All June camps $96 + HST

For the wee ones…

Busy Days
(newborn to 18 months)

Set your baby’s day to classical music. With a little more Tchaikovsky in your “Twinkle, Twinkle” repertoire discover new ways baby benefits from the classics as you develop an appreciation for the world’s most respected music. Each lesson features new activities and songs that the parent can sing for all the places baby and mom go together–the store, the playground, the doctor, and more. VIEW CLASS SCHEDULES

Sign&Sing
(6 months to 3 years)

Ease a child’s frustration by helping her communicate what she needs, speed language development, and enhance long-term learning abilities. Through songs and play, we’ll teach you over 50 ASL signs, as well as strategies, tips and tricks to get you and your child communicating in no time. Home materials include a DVD, ASL Flashcards and Family Activities Guide. VIEW CLASS SCHEDULES

For busy toddlers…

Animals A-Dancing
(1-1/2 to 3 years)

Toddlers and trains make a natural match–always on the move. Tag along this summer with a traveling zoo train. Bring your own stuffed animals for the petting zoo. Wear long white socks on your hands for polar bear paws and learn about real animals in the zoo. Explore instruments, sing, dance & have a romping good time! Parent will learn to use music to help toddlers regulate emotions. VIEW CLASS SCHEDULES

For preschoolers with places to go…

On the Go!
(3 & 4 year olds)

Re-live your childhood, with your child. Every song is likely to revive a memory from your summers’ past. Play “Eye Spy” and find shapes in the clouds to pass the time. Take imaginary trips in a bus named “Van Go” to fun-filled, musical vacation destinations such as the carnival, a summer cottage, and the beach. VIEW CLASS SCHEDULES

For all ages …

Creatures in My Backyard
(0 to 7 years)

From Nesting in a Tree, Digging in the Dirt, Flying to a Flower, Hiding in the Grass, to Sitting on the Porch, join us for five, fun-filled lessons themed around discovering the treasures in our own backyard. Each lesson is packed with singing, listening, storytime, creative movement, instrument play, family jams and sharing together. Great for single- or multiple-child families. Siblings only $20 extra each. When accompanied by older siblings, babies under 6 months are free! VIEW CLASS SCHEDULES

Register today online using by visiting MY ACCOUNT.
New families are always welcome! Click HERE to register.
Questions? Call 519.622-5702 (M-Th, 8-4)

Avoid further musical withdrawal…
Join us for a five-day camp in July, or a one-time playdate camp in August!
Click HERE for more information or to register.

Kindermusik’s top programs making the switch

Studies show that sustained enrolment is simply better for a child. That’s why more programs and parents are choosing to stay in activities for the long haul. We’re beginning to see this trend in lots of extra-curricular activities, such as cheer leading, swimming, skating, dance, hockey, drama, and more. And, Kindermusik’s top programs around the world are beginning to implement this concept of a school-year registration for the benefit of their families.

Here, at Kindermusik of Cambridge/KW, we have always offered the option of registering for more than one semester at a time, but we’ve seen a significant increase in the last two years of parents choosing to take advantage of it. Interestingly, those who register for the whole school year tend to do so year after year. Why? …Why not? “If you’re planning to register for both fall and spring anyway, why not get it all done now and know your child’s not going to lose their favourite teacher and get bumped out of their spot in January by someone who reserved it last May,” says long-time Kindermusik parent, Andrea Ireland. “Plus, I get to break it into monthly payments, and I don’t have to worry about it again all year.”

Following are the most common reservations we’ve been hearing, but none of these should prevent you from taking advantage of this opportunity to guarantee your child’s space.

Reservation #1: September seems so far away. How can I possibly register now?
The good news is that all we need from you at this point is really more of a “reservation”. Your first monthly payment is not due until Sept 5. So, click here to view our schedule and reserve a space in the class of your choice while it’s still available. You can always change your mind and choose a different time in the months before we start the school-year or cancel your reservation if life needs to take you in another direction.

Reservation #2: What if my child needs to move up to the next level halfway through the year?
No problem… Let’s say your child will be 2-1/2 by September. That means that by January, he may be ready to move up to the next level of Kindermusik. All you have to do is choose your Our Time space for the Fall and in November, we will provide you with an opportunity to pick your space in an Imagine That class of your choosing for your child to transfer to in January. The same will happen if your child needs to move from Village to Our Time.

