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!

Our winner was 2-1/2 year old Jamie Hallman, who is registered in Mrs Murray’s Wed 10:30 Our Time class at our Kitchener location.

Pictured are Jamie, Carrie and Dylan

Jamie Hallman and his twin brother, Dylan, at two and a half years of age, are veterans of the Kindermusik program which they began as babes in arms. In this they followed in the footsteps of their
“big sister” Carrie who at the age of four and a half had already been a long-time student of the program. According to Jamie’s mom, “Participating in Kindermusik is a rich and rewarding experience for Jamie. Not only does he actively take part in the class activities, but with his siblings he also sings and listens to music at home. For Jamie, who is sometimes more quiet and introspective than his brother Dylan, Kindermusik provides the opportunity to respond directly to the music and to the activities guided by his teacher, Pat Murray. Jamie is Mrs. Murray’s most enthusiastic pupil and it is a true delight to see him blossom in this way. In fact, each of the three children, in his or her own way, has benefited greatly from the experiences gained at Kindermusik. It has truly been a transformative experience for each of them.”

We wish them many more wonderful years of making music together!

To ensure a space in the class of your choice, please be sure to register as soon as possible for the Spring Semester, which begins the 3rd week of January–just click here to login in to your account. Classes are filling up so don’t delay!

Not sure if your child should be moving up to the next curriculum? Click here.

Every newborn communicates from birth to 3 months using 5 distinct sounds that signal hunger, tiredness, need to burp, lower wind/gas and discomfort. This is regardless of the language their parents speak. It is not a learned language. Rather, it is a natural way for every baby to express their physical needs.

This is important information for all new parents to know–how to tune your ear to the 5 ‘words’ of your baby’s pre-cry, so you can immediately understand and address her needs, before the tears become uncontrollable.

The ‘words’ that form the basis of what is known as the Dunstan Baby Language, are sounds that are based on baby’s physical responses, her reflexes. For example, when a baby is hungry it will start to suck, and as sound is added to the reflex, the ‘word’ for hunger is produced. These are the baby’s first communications, which occur before actual crying develops. The sooner the ‘word’ for hunger is identified the sooner a parent can respond by feeding, resulting in less crying and less discomfort for baby – and for parents.

It was eight years of research that revealed this system of sounds – the language that is shared by all babies. To learn more, watch this:

Next semester in our Village classes, we are going to put this knowledge to the test! Join us  with your baby, newborn to 17 months to learn to recognize and act upon your baby’s needs  and development through music.

Stay in the loop! Join our Facebook Fan Page today.

By Evelyn Jacks
Reprinted from The Toronto Star
August 22, 2011

Did you just drop a bundle on school supplies, and performance enhancing running shoes as you prepared for a new school year? Fortunately, financial relief may be only a tax return away. Just keep the right receipts and you’ll get a bigger tax refund come spring. In fact, if you take advantage of all the provisions below, depending on the criteria, you may save $800 plus per child this year.

Children’s Fitness Tax Credit

Claimable since 2007, this credit recognizes eligible expenses for sports and fitness activities taken by each child under age 16, up to a maximum of $500. (Parents of a disabled child under 18 get to claim more.) Some interesting activities qualify–sailing, bowling and golf lessons, for example, in addition to the more typical hockey and soccer.

In your pocket: You’ll save 15% of every dollar you fork out, up to the limits above. That’s a maximum of $75 for each healthy child. Since this is a non-refundable tax credit, it offsets federal taxes you otherwise pay. No benefit, in short, to those who pay no federal tax.

Children’s Arts Tax Credit [KINDERMUSIK QUALIFIES!]

New this year is a federal tax credit for costs of participation in artistic, cultural, recreational or developmental activities. It includes literary, visual and performing arts, music or language lessons, too. Costs of instruction, equipment, uniforms, facility rental and administration costs included in the registration or membership fees qualify.

In your pocket: Expect your refund to grow by up to another $75 as described above. Again, that’s a maximum of 15% of $500, used to offset other federal taxes payable. Not allowed: fees paid for programs that are part of a regular school curriculum. Nor are costs for travel, meals and accommodation. Be careful to choose programs of the right length, too. [Kindermusik qualifies!] Your tax adviser can help you decipher the rules or visit the Canada Revenue Agency’s website [regarding other programs you may have your child enrolled in].

Ontario Children’s Activity Tax Credit [KINDERMUSIK QUALIFIES!]

This credit was available on your Ontario Tax Credit Form in 2010 and is back this year. It lets you claim up to $500 paid for each eligible child in an eligible activity. (Double that amount if you spend at least $100 on an activity for a disabled child).

In your pocket: You get back 10% of all the money spent on eligible activities, or $50 more, per child, on top of the value of your federal credits. The good news about this one is it’s refundable–you’ll get it even if you don’t pay provincial taxes.

