Archive for February, 2008
Kindermusik Family Time
Kindermusik’s Family Time program is designed for families with children of all ages. Whether there is one child or many in a family, all will find a unique way to play and bond while learning new songs, and developing new skills. Parents and children alike enjoy the social aspects of this fun family class, as well as the fresh songs, activities, and ideas that can be incorporated into our daily lives.
Although this video is a bit LONG, around 15 min., you will be spellbound in watching the process of music come alive with these families, and learn why you might find it just the RIGHT type of program for your family!
The Family Time program is actually quite flexible, allowing educators to offer 5 week, 10 week, or 15 week semesters. These can be offered during the week days, at night, or even for Saturday classes. Some educators even offer a once a month Saturday class featuring Family Time. It is also offered as a Family Adventure Camp during the Summer. No matter how it is presented, the Family Time program really brings families together to interact in so many new ways with each other (giving siblings MANY alternatives to picking and bickering), and to socialize in such fun ways with other children and adults in a safe and fun family atmosphere.
As with ALL the Kindermusik programs, a quality set of home materials are a integral part of the program. We believe that parents, as a child’s first teacher, has an awesome opportunity to use these tools to continue the learning activities at home – where the child is able to repeat and adapt the activities well enough to really glean all the learning that is possible. For example, check out the themes and ALL of the following materials that comes with:
The Home Materials kit comes in a clear plastic zippered bag with handles and includes:
- Two CDs full of high quality music the whole family will enjoy (including songs used in class);
- Two children’s literature books; Each children’s book also contains a comic strip on the first page featuring the characters in the Jellybean Band, and a fun seek and find picture on the back page.
- A Family Activity Guide with song lyrics, as well as ideas for how to bring the learning home (craft ideas, homemade instrument ideas, etc.) and how to adapt the ideas for differing ages of children.
- Two instruments, specifically designed for children (perfect sizes for little hands and big parades),
- Two puppets, Both a hand puppet and a finger puppet, featuring a Jelly Bean Band character;
- AND a Game in which preschool and older children enjoy expanding on the concepts presented.
You will be impressed at how integrated all the elements of this kit are designed to enhance each other for a whole child learning environment.
There are FOUR units of Family Time, each with their own themes, five sub-themes, and unique parts of materials:
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Our Kind of Day
Our Kind of Day celebrates the routines of the day, offering unique ways to include music throughout the family’s daily activities. These techniques can truly enhance the harmony in family interactions.
Themes: Playtime …. Mealtime …. Clean-up Time …. Bath Time …. Nighttime
Unique Materials: Books: ”Bouncing on the Bed”, and “Head, Shoulders, Knees & Toes”; Double Egg Shakers; Hopper & Bounce, the Kangaroo puppets, and a Jellybean Band Domino game.
***** Here, There, and Everywhere!
This semester celebrates they ways a family goes out and about!
There are songs to accompany road trips, no matter how long, and fun music and ideas to accent your adventures.
Themes: A Visit with a Friend……… An Outing at the Park………. A Trip to the City………….. An Afternoon at the Aquarium………. A Day at the Farm
Unique Materials: Books: ”Jingle, Jangle Jambourine”, and “Flip, Flap, Sugar Snap”; Jambourines; Wags, the Dog puppets; and a Jellybean Band Board Game.
***** 
Moving and Grooving
Moving & Grooving celebrates all the ways to move; with our bodies, with our voices, and with music. The best way to learn concepts is through multi-sensory exploration of opposites. This is music and movement exploration at it’s best!
Themes: Tempo (fast/slow) ……… Levels (high/low) ………. Pathways (Straight/Curvy… & more) ………….. Weight (light/heavy) ………. Energy (sharp/smooth)
Unique Materials: Books: ”Put Your Left Paw In”, and “Catch Me”; Den-Den Drums; Rascal, the Monkey puppets, Card Game based on locomotor movements featuring Jelly Bean Band characters.
***** Make Way for Music ! (materials shown as example set)
Make Way for Music celebrates five magnificent aspects of music, introducing very abstract concepts through singing, moving, and personal involvement in the process of making music.
Themes: Beat and Rhythm……… Concepts and Contrasts………. Our Voices………….. Instrument Families………. Ensemble
Unique Materials: Books: ”Drum Circle”, and “Animals on Parade”; Finger Drums; Rex, the Lion puppets, Card Game featuring instruments of the orchestra.
Find out more information, and locate a teacher near you at www.kindermusik.com .
Read Full Post | Make a Comment ( None so far )Kindermusik Village
Kindermusik “Village“ , designed through the best research for babies up to 18 months old.