Reservation #3: What if, for some reason, we can’t continue for the whole school year?
Again, no problem… If for any reason you need to withdraw from class, you may do so without penalty at any time. Just let us know in writing (email works great) by the first of the month. However, it is important to note that we cannot hold your space once you have withdrawn, so if you’re going on an extended vacation, you are better to keep your space and take advantage of our new unlimited makeup classes starting in September, which you are entitled to for as long as you are enrolled.

Let’s face it, most of you enroll on a continual basis anyway. And the enrolment process takes up valuable administrative, not to mention class time that we’d rather spend playing and making music with you! For this reason, starting with the 2012-2013 school year, we will be going exclusively to September to May enrolment. You only have to register once, and then you are done!

As you’ve probably heard by now, here at Kindermusik we are implementing some improvements centered around enrollment and payment for the new school-year. We want you to be in-the-know about why we’re making these improvements and how they affect you and your family.

Below, are the questions we’ve been hearing over the last couple of weeks, as well as the answers to those questions.

Q1: Why are you changing things?

A: In a nutshell, to make it easier–for you and for us.

There many reasons this system will make things easier for you, but here are the top three:

1. It makes monthly budgeting a no-brainer. $60 comes out of your account or is charged automatically to your credit card on the 5th of every month, Sept to May. Done.
2. It means that once you’re enrolled, you’re enrolled for the whole school year. No more worrying about missing registration. Once you’ve got a space, it’s yours. And, if your child needs to move up a level mid-year (ie. turning 18 months or 3 years of age around January), you can reserve a space for them in a class of your choosing. We will be providing you with a special form for you to do so well in advance.
3. We hold your space for you from the time you enroll until the class starts and you pay nothing until the 5th of your starting month.

Easier for us:

More than half of our families have been registering for both fall and spring at once and paying monthly for years. This has shown us that most families appreciate the monthly plan, and it helps us to reduce our administrative, printing and advertising costs, scheduling time, and more. This translates to our being able to uphold the quality of our programs at a fair and reasonable price for our families.

Q2: Are concurrent classes still available for Our Time and Imagine That?

A: Absolutely! Take a close look at the class schedule and you’ll see that the Our Time (OT) and Imagine That (IT) classes have staggered start times to accommodate our concurrent families. Like our Village program, the first 10 minutes of OT will feature free play and exploration, which our concurrent IT children will get to take part in! The IT teacher will come and collect them just as we are about to begin the lesson. At the end of class, our concurrent families will move into the IT class for Sharing Time, just as they always have. With this new system, both children end up receiving more music time than ever before!

Did you know?…We have concurrent class possibilities at EVERY level!

Q3: Can I pay in full?

A: If you prefer to pay in full now for the school-year, please contact the office to arrange it. Please be advised, however, should cancellation be necessary, a $25 admin fee will apply. This is a great option for grandparents and other relatives who wish to gift our programs. And as always, gift certificates are available in any denomination and can be applied to your account.

Q4: What if I need to withdraw before May?

A: Don’t worry, if you need to withdraw at anytime during the school year, it’s easy. Just send us an email or a written note before the 1st of the month and you’re done. There’s no further obligation and no cancellation fee either (which used to be $25). A couple of things to be aware of though…

1. The tuition for the current month will still be charged for withdrawal requests received after the first of the month.
2. There are no refunds on materials. They are yours to keep and enjoy.
3. We cannot hold your spot. If you’re going away on a long vacation, for instance, you’re better off to keep your space and take advantage of our new unlimited makeup classes that will start in September.

Q5: Are prices increasing for 2012-2013?

A: Other than rounding off a few cents to keep things simple, the only program that will increase in price is Our Time and that is because it is moving from a 30- to a 45-minute format each week to bring it in line with our other curricula. In addition, for some of our programs, you will actually get more value for your dollar than ever before.

Family Time: Will run alongside our other core curricula, giving you 30 weeks of Family Time fun instead of 20 and babies under 6 months are now free when accompanied by an older sibling in a Family Time class.

Sign&Sing: Will include both sessions (A+B) for $120 including HST, instead of $96 each plus HST.

Q6: Is the sibling discount still available?

A: Yes, it is! If you have any of this year’s materials from a previous enrollment, or if you are enrolling more than one child at a time, we will be taking $5 off your total monthly fees, each month from Sept to May.

Let’s keep the dialogue going. What else can we help you with?

