WHAT ARE Music Together^®® CLASSES LIKE?
Classes are made up of 6 to 12 children accompanied by a parent or caregiver.

Ten weekly, 45-minute classes include songs, rhythm chants, movement, and instrument play. These activities are presented as informal, non-performance-oriented musical experiences--developmentally appropriate for children and easy for parents and caregivers--regardless of their own musical ability. Two CD's and a Songbook with the current session's music selections are included!

The songs are presented through a variety of musical activities which incorporate....
-- Fun playful, interactive ways to focus on tonal and rhythmic elements of music
-- Small and large movement
-- Free, expressive dance
-- Instrumental accompaniment (egg shakers, jingle bells, sticks, rhythm instruments)
-- Use of props (scarves, dynabands, etc.)
-- Opportunities for improvisation by children as well as parents

Classes have a characteristic flow which allows for various ages to all participate and make music together, each at his own level. Certain rituals, such as the Hello Song at the beginning, and the sequence of Instrumental Jam Session, Lullaby, and Goodbye Song, at the end of class, help children internally pace their involvement and aid in classroom management.

Parent education during class will increase your understanding of the relevance of class activities to childhood music development.

Music Together parents discover what a powerful ROLE MODEL they are to their child, just by having fun with the music themselves. In doing so, they often find that their own musicality flourishes as well.




WHY ARE THE CLASSES MIXED-AGE?
Interactions are parent-child not child-child as in a preschool setting.
-- Our goal is to create an environment of family music making. Classes have more of a family feel rather than a school orientation.   Siblings can participate together, as well as moms, dads, grandparents, and caregivers. 
-- A child's stage of musical development does NOT strictly coincide with his/her age.
-- The Music Together curriculum offers many levels of instruction SIMULTANEOUSLY.
-- Early childhood educators are now recommending mixed-age groupings as a better learning environment promoting social  development and self-esteem. Older children learn from being in a leadership role, and younger children benefit from the example of an older child.

DO INFANTS REALLY BENEFIT?

Yes! Infant participation will seem passive at first, as they actively absorb what they are seeing, hearing, and feeling.

Through reading the parent guide and through parent education in class, parents will learn to recognize their infant's musical responses and observe them reaching musical milestones.

As their bodies and nervous systems mature, the infants often show progressively more complex musical responses and evidence of song recognition.

Parents will learn in class how to enhance their child's music development and to create or enhance the musical bond with their child.