School Readiness Begins at Birth

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Getting your baby ready for school???  Sounds like that’s rushing things.  And that’s the last thing any of us want… to rush those precious early years and lose out on those wonderful opportunities for bonding, learning, and making memories.  The window of learning does open early, and it is open the widest during the first years of life.

So the question becomes how best to make the most of that window while it’s open, giving your child every advantage in a way that is meaningful, lasting, and appropriate – developmentally, cognitively, physically, and emotionally.

Enter Kindermusik.

Kindermusik was developed on the firm belief that parents are a child’s first – and best! – teacher.  From your very first class with your sweet little infant to that proud moment when you watch your big kid graduate from Kindermusik, everything we do in Kindermusik is intentionally designed to help and inspire you as your child’s “teacher.”

Here’s how Kindermusik helps you get your child ready for school – and for life! – in the most perfectly delightful, perfectly appropriate, and perfectly memorable of ways.

• Kindermusik strengthens the critical emotional bonds between parent and child that are essential for successful learning to take place, now and later on.
• Songs and rhymes provide a vital foundation for the early stages of language development.
• Music and movement support and enhance the formation of neural networks, all of the neurons and synapses that the brain may eventually prune if not used and exercised in the early years.
• A musical environment develops listening skills, teaching children how to be more aware and more focused.
• Rocking and swaying stimulate the vestibular system which is responsible for balance and coordination.
• Bouncing, clapping, and instrument play ingrain a sense of steady beat.  Steady beat is foundational to speech development, motor skill development, logical thinking skills, and even verbal organization.
• The rich multi-sensory environment experienced with Kindermusik means that children are able to make even stronger cognitive connections and associations with various concepts.
• Experiencing the patterns and sequencing in songs, recordings, and dances improves the cognitive skills that are necessary for success in math later on.
• First experiences in Kindermusik help your little one become more creative and confident problem-solvers.

And when your child does transition into starting school, wherever that may be, you can still count on Kindermusik to ease the transition and help you capitalize on all of the incredible academic, cognitive, and social advantages that early childhood music classes give.
Learn more about the benefits of early learning with Kindermusik.  Try a free class today!
Contributed by Theresa Case who, for over 20 years now, has loved helping eager little learners and their parents get the very best start in Kindermusik in the classes offered at Piano Central Studios in Greenville, SC.

Music and the Brain

 

According to the book, "Music And The Brain: How Music Changes The Brain" by C.D.Shelton, music is the best way to develop the brain.  The younger you start, the "stronger the connections between motor regions (the part that helps you carry out movements)".   "Practicing an instrument before age seven likely boosts the normal maturation of connections between motor and sensory regions of the brain, creating a framework upon which ongoing training can subsequently build."   The results show that "musicians who started early showed enhanced white matter in the corpus collosum, or nerve fibers that connects the left and right motor regions of the brain."  And further, "anatomical brain enhancement happens early on in life."  I also found it interesting that "early musical training enlarged that region of the right brain that corresponds in location to the left brain region for letters and words".  Even in babies, "music stimulates growth of the brain that can result in better motor skills, advanced auditory and language skills and a smarter adult.  If a child continues to hear music after birth, it can increase their capacity and interest in abstract things.  If they learn more about music, particularly if they learn to play an instrument, they are likely to do well in academic studies (math).  This is because they will have learned to count beats and measures and many of those involve fractions.  There is enough evidence to prove that the impact of a musical background is significant."  Children also have higher IQs and SAT scored, tend not to drop out, better people skills, problem solving, and it teaches them to pay attention to details.
Here is the payoff, "a child does not have to become proficient at an instrument to benefit from learning it.  The educational process can help the youngster become more skilled at other learned skills, such as writing, painting, computer programming, anything that involves mathematics or lots of details.  The things children become acquainted with in their early years will make them productive adults in the future."
Kindermusik has been learning from the research for 35 years.  The program is designed to maximize everything being learned from research, and then they do testing to make sure it helps.  Kindermusik educators help caregivers to know what to expect and how to help their child maximize his potential while having fun!  Kindermusik also includes a bundle of digital at home materials to give the caregiver every opportunity to help their child grow at home.  Music should be a part of every day!

Benefits of music

Extraordinary benefit of music on the cognitive development of children

Take a peek inside any Kindermusik classroom around the world and you will see much of the same thing. We sing. We dance. We play instruments. We listen to music. We move our bodies in response to music. We create music.
In all of our musical activities for kids, we engage children and families in learning both in the early childhood classroom and in the daily routines and rituals of family life. While this peek represents an ordinary (and fun!) day in a Kindermusik classroom, the benefits of music on the cognitive development of children is so much more than ordinary. For a young child’s brain development, the benefits of music are actually extra-ordinary.

A peek at the cognitive development of children who participate in music classes

While any parent can contact a local Kindermusik educator and take a free peek at a class, we need the help of scientists to look inside a child’s brain. Researchers from Boston’s Children’s Hospital recently took a closer look at what happens when children participate in music classes. The team studied 30 adults between the ages of 18 and 35 (15 working musicians and 15 non-musicians), and 27 children between the ages of 9 and 12 (over half of whom had at least two years of musical training).
As published in the online journal PLOSONE, they discovered that children with early musical training experience advanced executive function skills during cognitive testing. So, in other words, the benefits of music enables a child’s brain to more quickly process and retain information, regulate behaviors, make good choices, solve problems, plan, and adjust to changing mental demands. Sounds pretty extraordinary to us!
“Since executive functioning is a strong predictor of academic achievement, even more than IQ, we think our findings have strong educational implications,” explained study senior investigator Nadine Gaab, PhD, of the Laboratories of Cognitive Neuroscience at Boston Children’s in a press release. “While many schools are cutting music programs and spending more and more time on test preparation, our findings suggest that musical training may actually help to set up children for a better academic future.”

