of your Kindermusik class, we make the following recommendations:

• Please make sure your child has had a snack (protein is recommended) and encourage your child to use the bathroom before the class begins.
• Plan to bring your child on time to class – remember to bring their Kindermusik Bag If you are a few minutes early please feel free to explore the objects and instruments with your child that we have set out in the classroom and wait with your child until class starts. If you are late, please bring your child into the classroom quietly! Parents typically run errands or wait in our waiting area.
• Home materials will be handed out home materials, as they are introduced, at the end of each class. For example, the Glockenspiel will be introduced several lessons before your child takes  it home.
• The Kindermusik home experience is just as vital to your child's success as their class experience. Decide with your child on a special place in your home that will allow your child to complete take home pages, and play with their home CD and instruments as they receive them. The value you place on your child's experience will relate directly to the fun and enjoyment they bring home from class.

Please be in the waiting area 50 minutes after we begin class to join us for the last 10-15 minutes. We will call you into the room when we are ready for you. You and any siblings are encouraged to come into the classroom and join in the activities during this time. Have a seat on the floor, relax, and enjoy this special time with your child! Typically during Sharing Time we will do circle dances, explore new instruments and play musical games. We invite your full and joyful participation during this time!