An Ending and A Beginning

As we come to the end of a delightful eight weeks of Cock-a-doodle-MOO! I’d like to remember a few of our most pleasurable moments. 

• Shy smiles as babies greeted one another in Skip to My Lou
• You Are My Sunshine hugs
• Babies “on the move” in On the Farm
• Balls, balls everywhere as we sang I Roll the Ball to You
• Adult laughter as we danced our way through Jolly is the Miller
• Baby giggles while on a Hayride
• Crumpled paper bags, scarves floating in the air, instruments playing…
• And more and more…

I look forward to enjoying many more special moments together as we begin DewDrops. See you all next week! 

Many Sounds

Timbre is the distinctive quality of a sound.  In the past few weeks, we have experienced many different timbres.  The little ones in our class are developing their own “vocabulary” of timbres.  Just as we recognize the importance of developing a large spoken vocabulary, it is important for us to recognize the importance of developing a similar vocabulary for sounds.  This will help children tune in to subtle distinctions in both music and speech.

Kindermusik class is a perfect venue for offering your child the opportunity to experience a wide variety of sounds–drums, egg shakers, baby bells, woodblocks, singing, speaking, plus the host of wonderful and diverse sounds on the recordings!  Kindermusik is the best choice you can make for your child, again and again!

One More Time . . .

You have probably noticed that in Kindermusik we tend to repeat, repeat, repeat!  As the Kindermusik Foundations of Learning™ statement in this week’s Home Activity explains, repetition of experience is necessary for making and strengthening new connections in the brain.  I’m sure that you have found certain activities at home that your child enjoys over and over and over, just as we have found favorites in class.

Now that we have enjoyed the Old MacDonald song and activity for several weeks, I love watching the recognition and anticipation on the babies’ faces.  This shows us that they are taking in and processing information!  Although we as adults may become a little weary of “one more time,” repetition becomes easier for us as we recognize the benefits it has for our children!

Ritsch, Ratsch, Boom!

In class we explore a variety of musical instruments with different timbres (pronounced “tam-bers”) or characteristic sound qualities, such as the scratching of egg shakers, the ringing of baby bells, and the resonant “boom” of the drum.  As your little guy hears this variety of sounds, he is developing the listening vocabulary necessary for sound discrimination preceding language.  And if he plays the instruments, he learns that he can create a nice-sounding result.

Chicks and ducks and pigs better scurry…

On the Farm is a wonderful example of an integrated learning experience.  Presentation of concepts through integration increases the likelihood that your child will gain new knowledge.

Today, the children experienced tactile stimulation (soft animals and puppets), visual stimulation (animals and puppets), aural stimulation (music recording and animal vocal sounds), and movement (animal movements)!  I am sure that at least one of these sensory areas was of particular interest to your child.

Enjoy Kindermusik activities with your child at home and, as you play, take note of his particular interests.  Notice as time goes by, too, how these interests may change as he shifts his focus on developing new and different skills.

Have a great week!!

Reach up high and bend down low!

As the “clever cows” walk up the hill and down, we can begin teaching our children about high/low and up/down through song and movement.  Music activities are ideal for introducing both sound and movement concepts.  Today’s activities relating to up and down included Hop Up, My Baby; Clever Cows; Scarf Play; Wind in the Corn; and Yankee Doodle. 

You can extend up and down play at home with variations of your own. Just turn on the CD and dance or chant a familiar rhyme with a high voice and then with a low voice while moving your child in the corresponding direction. 

Enjoy!                                      

Skip, Skip, Skip to my Lou!

Such fun we had this week skipping, creeping, running, and of course greeting one another!  It is a delight to watch the babies’ faces as they watch each other.  This activity offers your child many benefits.  Social interaction is enjoyed as are a variety of movements.  Today we also explored singing and moving at different speeds.  Hearing music and words at different tempi* helps Baby learn to understand language at different speeds. 

Until next week… 

* “Tempi” is plural for the word “tempo” which refers to the speed of music.

Hello, Hello!

With an enthusiastic “Hello, hello!”  I welcome you to Kindermusik Village Cock-a-doodle-MOO! We will sing hello each week as we gather with the little ones and prepare to enjoy a multitude of songs and activities sure to bring a bright, sunshiny smile to all!

As we noticed in this week’s class, the Kindermusik setting provides a lot of one-on-one time for you and your child as well as many social interaction opportunities that are so important for developing your child’s future social skills.

At home this week, enjoy listening with your child to your Home CD, and delight in your new engaging board book.  I look forward to seeing you in class next week!