Q:

A: On the contrary! Take a close look at the class schedule and you’ll see that the Our Time (OT) and Imagine That (IT) classes have staggered start times to accommodate our concurrent families. Like our Village program, the first 10 minutes of OT will feature free play and exploration, which our concurrent IT children will get to take part in! The IT teacher will come and collect them just as we are about to begin the lesson. At the end of class, our concurrent families will move into the IT class for Sharing Time, just as they always have. With this new system, both children end up receiving more music time than ever before!

Did you know?…We have concurrent class possibilities at EVERY level!

Register by Apr 30th to guarantee your spot for the Fall AND the Spring!

Consider the following:

• What is your goal for your child? Are you more interested in supporting your child’s developing independence, or is special bonding time together still very important to you?
• Which environment do you see your child thriving in? (Our Time is a weekly 45-minute class with caregiver fully participating, Imagine That! is a weekly 45-minute class: 30-35 minutes with the other children and the teacher, and the last 10-15 minutes with adults and siblings in for “Sharing Time”. Kindermusik for the Young Child is a weekly 60-minute class, with the last 10 to 15 minutes as “Sharing Time”.)
• Will your child be at least the minimum age by the start of the semester for the program in which you are enrolling?
• Evaluate the pleasure factor more than the achievement factor. Remember that solid emotional development fosters cognitive development. In other words, when your child is feeling happy and secure, that’s when he’s learning!

The Kindermusik philosophy springs from genuine respect for each child’s individual rate of development and thereby provides the tools through class activities and home materials to honour, support and celebrate uniqueness.

Moving From Village to Our Time

Here are some characteristics that we, as teachers, look for when assessing whether an 18-month old is ready to move from Village (birth to 18 mos.) to Our Time (18 mos. Through 3 years):

Physical

• Improved walking skills, feet are together, knees flexible
• Beginning to explore a variety of traveling movements – run, jump, leap

Cognitive

• Reliably points to correctly identified body parts
• Understands what 1 means (vs. handful)
• Learning to use toys and objects in symbolic ways (moving beyond just enjoyment of sensory properties)
• Moving beyond play schemes of mouthing, throwing and dumping
• Actions become purposeful and integrated
• Can interact in a directed activity
• Able to shift attention with transition
• Connects to an activity
• Initiates a play sequence with a caregiver
• Reliably responds to own name

Emotional

• Uses gestures and language to deal with frustration (as opposed to just crying or whining)
• Sustains interest and attention in activity for several minutes
• Is able to sit for several minutes concentrating on an activity.

Language

• Can express wants and needs symbolically (gestures or words)
• Has vocabulary of at least 20 words
• Receptive language is still stronger than expressive
• Reading with caregiver becomes co-operative – child will select book, sit, turn pages, relate to the story and interact

Social

• Interested in what other children are doing
• Capable of distal communication (i.e. following verbal instructions from further away)

Musical

• Moves to music, perhaps to steady beat
• Responds to rhymes and songs, recognizing familiar ones

Moving From Our Time to Imagine That!

The Imagine That! Program (for 3 & 4 year olds) has been written as much to include children who have just turned 3 years, to those who are almost 5. While the 3-year-old is becoming independent, using language to express wants and needs and therefore, able to function well without a parent, keep in mind that there is plenty of time to securely support this emerging independence. Too much in our society forces independence too soon and too fast.  Let Kindermusik be the place where the needs of the child and the whole family are respected.  Some 3-year-olds are not emotionally ready to break from a parent for 35 minutes and others find it difficult to follow directions and focus for that length of time.  Please carefully consider whether or not your child would benefit more from an additional semester of Our Time.

Here are some characteristics that we, as teachers, look for when assessing whether a 3-year-old is ready to move from Our Time (18 mos. through 3 yrs.) to Imagine That (3 & 4 yrs.):

Physical

• Has a taller, thinner, adult-like appearance
• Balances on one foot, jumps in place without falling
• Holding crayons in pincer grasp rather than fist

Cognitive

• Knows if they are a boy or a girl
• Can do matching games
• Can name lots of animals
• Knows triangle, circle, square: red, yellow, blue
• Developing divergent thinking skills (“What animals do you like?”)
• Beginning transition from concrete to abstract thinking
• Sits and listens to stories for up to 10 minutes

Emotional

• Recognizes needs of another person, can be empathetic
• Separates from parent without crying
• Developing a sense of humour

