Yesterday marked the beginning of our first session of Music Together. And, may I say…? What a hit! It’s a great program, one I’m finding I love both philosophically and practically. The whole philosophy is to introduce music-making to kids at a very young age, that everyone is musical, and that everyone can enjoy and participate in their own way.
The music geek in me loves that it’s “real” music. Yes, that sounds snobby, but oh well. I like that it’s a real person with a guitar. Other classes we do involve circle time and songs, but either mean simply singing along to a CD, or a well-meaning but tone-deaf child development instructor. Not without worth, but still annoying to my ear. Here, we had someone who knows how to sing, knows about meter and rhythm and melody and all of that. I also love that it includes music from a wide variety of cultural traditions. This session’s CD includes a Hassidic melody, a song in Spanish, a French folk song, and possibly an African tune.
The materials are also great. You get two CDs of the music (one for the car and one for home), and a booklet that includes all of the words and melodies for all the songs. Plus, suggestions for modifying them, making up your own variations, and involving kids of different ages. Plus, chords and chord diagrams if you are guitar-inclined. I am a poor-to-vaguely-acceptable guitar player, but this actually makes me want to pull it out of the closet and tune it up. (Maybe next week….)
I also love it as an activity, both at this particular age, and as someone who has to wrangle two kids. It’s structured and routined, but not overly rigid. It lets the kids be up and active and try dancing, banging on drums, shaking maracas and tambourines, and the like. It requires me to be an active participant in the class and with my kids’ experience, but doesn’t force them to sit on my lap the whole time.
All in all, a great first session of our new class. I hope the next two months are just as fun!
Oh, we had a well-meaning but tone-deaf child development instructor in charge of “toddler time” at our library for a while. I couldn’t take it. I quit going. Torture.
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Thanks for the recommendation. Nate is REALLY into music and we really want to do something with real music with him.
I love Music Together for those of us with multiple toddlers. I know the “circle” classes of which you speak and let’s face it, sometimes it’s hard for one parent to keep more than one child sitting and focused and quiet. Music Together encourages freedom of movement and I never feel like my kids are being disruptive if they are moving in a different direction than the majority of the room! Also, I find that they participate “correctly” more often than not because they see the adults having fun. And it has carried over at home. I can’t say enough good things!
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That sounds like such a great class, Liz! I’m so glad Daniel and Rebecca enjoyed themselves!
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it sounds like a fantastic and fun program!
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This is great info. I am going to try to track down some classes in my area. I have been wanting to do something like this with Bree and Cullen, but haven’t found anything yet. Any idea how this compares to Kindermusik which is the only other music program I am aware of?
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