Kindermusik Program

Please see below for course descriptions and schedule information for our spring semester 2010 Kindermusik classes. Registration for these classes is now open and may be accomplised by phoning the Music Conservatory at 706.641.5124.

General Information about Kindermusik

The Music Conservatory offers your family a complete program of Kindermusik classes with age appropriate activities for lap-babies through 5-year-olds. Kindermusik classes explore many developmentally appropriate facets of the musical experience such as; speaking and singing, moving, listening, creating and playing percussion instruments.

Research supports that music helps prepare the mind for specific disciplines of learning; skills learned through music carry over into study skills, communications skills, cognitive skills and abstract reasoning skills useful to all parts of life. Studying music encourages self discipline and diligence traits that carry over into mathematics, science, foreign languages, civics and government, economics, arts, history and geography.

Don Campbell, author of The Mozart Effect, traced neurological development during childhood and found prior to a major spurt of neural integration in the brain during the elementary school years, learning occurs through movement and quick emotional associations. For example, by age two, the brain has begun to fuse with the body via marching, dancing, and developing a sense of physical rhythm. The more music children are exposed to before they enter school, the more deeply this stage of neural coding will assist them throughout their lives. Kindermusik experience opens the musical learning paths that will completely transform and enrich your child's life, whether it leads them to Carnegie Hall, a church choir, or the keys of a family piano.

Since each age and stage of the Kindermusik curriculum provides unique, age-appropriate learning opportunities, enrollment in any one of classes does not require prior Kindermusik experience.

• Kindermusik Village, the first class, is designed for infants to 18 months,
• The second class, Kindermusik Our Time, enriches the lives of children 18 months to 3 years of age and
• Kindermusik Imagine That, is the third classes, is especially designed for children ages 3 to 5 years.
• Kindermusik Sign and Sing for ages 9 mos.- 3 years, is a separate music and language program that combines songs and playful interaction to help children learn sign language. This class may be taken together with or independently of other Kindermusik classes.

Every Kindermusik class is taught by a licensed Kindermusik instructor and all our Kindermusik classes take place at the RiverCenter for the Performing Arts located in the RiverPark campus o Columbus State University downtown Columbus, Georgia. Kindermusik At Home Materials are included within course fees. Depending on their age, children receive professionally recorded CDs of all the music covered in class, picture books, and rhythm instruments and craft supplies.

Our upcoming spring semester of Kindermusik Village, Our Time, and Imagine That classes begins Saturday, January 16, 2010 and runs for 15 weeks through May 1, 2010.  Classes will not meet Saturday, March 13, 2010 due our Spring Break The price for each of the classes above is $179 per 15 week section. Kindermusik Sign and Sing is a ten-week class which starts Saturday, February 20, 2010 and concludes Saturday, May 1, 2010. The price for this class is $149 per 10 week section.

Registration for all Kindermusik classes opens Monday, July 20, 2010. Our Kindermusik classes are very popular, so early registration is strongly advised. Please note: The deadline to register for Kindermusik classes is Thursday, January 7, 2010. Provided space is available registrations will still be taken after this deadline, however, an additional fee of $15 will be applied to all registrations received after Thursday, January 7, 2010. So, please register early to guarantee your child's place in the class and to save $15.

Having trouble deciding if Kindermusik is right for you? If so, please click here. 

Kindermusik Class Description & Schedule - Spring Semester 2010

General Information on Kindermusik Village
[Ages: Newborn to 18 months]

A wonderful bonding experience, the Kindermusik Village class provides a delightful environment unlike any other. Through a unique blend of multi-level activities that include creative movement, vocal play, object and instrument exploration, and a colorful literature component, baby's growth and development are stimulated and all senses engaged.

Village is for lap babies, crawlers, and walkers. It incorporates the most current research on early childhood development and provides families a special place for learning and connecting with other parents and babies through music and movement.