Language

• Beginning to master rules of language
• Speaks in full sentences (4-5 words) and asks questions
• Vocabulary growing from 300-1000 words
• Can relate a series of activities and tell a story (“We went to the grocery store, then to Grandma’s and I played with the kittens…”)

Social

• Recognizes the needs of another person
• Turn taking becomes harder than earlier, but beginning to understand reasons
• Learning about patience

Musical

• Recites rhymes
• Sings simple, whole songs
• Able to keep own steady beat

Moving From Imagine That! to Young Child

The Young Child program (5 to 7 years) is a sequential curriculum that is presented in four, 15-week semesters, two per year. Your child should be in SK or be 5 by late Fall at the latest.  Your child’s teacher will be able to advise you whether or not he or she is ready to move up. Here are some characteristics that we, as teachers, look for when assessing whether a child is ready for the Young Child program:

Physical

• Can jump forward many times in a row, hops, gallops and is learning to skip
• Demonstrates control of pencil or crayons
• Can reproduce many shapes and letters
• Hand dominance is evident

Cognitive

• Eager to learn
• Has developed classification skills (i.e. can sort things that have a single common feature) and can sort by size, colour and form
• Counts and recognizes numerals 1-20
• Engages in dramatic play that is close to reality
• Beginning to relate time to events (i.e. can wait for and anticipate events)
• Responds to simple 3-step directions

Emotional

• Impulsive control is emerging and developing
• Exhibits self-confidence and reliability
• Sense of right and wrong is growing
• Beginning to see things from another’s perspective

Language

• Speech is nearly 100% intelligible
• Uses grammar correctly (i.e. past and future tense)
• Produces fairly elaborate sentence structures (about 5-7 words in length)
• Identifies all colours
• Can tell a familiar story

Social

• Enjoys friendships and group activities
• Shares, takes turns, plays co-operatively (for the most part)
• Cares about things and people
• Follows directions well
• Has a sense of humour
• Better self-control with fewer dramatic swings of emotion

Musical

• Sings a whole song
• Beginning to match pitches consistently
• Developing ability to match to group steady beat

WHEN IS A CHILD READY FOR PRIVATE INSTRUMENTAL INSTRUCTION?

It’s possible that your child has expressed and interest in piano or other private lessons. You may have heard “I want to play the piano.” It sounds like he/she has made a mature decision to start all the hard work of learning an instrument. If you hear this, ask yourself the following questions before making the decision to enroll her in private study:

• Does she understand the enormous amount of dedication needed to learn to play an instrument?
• Is he ready to accept the rules, guidelines and suggestions of the teacher?
• Will she still be interested and not frustrated when the teacher asks her to play a certain way, or hold her hand in a certain position?
• Does he have the fine motor control as well as the maturity and attention span necessary for daily home practice?
• Can she concentrate daily for 15 to 30 minutes on a series of directed tasks?
• Will he thrive in a learning environment where it’s just he and the teacher, or does he learn best in a social, play-like setting?

In Kindermusik, your child is receiving the strongest foundation in movement, vocal development and listening, which will help her be successful when the time comes to learn an instrument. Research shows that he will remain motivated longer than a child without such a background.

In the book, Choosing The Right Instrument For Your Child, the authors claim that one of the most common factors in children’s musical failure is starting at the wrong time – too early. For most children, the best time to start learning their first instrument is some time between the ages of seven and ten years.  If your child has a genuine interest in playing an instrument at 5 or 6 years of age, that interest will come back even more strongly in a couple of years when he is physically, emotionally and cognitively ready.  You and your child will be happier if you wait. In the meantime, our Kindermusik for the Young Child program for 5 to 7 year olds, and the Recorder/Orff Ensemble for Young Child graduates prepare children for instrumental lessons while still having fun and learning through methods, which have been designed with your child’s unique developmental needs in mind.

THE RECORDER-ORFF ENSEMBLE FOR KINDERMUSIK GRADUATES

The Recorder-Orff Ensemble provides a stepping-stone to private music lessons, is an ideal preparation for future study on a wind or brass instrument, and prepares the child for participation in a band or orchestra. The program is designed for children who have finished the 4^th semester of the Young Child program. The Recorder-Orff program includes singing, advanced recorder technique and repertoire development, improvisation, weekly at-home activities, movement activities, ensemble development, reading and writing musical notation and social interaction. Information and registration forms for this program will be distributed to all graduating Young Child children in late-April. Space is very limited so don’t be disappointed.

