About The Classes

First Steps in Music classes engage children and their parents in singing folk songs, rhymes and games, and provide free play with percussion instruments. Through these activities these classes:
· Inspire children to listen, feel and move to music of all kinds
· Develop a child’s imagination through songs and movement
· Encourage positive social interactions with other children
· Are fun for kids and parents
Through singing, instrumental exploration, and games, children are given an appetite to love music. In a playful manner,  children develop sensory awareness, language, motor, creative and social skills, along with gaining a wide repertoire of  music. Word sheets and CD’s are provided so parents can reinforce what is learned in class at home.

Read Nothing Simple about a Lullaby  to learn more about First Steps and how musical experiences in the first five years can change the way a person learns during later stages in life.

CLASSES

Infant/Toddler (birth to 29 months)

Parents are taught how to play with their babies through a selection of bounces, wiggles, tickles, tapping, dancing and lullabies. Toddlers love to bang and tap to their own beat while they enjoy exploring sound through various percussion instruments at the start of each class. Parents are taught how to encourage beat awareness while playing with their children, and they learn how to sing to their children and encourage musical playtime beyond the classroom. This energetic playtime is followed by a calming time of lullabies.

Preschool (30 months- 5 years)

Children begin to share their musical development by moving to the beat and singing songs together with their parents. Children and their parents learn to vocalize with high and low sounds, they learn echo and call-and-response songs, movement, finger plays to rhymes, and steady beat activities with or without instruments. Singing, moving, creating and playing instruments make this time a wonderful musical experience.

Elementary (5-7 years)

Kids in this class learn to show their musical independence. They explore music through a variety of sounds, singing, instruments and recordings. Children love to sing and dance together through folk songs, rhymes, circle games and more! These youngsters begin to explore their own musical imagination as they create their own simple rhythms and melodies.

More About the First Steps in Music Curriculum

I use the First Steps in Music curriculum, a unique introduction to musical expression and creative movement for children. The classes have been carefully designed by  Dr. John Feierabend, a national leader in early childhood education.  The musical activities are based on early childhood research related to the development of:

• Musical intelligence
• Singing skills
• Sensitivity to the beat
• Expressive movement
• Musical memory
• Preferences
• Neurological connections   

The goal of the First Steps in Music classes is to enable all children to reach their full potential through involvement in informal music and movement activities. From free play with percussion instruments to organized songs, rhymes and games, these sessions:

•  inspire children to listen, feel and move to music 
•  stimulate a child's imagination through songs and movement 
•  encourage constructive social interactions with other children and their families 
•  are incredibly fun for kids and parents.

These musical activities will prepare children for the later development of:

• accurate rhythmic skills
• accurate singing skills
• sensitivity to the expressive qualities in music.

Unlike other popular children's music programs, First Steps in Music is designed to be taught by an independent Music Specialist (I’m not part of a large corporation or a franchise). Also unique to this program is its basis in  folk and traditional songs and rhymes, which work well because of their natural melodic expressiveness, natural flow of language, and texts filled with wonder. 

Guidelines for Parents

1. Parents must participate in all Infant through Preschool class sessions (parental participation is not required in Early Elementary) so that parents learn the activities and so that the children feel comfortable and enjoy the classes more.
2. Young children will sometimes be unresponsive in class and participate more freely at home between classes. This is normal. Parents should learn the activities during class time so they can share them with their children during more receptive times at home.
3. Infants and Toddlers may roam during class as long as they do not distract other children.
4. Parents should invite a roaming child back to the group, but should not force the child to participate.
5. Please try not to talk to other adults during class. Focus on your child. Depending on the schedule, it may be possible to arrive up to 15 minutes early to socialize before class, and likewise to stay after class.
6. Do not compare one child’s accomplishments to another’s. Children develop at different rates. 
7. Plan to arrive at least 5 minutes before class starts, so we can start on time.
8. We take our shoes off for all classes, in order to keep the carpet clean for the little ones and to maintain a comfortable, home-like atmosphere.

Supplemental Materials for Parents

Tuition includes a CD of the songs and rhymes taught in class, plus a word sheet to help adults remember the activities at home.