Kindermusik Village [newborn to 18 months] The following two Village curricula will be featured during our spring semester 2010. Cock-a-doodle-Moo! -- Hop on the hayride—it’s time to head for the farm! In this class, you will sing songs about the farm, including “Old MacDonald,” “Hayride,” and “Clever Cows.” You’ll engage in rituals and playful activities with your baby, including infant massage, lap bounces, exercise, and quiet time. DewDrops -- Stop and smell the roses—and lily of the valley, and tulips, and pansies. In this class, parents and babies will play and move together to songs about flowers, such as “Jasmine Flower,” “How Does Your Garden Grow?,” and “White Coral Bells.” You’ll also hear traditional Irish music, dance a jig and move to the “Irish Trot.”

Instructor: Martha Aguirre, licensed Kindermusik Instructor
Class meets: Saturdays 9:15-10:00am for fifteen weeks
Dates: January 16 – May 1, 2010
Note: Class will not meet March 13, 2010
Class Size: Class with no more than 12 babies with parents
Fee: $179.00
Registration: Phone the Music Conservatory at 706.641.5124

What Parent and Child Will Experience In a Kindermusik Village Class

Variety of Music Musical diversity builds strong neural networks in a baby's forming mind, which is why each Kindermusik semester contains an array of styles, sounds, and genres.

Instrument Play Age-appropriate experiences with child-safe instruments enhance a sense of rhythm and steady beat, develops a keen awareness of the distinguishing qualities of sound, and encourages spontaneity and creativity.

Dance A classroom full of baby and adult pairs dancing together helps a little body develop the muscle strength needed to crawl and walk and helps a little heart to fall in love with the sheer joy of responding to music.

Together Time A Kindermusik class is truly the essence of "quality time," offering the parent a place to create special memories with their child, gain new insights into their child's development, and nurture their child's natural love of music.

Expert Advice A Kindermusik Educator explains "what-to-watch-for" every step of the way and how each activity enhances a child's complete development.

Learning Continues at Home With the home materials, the learning continues at home with the child's best teacher-the parent!

Enrollment in Kindermusik Village Includes:

• Developmentally appropriate curriculum for parents and babies, ages newborn to 18 months
• Small class size: No more than 12 babies with parents
• 15-week semester with two different, curricula
• Weekly 45-minute class that includes new and unique parent and baby activities
• Two sets of At Home Materials-one for each mini-theme-each including a CD of music from class, literature board book, age-appropriate instrument, and a set of art banners
• Learn over 30 songs, lullabies, and nursery rhymes and play over 200 activities together by the semester's end  

General Information on Kindermusik Our Time
[Ages: 18 months to 3 years]

Our Time encourages toddlers to uncover an engaging musical world while building confidence, self-control, and communications skills. Singing, imitating sounds, rhyming, and object identification foster language skills, while creative movement to various musical "moods" develops a sense of balance, timing, and spatial awareness. Listening and turn-taking encourage blossoming social skills.

Our Time reflects the emotional foundations of school readiness and the latest research on music and early childhood development. Our Time is a unique opportunity for parent and child to interact and learn together in an unhurried and joyful manner.

Kindermusik Our Time [18 months to 3 years] The featured curriculum for Our Time for the spring semester 2010 of Our Time is Away We Go! -- Hop on the train, get in the car, board the plane, and Away We Go! This class focuses on transportation, a favorite topic for toddlers who are on the go, go, go! Sing and play along with favorite songs, such as “I’ve Been Workin’ on the Railroad” and “Wheels on the Bus”. Explore fast and slow, smooth and bumpy, and high and low. Read stories about ways to get around. Shiny Dinah tells the story of a train, and Giddy-Up! has a horse, speedboat, racecar, and more to help you get where

Instructor: Martha Aguirre, licensed Kindermusik Instructor
Class meets: Saturdays 10:15-11:00am for fifteen weeks
Dates: January 16 – May 1, 2010
Note: Class will not meet March 13, 2010
Class Size: No more than 12 children with parents
Fee: $179.00
Registration: Phone the Music Conservatory at 706.641.5124

What Parent and Child Will Experience In a Kindermusik Our Time Class

Instrument exploration and ensemble skill development Children will explore the physical characteristics and sounds of age-appropriate instruments which will eventually lead them to discover their potential for beat, rhythm, melody, and ensemble playing.