The Village program is the perfect “Village” atmosphere, where moms and babies come to spend quality fun time together, away from regular routines and responsibilities. Yet they find a comfortable place to explore the social world of a group setting, while singing, dancing, and exploring instruments and props, such as scarves, balls, parachutes, and more. Parents also learn how music truly influences the development of the whole child through everyday interactions with their babies.
Each semester of Village include a unique set of home materials based on the thematic focus. Kindermusik fully believes that the parent is the child’s first teacher, and that the primary learning takes place in the home and throughout the routines of their day. By having the following tools, families are able to enhance their ability to incorporate music, movement, language, and learning activities with their babies througout the day, and more fully understand the importance of these activities to their babies’ development. Each set of home materials include the following:
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A high quality CD which includes a great selection of music from around the world and across different styles, with unique arrangements for each one that allows the child to hear a variety of instruments and a variety of voices. Throughout the class we use this music in a variety of ways, and the child’s familiarity with the music has a profound effect on their participation in class, and how much they gain from the experience.
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A Children’s literature book – a board book featuring delightful large color images, and fun words to encourage vocal play.
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Art Banners – Two heavy stock strips that include the pictures from the book. These are beneficial in aiding the baby’s visual and language development.
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An Instrument clearly designed to match the theme, and make specifically for babies, so that the finish and parts are SAFE for the FULL exploration they will get.
Spring 2010 Semesters
Cock-a-Doodle Moo! – Hop on the hayride – it’s time to head for the farm!
In this unit of Kindermusik Village, families will sing songs about the farm, including a new twist on “Old MacDonald”, joyous riding songs like “Hayride”, and a cool new toe tickler “This Little Cow Eats Grass”. They’ll engage in rituals and playful activities for baby and parent or care provider, all centered on farm life and the unique animals found there.
DewDrops – Stop and smell the roses – and the Lily of the Valley, and the Tulips,
and the Pansies… in the DewDrops unit of Kindermusik Village, families will play and move together to songs about flowers, such as “Jasmine Flower”, “How Does your Garden Grow?”, and “White Coral Bells”. The CD is infused with traditional Irish music – to which we: dance a jig, prance to the Irish Trot, and exercise to “Did You Ever See a Lassie”. Aye, ladie, it’s a great deal of fun!
Fall 2010 Semesters
Zoom Buggy – Babies love to zoom around – in a stroller or a wagon, and eventually through playing with cars and toy rocketships. This semester celebrates all the fun vehicles on a scale just right for babies. All those airplane sounds you make with a spoon during feeding time actually helps your baby learn language. You’ll learn how sounds like this can develop physical, social, cognitive, and emotional skills as well.
Dream Pillow – Nightime, and all that goes with it, is an important part of babies routine. We celebrate the evening routines, the moon, and the stars, and the beautiful voices that babies hear soothing them. There are some fabulous lullabies, but don’t be fooled, the fun activities of this semester will NOT put YOU to sleep.
Spring 2011
Hickory, Dickory, Tickle and Bounce – The classic world of mother goose, as well as time-honored songs, fingerplays, lap bounces and circle dances from around the world are celebrated in this fun semester. The book is a favorite among Kindermusik families, and features a little mouse who plays around the clock in such a way as to teach spatial concepts.
The Rhythm of My Day – A child’s day is filled with routines that help that child feel safe, allowing them to turn their focus to learning from their environment. This semester celebrates the rhythmic nature of these routines, and notably creates and/or enhances the special rituals that occur between the parent and the child during these routines. The music on this CD is Jammin’, full of island style calypso and complex rhythmic beats from many cultures – it is a Favorite of Kindermusik families.
Fall 2011
Feathers – Oh, the wonderous variety of birds there are in this world! The themes for this semester focus on the different colors and sounds from birds all over the world, as well as celebrating the Fall season in which so many birds take flight. There is an earthy feel from the Native American music, as well as the chipper Kookaburra song from Australia, and so much more of this wonderful CD.
Do-Si-Do – “Boom-Pa-Pa, Boom-Pa-Pa, Tango, Cha-Cha, 1-2-3, Waltz with Me, Boom-Pa-Pa-Pa” is the resounding and repeating from from this wonderful book, song, and semester that celebrates the world of dance and the music that has been written to accompany all of it’s many forms. This is not a dance class, but you and the baby will learn to move to these various rhythms in a way that will provide the baby with a good steady beat and feel for rhythmic phrases.
Find out more information, and locate a teacher near you at www.kindermusik.com .
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Kindermusik in Florida 