Child-Care Expenses

You may have enrolled your little ones in summer daycamp, while you work, but the “prescribed” activities may not qualify for the credits above. They may, instead, qualify for the deduction of for child-care expenses, which means you could get more bang for your buck. An increased Canada Child Tax Benefit is possible too. Child-care expenses must be claimed by the spouse who earns the lower income, with no benefit if one spouse is a stay-at-home parent, has a very low income, or non-qualifying income (such as Employment Insurance benefits, for example). Where an activity qualifies for both the deduction and the tax credits, it must be claimed as child-care expenses. The balance can be claimed via the tax credits.

In your pocket: Because this is a deduction, not a credit, claiming a child-care deduction will provide a larger marginal tax benefit, the higher your income. For example, at the top marginal tax rate in Ontario, you’ll get back close to half of your $500 costs, as opposed to a maximum benefit of $75.

[Further  savings can be acquired for medical expenses, and public transportation costs. Speak to your tax adviser or visit www.cra-arc.gc.ca for details.]

Recover Refunds on Missed Claims

If you forgot to make any claims in the past, you can always request an adjustment to prior filed returns. There is a maximum 10-year period for most corrections. To tap the 2001 tax year make a request before Dec 31.

In your pocket: The sky’s the limit, depending on number of kids, activities, medical conditions, babysitters, and income level. Stash the refund in your children’s post-secondary education savings. Then, remind them often that with the right education, they’ll be financially set to enroll you in that luxury retirement residence (the one with the hot tub)!

Winnipeg tax expert and author Evelyn Jacks’ latest book is Essential Tax Facts. She is president of The Knowledge Bureau which offers professional development to tax and financial services advisers.

Buy a dozen, Bring a dozen!

Our 3rd Annual Holiday Bake Sale will take place at both our Cambridge and Kitchener locations from  December 3-9 during class hours, while quantities last. ALL proceeds will go to the Joshua Walker Scholarship Fund for Children with Special Needs in Kindermusik.

As you prepare for the holiday season, we ask that you make an extra dozen (or more!) goodies and bring them to the studio the day you come for class that week. All items should be packaged by the dozen and of course, you are welcome to bring more than one dozen. The more we have to sell, the more money we can raise for the fund. Nut-free items should be labelled. Thank you so much for your support of Kindermusik and the Joshua Walker Scholarship Fund.

Josh, with his mom, at age 3

Who was Joshua Walker?
For 3 years, Joshua Walker was a very special student at Kindermusik of Cambridge. He suffered from a rare, medical condition known as Mitochrondrial Cytopathy and was not expected to live beyond 6 months of age. When he passed away in 2002, the teachers created a scholarship fund in his honour.

Since that time, every semester, the fund has allowed us to provide Kindermusik tuition-free to approximately 10 children with special needs. Thanks to the generosity of the Preston Chapter IODE, Sutherland-Schultz Inc., and our wonderful Kindermusik families, we have been able to keep both the music, and Josh’s memory, alive. Please help us continue to do so. To learn more about how Kindermusik helps children with special needs, click here.

Did you know that your child is repeating that something until he or she has it mastered? Have you noticed that once that occurs, they are on to something else? Predictability can be tedious for adults, but children thrive on sameness & repetition.

Here are some facts about the importance of repetition in your child’s learning…
~Repetition builds and strengthens neural connections, which trains your child’s brain to think faster.
~Those neural connections have a motto… “USE IT OR LOSE IT”!
~Repetition builds muscle mapping, which can even affect emotional and cognitive behaviors as well!
~Routines and rituals are a form of repetition we use in class every week. Greeting rituals help children feel comfortable, acknowledged and ready to learn. They build a sense of security, create familiarity and safety within a new environment. In fact, those are our primary goals for the first few weeks of class.

Repetition of activities not only aids in learning, it is helping to create our Kindermusik class community!

You may have begun to notice our routines and rituals are starting to transfer outside of the classroom, too. Is your child singing the hello song over and over? Is she repeating a sound, action or behavior she experienced in class? Is she asking for the same song on her CD repeatedly? That’s repetition in action!

From infancy on, children count on routine & ritual for comfort & security. Routines offer children cues for what is expected of them and give them a sense of control over their environment. A child who knows what will happen next and what’s expected of him/her is better able to participate, act independently and with more confidence.

One of the things I love most about Kindermusik is that it is much more than a weekly class. That’s one of the reasons why it’s such a great value. For example, your At Home materials are just the tools you need to continue that one-of-a-kind Kindermusik experience together as a family throughout the week.

Everything in Kindermusik’s At Home Materials has a learning purpose for your child. That’s because more than 25 years of early childhood development research applies to every instrument, CD, book, activity, song, and game.

Kindermusik believes that YOU are your child’s first and most important teacher. We also know that children learn best through repetition, and that often they learn best where they’re most comfortable – at home. Your At Home Materials empower you to take Kindermusik from class to home where the games, songs, dances, books, and quiet times make it easy for you to infuse music, joy, learning, and togetherness into your daily routine.