Vocal play Through vocal play, toddlers learn to form vowels and consonants, say words and phrases, and imitate rhythm and vocal inflection. In Kindermusik Our Time, vocal play is presented within the context of songs, chants, and activities done in class.

Exploration Time Children will love discovering specially designed instruments, textures, sounds, and movements.

Story time and early literacy Listening to stories enhances language and speech development and fosters awareness of sounds, teaches use of language, and sends the message that words and symbols have meaning. The same experiences that help toddlers learn to read a book also help them learn to read music.

Movement Activities Each class provides various opportunities for movement such as synchronized movement, group dances and circle games, and even expressive movement.

Together Time Kindermusik is the essence of quality time, allowing parents to make the most of the fleeting toddler years, giving them the time and the tools to make music and memories together in class and at home.

Expert Advice A Kindermusik educator explains how the musically based activities enhance a toddler's complete development.

Enrollment in Kindermusik Our Time Includes

• Developmentally appropriate curriculum for parents & toddlers, ages 18 months to 3 years
• 15-week semester
• Weekly 45-minute class-length
• Home Materials including Family Activity Guide, two literature books, instrument, and two CDs of music from class 

General Information on Kindermusik Imagine That
[Ages: 3-5 years]

Kindermusik Imagine That! takes the preschooler on a musical journey of discovery and exploration...a journey limited only by the power of imagination. Pretend play activities are integrated with music, vocal development, storytelling, movement, and literature to capture the preschooler's potential to learn and to encourage cognitive and literacy skills, creativity and individuality.

His blanket becomes a superhero's cape. A cardboard box doubles as her princess castle. Pots and pans become a drum set. And she sings all the time. Sound like someone you know? Every day brings a new discovery for the preschooler-slowly opening the doors of individuality and independence. Using the power of music, Kindermusik's Imagine That! taps into the preschooler's creative spirit and boundless energy and focuses on developing learning strengths and self-confidence so he'll be ready for school, prepared for future music lessons...or able to leap tall buildings.

Designed for active, energetic, enthusiastic, and imaginative children ages 3 to 5, Imagine That! classes encourage socialization, sharing, and participating in group activities. Singing becomes a focus for enhancing the preschooler's vocal development as expressive language is just beginning to emerge. The parent and child have fun participating together in the last 10-15 minutes of class during Sharing Time, where they'll also learn about Home Activities they can enjoy together throughout the week.

Kindermusik Imagine That [Ages: 3 to 5 years] The featured curriculum for Imagine That for the spring semester 2010 is Toys I Make, Trips I Take-- Think of it like taking a course inside a child’s imagination. We’ll use the theme of a toy shop to make our pretend-creations, using rhythm and songs with every imaginary saw, hammer, and nail. The result is building the preschooler’s sense of a sequence of events, which is good for storytelling, as well as making his ideas a reality.

Instructor: Martha Aguirre, licensed Kindermusik Instructor
Class meets: Saturdays 11:15am-12:00pm for fifteen weeks
Dates: January 16 – May 1, 2010
Note: Class will not meet March 13, 2010
Class Size: Class with no more than 10 children
Parent Involvement: Last 10-15 minutes of class
Fee: $179.00
Registration: Phone the Music Conservatory at 706.641.5124

What a Parent & Child Will Experience in a Kindermusik Imagine That Class

Pretend Play Pretend play activities are integrated with music, vocal development, storytelling, listening, movement, and literacy aspects of each class. When based upon a child's real life experiences, pretend play helps develop language, sensory, motor, and cognitive skills.

Musical Variety and Singing Activities include a mixture of musical genres and styles and provide a setting for children to explore their many voices and to use a "singing voice." Singing helps with memory and recall, physical development, creativity, and socialization.