Kindermusik Adventures Summer Camps draw on your child’s natural curiosity and nurture it to support his creative potential. Using an integrated approach with music, movement, storytelling, and (for the upper ages) pretend play, drama, and art, Adventures stimulates imagination, spontaneity, inquiry, and a love of music for your child.

Each Adventures lesson creates an informal, playful environment that encourages children to contribute their original ideas, to experience new music activities, to discover and explore new information, to work cooperatively with others, and to keep their spontaneous music play and sense of wonder alive.

Adventures is all about nurturing creative thought and the creative potential that exists in every young child.

“Absolutely fabulous! The teacher outdid herself—jam-packed classes perfectly organized. Materials are great—even my older children at home (9 & 12 yrs) loved joining in to play and listening to the Home CD.” ~Tamara Perez, July’08

The content of Adventures is integrated in activities that delight and interest your child even as they touch every aspect of his/her development—social, emotional, physical, cognitive, musical, and language. Here are just a few examples of the developmental benefits experienced in an Adventures class.

Social

• Children practice sharing and cooperation during instrument exploration activities.
• Singing games give children the opportunity to learn social patterns, interact with others in a positive way, and learn to communicate more effectively with others.

Emotional

• The ritual of singing the Welcome and Goodbye songs at the beginning and end of each class provides children with predictable structures and contributes to their emotional development.
• Interaction with other children in a positive environment helps children develop emotional intelligence—the recognition and management of unique feelings, developing empathy, and the handling of relationships with others.

Physical

• Opportunity to develop body control during movement activities. For example, during free dances, young children practice balance while walking and experiment with new movements.
• Older children have the opportunity to practice their fine motor skills in art activities.

Cognitive

• Learning to solve problems constructively.
• Development of listening skills that focus attention.
• Invitations to be expressive, increasing creativity.

Musical

• Expanded listening repertoire to include music of many styles from around the world.
• Opportunity to explore and play different instruments—freely and to a song or beat.
• Children experience the basic elements of music including tempo, dynamics, tone color, melody, and harmony.

Language

• Through story time, children learn to value and enjoy reading.
• They experience enhanced language and speech skills through songs, chants, and rhymes.

Kindermusik Adventures is about doing, and it will actively engage your child in a variety of hands-on activities and bring pleasure and a sense of accomplishment while encouraging your child to discover and develop different mediums for self expression. Register today for this journey into creativity and learning.

Registration opens to the general public April 1st. Please note that we only offer about a 1/3 of our regular school-year class schedule in the summer months, so spaces fill very quickly and are filled on a first-come-first-serve basis. Click here for more information about our Summer 2012 offerings or to register for a camp.

Take your pick…

• 5 weeks in a row through June, 5 mornings in a row in July, or choose one or several one-time Playdate Camps in August.
• Morning, evening and Saturday sessions available for many programs.
• 5-week option for ALL-AGES  fun or choose a one-time PLAYDATE CAMP.
• 5-week option for SIGN&SING classes at both locations.

I am so pleased to announce the winners* of our contests…

Photo Contest Cambridge

Madelyn Hawkins (1-1/2 years old / attends Kindermusik Our Time)
“Enrolling again in Kindermusik with our second daughter was an easy decision! To watch her dance in excitement and smile the whole class, makes me smile! Kindermusik helps to show me every level of her development. We would drive through a snowstorm to get to Kindermusik weekly! ~Madelyn’s Mom, Julie

Photo Contest Kitchener

Iker Padilla Landa (7 months old / attends Kindermusik Village)
“Iker smiles and laughs every second of the class and I love it because he is learning rhythm, songs and music with me!”
~Iker’s Mom, Maria

Each Photo Contest winner has won a musical gift basket worth more than $50. Congratulations and enjoy!

Facebook Contest

Dennis Banda (daughter Katrina is 4 years old and attends Kindermusik Imagine That at the Cambridge studio)

The Banda’s have won a $100 coupon towards a future semester of Kindermusik at one of our studios. Congratulations!

*Winners were randomly selected by drawing them out of a hat! 

Join us for music, dancing, fun… and a little touch o’ the Irish!

