Our Ruby loves to sing and dance as most 2 year olds do. We were provided with a Music Together children’s music class in our area, to review. Over the next 2 months I will honestly tell you what I think of the class that we attend. First let me tell you a bit about the Music Together program.
Music Together® was founded in late 1980’s and currently serves over 2000 communities in the United States, Canada, and 25 other countries around the world. Through its parent-child, preschool, and outreach programs, both at home and abroad, Music Together is dedicated to offering the benefits and joys of music making to as many families as possible. During the classes children and their grownups joyfully share songs, rhymes, movement, and instrument play. Music Together’s research-based curriculum not only develops music skills, it nurtures creativity, self-expression, and confidence while also supporting social, emotional, cognitive, and physical development.
What to expect from a Music Together class:
- Fully trained, registered Music Together teachers lead groups of six to twelve children and their parents or caregivers (nannies, babysitters, grandparents, or relatives) in forty-five minutes of music and movement experiences.
- Each weekly class offers a dozen songs and rhythmic rhymes, including fingerplays, small- and large-movement activities, and instrument play.
- Children and their adults have opportunities to create and improvise—making up new words to songs, offering movement ideas, making silly sounds, and sharing musical ideas from the family’s play at home.
- The relaxed, playful, non-performance-oriented classroom setting respects and supports the unique learning styles, developmental levels, and temperaments of all participants, creating a strong sense of community.
- Families receive two new CDs each semester—one for home and one for on-the-go—along with an illustrated songbook that’s filled with music-making ideas for spontaneous music play beyond the weekly classes.
My opinion is that the 45 minute class time is perfect for a toddler. Ruby didn’t lose interest and it didn’t seem to me that the other children did either. We arrived at a very nice location inside a yoga studio. As the families were filing in I realized that it must be very popular in our area as the class was full with 12 or 13 children. The room did accommodate us but it was a little bit tight. Our teacher, Miss Liz, was awesome and immediately got the kids attention by singing the ‘Hello Song’. Ruby is a shy kid so I don’t expect her to dance around like some of the veteran Music Together students did quite yet but she did better than I expected.
We moved and danced and sang, it was really fun. Throughout the class we also were given various instruments to accompany the songs. I think this part was Ruby’s favorite because noise makers are right up baby girl’s alley. As the class winded down Miss Liz put a big pile of instruments in the middle of the floor and the kids could go and pick out any one they wanted. Ruby chose the triangle and wasn’t ready to give it up when class was over. We have been playing the CD that we were given in the car quite a bit. They are catchy songs that all 3 of my kids are happy to sing along with. I see this as being an awesome learning experience for the both of us and it is nice to get my girl out with other kiddos her age since she isn’t in preschool yet.
Find out more information and classes in your area by visiting the Music Together website.
*Jessie is being provided with Music Together lessons to facilitate this review. All opinions are those of reviewer only.
