Saturday, December 20, 2014

The Music Class Experience


The Music Class Experience

Holiday season is fast approaching.  Stores are crowded with shoppers; many of them shopping for their children or grandchildren ages 2 and under.  At that age, children are just as excited about playing with the bag or box the present came in or the sparkly bow attached as the gift inside.  Last year, my then 2 year old daughter took the box her present was wrapped in and she started tapping on it like a drum.  The clothes that came in that box no longer fit her, but that box is still in her room! She lines up her bears and dolls, sets up her box drum and a few egg shakers and plays music class. She says the box is one of her favorite gifts because she can use it for music play. So to that shopper who asks, “What should I get my 1 year old for the holidays?” I vote for a music class experience!

Experience gifts are truly a gift that keeps on giving that you and your child can enjoy together. What is the music class experience?  For 10 weeks straight you and your child can come to music class once a week for 45 minutes of uninterrupted bonding time, musical learning, and play. During your music class experience you will learn approximately 25 new songs, play a variety of percussive instruments that your young child can manipulate on their own, dance for and with your child, sing together, laugh, jam, meet new friends, learn about musical development in children,  be a part of a music making community, and share quality time together. Now how could you fit all of that in a box?

The music class experience fits any age or stage of your child’s development. It is also something you can enjoy as a family. Parents and grandparents can attend class together. For families that have more than one child, you can attend class all together. One class fit everyone’s musical ability! While some children may be silent observers and others may be completely engaged and in tune with every activity presented in class, everyone’s learning styles and musical abilities are accepted and included.  Regardless of your musical ability, remember that you are your child’s first teacher and your voice is your child’s favorite voice.  

So is there a final show at this end of this experience? No, music classes are non-performance oriented. The experience is not about putting on a show, rather bringing the harmony home, bonding, learning, and making joyful music together. Experiencing music and making music a part of your daily life has immeasurable benefits too.  Here are some of the benefits of the music making experience for your child. Music development and fostering a love for music, language development, emotional development, physical development, cognitive development, learning self-regulation and increasing security, and self-confidence,  leadership opportunities, and a nurturing and safe way to explore, imagine, create, and be. One of my favorite gifts that the music class experience gives me is space and time with my children to make beautiful musical memories that will last a lifetime. They simply do not make gift bags big enough to stuff in all those goodies!

Give your child, grandchild, and friends, the gift of making music together this holiday season! Connect with your child and with other families in class and beyond. Experience how much fun music making can be even with the youngest music makers.