A child’s brain on Kindermusik

Incorporating music and movement into a child’s learning routine stimulates all areas of the brain and that is why music is the best vehicle of learning for early childhood education. Independent research studies show that Kindermusik—specifically—impacts the cognitive development of children. Children participating in our music classes show a 32 percent literacy gain and show marked improvement in inhibitory control.
So, whether you are looking to enroll your child in a Kindermusik class, bring Kindermusik to your childcare center or Head Start program, or even to your language school, the cognitive benefits of music will be evident.

Contact me for a free preview class!

To find a Kindermusik class near you go to the Class Finder

We’ve all heard that there are seasons of life, but it can be particularly insightful for parents of young children to think of the seasons (or stages) of early childhood, each with its own unique joys and challenges – joys and challenges that also have the potential to give way to some of the greatest rewards of parenting.  Kindermusik classes not only meet the needs of children at the various stages of development, but Kindermusik also meets the needs of parents at these different seasons.

Babies… When change is the only constant

There is so much that happens that first year or two – so many “firsts” to treasure, memories to capture, and sweet cuddly baby-sized little people to hold on to, for forever if you could!  Your weekly Kindermusik class gives you the time (and the excuse!) to slow down, hum a lullaby, cuddle a little longer, and share a few more smiles.  All along the way, you’ll gain precious developmental insights into the wonderful little person your baby is quickly growing to be!

Toddlers… When it’s life in the fast lane!

From when they wake up until they fall fast asleep, it’s all about go-go-GO! in the world of a toddler. (Just ask their exhausted parents!!)  There’s a lot of cuteness, curiosity, and personality emerging – some of it you laugh at, some of it you scratch your head about.  Kindermusik gives you and your child the perfect opportunity to laugh together, play together, engage and connect in new ways, socialize, and even sneak in a few extra hugs.  Plus we’ll teach you a song to get you through nearly every routine in your day!

Preschoolers… When it’s time to get ready

Preschoolers are on the verge of becoming more independent, bigger thinkers, social butterflies, and more curious learners.  But don’t let those big changes fool you.  Your preschooler still needs you to spend time with him and be a part of his world.  Kindermusik can be the highlight of the week – the one thing that is predictable, familiar, and yet challenging all at the same time.  Time by himself with his friends in class and time with you too – even the structure of the class supports your child at this crucial time.  We’ll help you hang on to those fleeting childhood years just a little bit longer!

Big Kids… When they’re poised for new adventure

Your big kid is so much more capable and independent, and they are eager for new challenges that still keep the fun, pressure-free adventure in the learning process.  Kindermusik comes alongside you and your child at this special time, giving you a special weekly activity that is a choice, not a requirement.  Kindermusik is all about partnering with you to unfold the unique miracle that is your child, without pressure, performance, or state standards – all while inspiring a love for music that will stay with her the rest of her life.

Parents… How to Stop, Pause, and Celebrate each Season

In a world where the pressure on parents can be immense, we here at Kindermusik invite you to let us help you stop, pause, and celebrate each season of childhood – from baby to toddler to preschooler to big kid – by taking time together in a Kindermusik class.  We’ll be right there beside you cheering you on and encouraging you to relish the little moments of life that make such a big difference in your child’s life.

See for yourself the difference that time together in Kindermusik can make.  Schedule your free preview class today!

The more you expose your child to language, the stronger his verbal skills will be.  Language acquisition is a gradual process that involves many facets of development including listening, imitating facial expressions, playing peek-a-boo, and babbling.  Your child will learn language naturally by hearing it used in context when you sing, read, talk, and listen to him.
 
Kindermusik tips for…
Your Baby: At two months, he coos and babbles.  In his first year, he’ll begin making vowel sounds (oohs and aahs) and then move to new sounds and vowel-consonant combinations.  Your baby is also learning the art of conversation.  Bring your face close to his, and talk to him.  Ask him a question and let him respond.  He is learning that conversation is a two-way street.

Your Toddler: In a verbal growth spurt, your toddler’s vocabulary expands from about 50 to 200 words.  When your toddler displays emotion, give him the language to identify it:  “You’re happy!” or “I can see you’re sad.”  You’ll enhance his emotional intelligence as well as his vocabulary.

Your Preschooler: Playing rhyming games is a fun way for a preschooler who is developing phonemic awareness – the recognition that sounds make up words.  Encourage him by making up rhymes and laughing together.

Enrolling in early childhood music and movement classes is one of the very best ways you can enhance early literacy development in your child.  We happen to believe that Kindermusik is the best choice!  But don’t just take our word for it… come try a free preview class on us.

I am getting very close to being licensed!  Just a little more to do!  Kindermusik is full of benefits for child and parent alike.  The research shows that music and movement are the first way we learn many skills used later in life.  Math, studying, basketball dribbling, and many other things are improved.  Great parenting becomes easier with these tools.  Babies brains develop the connections between the sides of the brain when appropriate movement is included in their development.  I hope you will find a Kindermusik program near you and give your child the joy of music.