Storytelling and Literacy Each class is built on the development of a story, so you'll hear preschoolers search for the word to say what they mean and try to keep up with their busy minds, emerging wants, needs, likes, and dislikes.

Parent Involvement Preschoolers are learning to be self-sufficient in a group setting of peers, while many times still needing the emotional security provided by a parent. The preschooler experiences both in Imagine That! Caregivers participate in the last 10-15 minutes of class. Plus the At Home Materials ensures the learning continues at home with each child's best teacher-the parent!

Enrollment in Kindermusik Imagine That Includes:

• Developmentally appropriate curriculum for parents and preschoolers, ages 3 to 5 years
• 15-week semester
• Weekly 45-minute class includes a variety of activities, with the last several activities in class shared with parents
• At Home Materials-40-page activity book, two literature books, play set or game, instrument, and two CDs of music from class

General Information on Kindermusik Sign & Sing
[Ages: 9 months to 3 years]

From the moment a parent meets that little one, there is a strong desire to understand. What is he thinking? Is he hungry, tired, too cold, content? Early on every baby also has an innate desire to communicate. In a Kindermusik Sign & Sing class (developed by Signing Smart^TM), we give parents the tools and knowledge to communicate with their babies using American Sign Language.

Through songs and play, both parents and babies learn signs for words like "mommy" and "eat," and as well as practical signs like "more" "milk" and when he's "all done." This research-proven signing class for hearing children speeds language development, eases frustration, and enhances long-term learning abilities.

Kindermusik Sign & Sing [Ages 9 months to 3 years] Playtime and everyday items around the house-such as a ball, bubbles, and family members-are learning themes in this introduction to American Sign Language for a child and caregiver. Parents will benefit from the session's four, research-proven strategies shown to speed language development in hearing children, developed by the child development and sign language experts Signing Smart^TM. With the DVD's visual dictionary showing parents and children making over 60 signs, plus a pocket-sized set of flashcards of the pictures and the words of the signs, parents easily incorporate sign language into their daily routines, favorite nursery rhymes, and stories. The second half of the semester introduces more signs using animals and toys as a learning theme, and delves into a deeper understanding of the Four Keys to Signing Smart introduced earlier. With a special focus on helping children understand signs used in different contexts, the At Home Materials include a children's DVD called The Treasure Chest: Signs, Songs, and Rhymes, and features mini-music videos of children singing well-loved songs using the signs, as well as showing the printed word across the bottom of the screen-giving children multiple ways to learn the words, the sign, and the language. Home Materials: Family Activity Guide, DVD, clip-on flashcards

Instructor: Martha Aguirre, licensed Kindermusik Instructor
Class meets: Saturdays 12:30-1:15pm for fifteen weeks
Dates: January 16 – May 1, 2010
Note: Class will not meet March 13, 2010
Fee: $149.00
Registration: Phone the Music Conservatory at 706.641.5124

What a Parent and Child Experience In a Kindermusik Sign & Sing Class

Play, sign, and sing Using everyday items in engaging small and large group activities, we'll sing songs and practice the sign as we say the words, play with toys, and help the children learn both the spoken word and the sign.

Expert advice Parents will learn to spot their babies' most "teachable moments" and the sign language teaching methods of the experts. Plus they'll learn to recognize and respond to their children's versions of signs.

Communication through sign language When a child is chasing a bubble or asking for the ball, make the sign for it and say the word. So a child has the ways to associate the word with the object: the child holds the ball, hears the parent say the word, and then sees the adult make the sign.

Enrollment in Kindermusik Sign & Sing Includes

• Developmentally appropriate American Sign language curriculum for parents and hearing children, ages 9 months to 3 years
• 10 week semester
• Weekly 45 minute class
• At Home Materials include a Family Activity Guide, DVD, and Clip-On Flashcards showing adults and children using signs
• Over 75 sign language activities and games to play together