Here are some ways to use your Home Materials to their fullest:
~Keep the Home CDs in the car and play them while you’re out and about. Follow the instructions on the small card that came with your Home Materials to download your Home CDs and extra activities for FREE!
~Store the rest of the components in a special bag or container at home. Pull them out whenever you have a few minutes for music or an impromptu concert — after breakfast, while you’re fixing dinner, just before bed, etc.
~Use the Home Materials to learn the songs and activities for yourself. You’ll be able to be more interactive in class, plus you’ll have a whole new repertoire of inspiration for music-making no matter where you are.
~Read the weekly emails from your teacher for ideas for the suggested activity for that particular week.

Kindermusik is not about developing little Mozarts. It’s about developing life-enhancing skills in the whole child – cognitive, physical, social, emotional, language, and musical. And it’s also about giving you the time, the tools, and the inspiration to create the treasured, musical moments you can linger in for a lifetime.

Dress in your black and/or orange clothes when you come for class the week of October 24-31! Please note that there will be no classes the evening of October 31st.

Halloween Family Fun Night
October 27, 6:30-8:00pm

Join us for some Halloween Family Fun at either our Cambridge or KW studio!

Dress in your costume, and enjoy some Halloween songs, stories and games, treats and a costume parade!

This is our third year running this very popular, free event and it does fill up quickly.

RSVP by emailing our office with the following info:

1. # of children in your party
2. # of adults
3. Your preferred location: Cambridge or Kitchener

Or give us a call to RSVP at 519-622-5702.

Kindermusik is so much more than just a music class and we want you to get the most from your experience with us. Please take the time to read this important information.

To see the program in which you are enrolled, as well as the date of your first class, you must login to your account, where you will also be able to…

• View and print your transactions
• Update your contact & billing information
• Register for other classes
• And much more!

Anytime you wish to login to your account, you can quickly do so from our website. You’ll find a link at the top right and also in the QuickLinks menu at the bottom centre of our home screen.

Parent/Caregiver Involvement:     

Always sing and participate enthusiastically in class. Use your teacher as your model and choose a way to do the activities with your child that matches his/her developmental level and personality. Our motto is FOLLOW THE CHILD! The only rule we have around here is to always be SAFE & RESPECTFUL of others.

What to Bring:

Dress lightly and comfortably, since we will be moving around a fair bit and the room tends to get a little warm. We have a “No Shoes Policy” in the studio. You may leave your footwear and outerwear in the foyer. Please bring all valuables into the classroom and leave everything else, including car seats, soothers, bottles, and snacks in our waiting area.

Your At-Home Materials:

One of the best parts of your enrollment are your Kindermusik Home Materials. These have been carefully designed to help you take all the fun, play, and learning from class to home. With each new theme we’ll introduce each semester, you’ll receive a new set of materials.

As you’ll discover this week when you pop in your child’s CD, one of the most magical things about Kindermusik is the MUSIC! Beautifully-mastered and recorded, our CDs will be a cherished part of your family collection for years to come. And now, you can even download your class music. Just go to play.kindermusik.com, click on REGISTER and enter the ISBN code from any of the books that your child received at his/her first week of classes. As a Kindermusik family, the music from this semester and every semester you are enrolled is yours on CD and in digital format for your mobile devices!

And, coming in October, your free subscription to Parents Canada Magazine will begin and continue as long as you are a Kindermusik family at Kindermusik of Cambridge/KW. Just another perk for being a part of our award-winning program!

What if my child is sick:

If your child has a fever, please wait until he/she is fever-free for 24 hours before returning to class. If your child has suffered a stomach bug or has thrown up within the last 24 hours please keep them at home. If your child has a severe cough, thick nasal discharge, rash or conjunctivitis please let them rest at home. Rest assured you can make up the class. Our generous make-up policy allows you “three for free”. Click here to schedule a make-up.

Communication:

Communications and information will be distributed by email, in class, or will be available for pick up at the studio. Class-related questions or messages for your child’s teacher should be left at the studio…

KITCHENER:  519-603-0144 or email: kw@kindermusikcambridge.com
CAMBRIDGE:  519-622-5702 or email: info@kindermusik.ca

All other inquiries for both locations should be directed to the main office: 519-622-5702 or email: info@kindermusik.ca

Where to find us:

KW Studio:   900 Guelph Street
Cambridge Studio:   180 Sheldon Drive

Payment Policies:

Full payment (either post-dated or prepaid) is required on or before the first day of class. Your child’s teacher will be able to answer or direct any questions you may have, as well as collect any outstanding payments.

If you registered within two weeks of the start of this session, your child’s materials may not be available at the first class. To avoid this in the future, please be sure to register early.

Our Satisfaction Guarantee:

If you aren’t completely happy with your Kindermusik experience after attending the first three consecutive classes, we’ll refund or credit all fees except for the cost of Home Materials, which are yours to keep and enjoy.

In the event of a cancellation, there are no refunds for At-Home Materials that have been prepared for class or opened. Any refund on tuition will be effective the date of cancellation. After the third class, tuition refunds will be subject to a $25 cancellation fee unless the client requests a credit on their account in lieu of a refund.