Irish-themed activities that will have you dancin’ a jig from class to home!  And our family friendly, multi-age class setting (ages 0 to 7 yrs) makes our March PlayDate the perfect choice for anyone. From playing instruments to dancing together to a delightful Story Time to a joyful Circle Dance, it’s a one-time, Kindermusik-style class that will help you celebrate the delight of childhood, togetherness, and music.  Take-home materials include a music download card and a red egg shaker.  Hope to see you in March… don’t forget to wear something GREEN!

PRESENTED BY:

Kindermusik of Cambridge/KW

WHEN and WHERE:

Friday, March 16 from 10:00-11:00 am at our Cambridge studio, 180 Sheldon Drive

Saturday, March 17 from 1:00-2:00 pm at our Kitchener studio, 900 Guelph Street

FEE:
$15 for first child; $5 for each sibling

HOW to ENROLL:
Call 519-622-5702 to register by phone.

Click HERE to enroll for the Cambridge PlayDate.

Click HERE to enroll for the Kitchener PlayDate.

Love is in the air everywhere I look around

Here at Kindermusik, love IS in the air!

Did you know that 2012 marks our 25th year making music with local families? Our very first students are now in their late 20′s and early 30′s, and some are parents themselves, bringing THEIR children to Kindermusik. Now that’s a whole lotta love! And we need YOU to help us celebrate!

SPECIAL EVENTS PLANNED FEBRUARY 11 TO 18 FOR “WE LOVE KINDERMUSIK” WEEK!

DRESS-UP & HELP US DECORATE THE STUDIO: The studio will be decorated in honour of the month of love and we invite you dress up in pink, white and/or red the week of Feb 11-18.  Additionally, over the next couple of weeks, you will find colouring sheets and crayons on the table in our Gathering Room. We invite your child to colour one before or after class, or take it home if you`re running short on time. We`ll post all completed colouring sheets on our walls to complement the balloons and streamers and fill the place with even more love!

PHOTO CONTEST: We will be building  a bulletin board of all the kiddies we love so much. Email michelle@kindermusik.ca with a photo of your child, including their name, age, which Kindermusik studio they attend (Cambridge or KW), and a sentence describing what they love most about Kindermusik. We will post it on our bulletin board, and once we reach 50 photos, everyone on the board will be entered in a draw to win a $50 Musical Gift Basket! (Note: we will not use the photo for any other purpose without your written consent.)

VALENTINES PLAYDATES:
Monday February 13th from 10:00-11:00am at the Cambridge Studio
Thursday February 16th from 9:30-10:30am at the Kitchener Studio

Admission for our playdates is normally $15 for the first child and $5 for each additional sibling. However, to show our love to you, our currently-enrolled Kindermusik families, admission for this playdate will be only $5 per child and it includes a gift bag for each family containing a musical download card and an instrument. Share your love of Kindermusik by bringing a friend and we’ll extend this special price to them as well. Space is limited. Register here.

SHARE YOUR LOVE ON FACEBOOK:
Share or “like” our Kindermusik of Cambridge/KW page on Facebook. Our fans will be entered in a draw to win a $100 coupon towards a future semester of Kindermusik at one of our studios! But wait, there’s more… Anyone who re-posts the “We Love Kindermusik” logo, above, on their Facebook page  and writes a recommendation on OUR page will receive 5 entries in the draw! Be sure to email michelle@kindermusik.ca to let us know how you participated so we can make sure you get your appropriate number of entries.

You may be thinking, “Oh no!  My child is (choose one)…

• Roaming around the room
• Crying when we put away instruments
• Talking during story time
• Refusing to join in any dances, etc., etc.

“What must the other parents be thinking?”

Relax!  It takes children a few weeks to get used to the routines and rituals in our class. All children learn differently and at different rates. What can you do to help this process?

• Be a consistent role model during class. Your child will follow your lead.
• If your little one is roaming, stay with him/her and continue playing instruments, singing, etc.  I only begin to get concerned if children are running, because I want everyone to stay safe.  Show your child how to move with “walking feet.”
• If your child is crying or feeling overwhelmed, feel free to step out of the room for a minute or two until he or she is ready to return.

Keep playing the music at home, reading the books, and doing the activities outside of class. The more familiar and comfortable you both are with the material, the easier it will be to enjoy yourself and let go in class. Your child will model your level of participation. Think of PRESENCE, not performance. After all, it’s only when we are feeling secure and relaxed, that real learning begins to occur.

By the end of the semester, you’ll be amazed at how much your little one has learned!