Music Together Growth Chart
A child’s musical development takes place over the course of many years. To help you visualize what that musical journey will be like for your child, and to help you understand some of the key musical milestones along the way, all of you who are new to Music Together this fall should have received a Music Together Growth Chart. If you’re a returning family and didn’t originally receive a growth chart—or if you did receive one but now have no idea where it is—please ask your teacher for a new copy. You can also view the chart on the Family Music Zone under Basic Philosophy. Scroll to the bottom of the page, and there is a PDF called Growing and Learning with Music Together.
No matter what age your child was when you started in Music Together, he or she is learning and growing musically. The Growth Chart will give you a sense of what to expect as your child continues in the program because it gives snapshots of the many types of musical behaviors that your child may demonstrate. A ‘Parents’ Path’ is included on the back to remind you that parents are an essential element in their child’s music development, too.

You can also use the Musical Memories pages in the back of your Music Together songbook to jot down musical milestones that you are noticing. We hope the chart will be another useful tool on your family's journey of musical growth through early childhood and beyond.
Take Advantage of Priority Registration
Priority registration is now open for those who register directly on our website. This includes the following locations: Arden Hills, Blaine, Eden Prairie, North Oaks, Prior Lake, St Paul: Red Balloon and Midpointe Event Center, Savage, Shoreview, Stillwater-Curio Dance and White Bear Lake. Open registration begins next Monday, Nov 20, so register soon to be sure to get into your first choice of classes.
Registration at Partner Websites
Registation for the following locations is handled by our Parks and Rec and Community Ed partners. When you click on the Register link for a class at one of these locations, you will be directed to the appropriate registration site. The dates that winter registration opens is as follows:
Apple Valley Community Ed: Already open
Apple Valley Parks and Rec: To be announced
Centerville: Dec 1
Circle Pines: Dec 1
Cottage Grove: Nov 17
Jordan: Dec 6
Lakeville: Already open
St Paul - Martin Luther King Rec Center: To be announced.
Stillwater - Early Childhood Family Center: Dec 4
Woodbury: Nov 29
Have you seen the videos at the Family Music Zone of the animals featured in this session's song Down Under?
The wombat video is so engaging, it should go viral. I’ve never seen a picture or a video of a wombat and it looks like a cartoon character out of someone’s imagination. It’s almost too cute to be real. The video features a wombat chewing grass–that’s all—and it’s completely mesmerizing. Your children are going to love it! Go to the Family Music Zone.
To create an account or add a new collection of music, you will need the 15-digit access code from the inside front cover of your Song Collection CD booklet. Then go to the  Family Music Zone .

  • To create an account, click the "Create Your Account" button, enter your code, enter your email address, and create a password. Accept the terms of service and click the "Register" button.
  • To add a new song collection, click the "Login to Your Account" button and enter your registered email address and password. Once you are logged in, select "Access Code" from the upper right hand navigation bar, enter your code, and click "submit".
Tonal and Rhythm Patterns
Tonal and rhythm patterns are the building blocks of music that children can understand and use to make their own music. Because they have no language barrier to overcome when they sing these tonal or rhythm patterns, children can spontaneously respond to them with ease.

With Music Together's Hello Everybody app, it's easy and exciting to play musically with your family, whether you're at home or on the go. T he Hello Everybody app is available from the App Store and Google Play. Get more information and download the app by clicking the appropriate link below:
To create an account or add a new collection of songs, you will need the access code from one of the CDs you received with your class materials.  Find the 15-digit code on the inside front cover of your song collection CD booklet .

  • To create an account, select "Log in" from the app menu and follow the on-screen instructions. Once finished, you can immediately use your account.
  • To add a new collection to your account, select "Access Code" from the app menu, enter your code and tap "Submit." Your new music will immediately appear in the app as long as you are logged in.

You can also find these instructions on the new Access Your Music page on our website under the Enrolled Families menu.
Health Guidelines Reminder

To keep illness from spreading, please stay home if you or your child are sick. Runny noses, coughs, colds, etc., are best kept at home so that others are not exposed. If your child has had a fever in the 24 hours preceding a class, please stay home. We ask that you err on the side of caution when deciding
whether or not you or your child are well enough to come to class. We offer make-up classes to help make your decision to stay home an easy one.
We take the health of our participating families very seriously. We ask that all participants—teachers, parents, other caregivers and children alike—wash their hands just before and just after class. Washing hands is one of the simplest and most effective ways to curb transmission of illness.
The product that we have used for several years to clean instruments, Benefect, is now listed on the EPA’s web site as one of the products registered for use against Influenza A, including H1N1. It is a botanical disinfectant whose primary ingredient is thymol which is derived from the herb thyme. It is just as effective at killing bacteria as traditional disinfectants but is less toxic than vinegar AND it also kills viruses.
We have a hand sanitizer in class called ‘CleanWell’ that is also based on thymol. It is as effective as alcohol-based hand sanitizers AND it is safe for children at an oral stage who want to put everything in their mouths, including their hands.
We clean all mouthed instruments with the product mentioned above, Benefect, so please put anything your child has mouthed in the wet bin. It is completely appropriate during the oral stage of development for children to explore instruments with their mouths. We need to make sure they are thoroughly cleaned before they are used by others. If you see a wet instrument that another parent hasn’t caught, please make sure it gets into the wet bin.
Make-Up Classes
Miss a class? You are welcome to make it up any time during the session. To schedule a make-up, go to “Enrolled Families” at MusicTogetherClasses.org . If you have more than one child enrolled, list both/all names on the same registration form. Here is the fall schedule although some classes are already too full to accommodate make-ups.
Take-Home Materials
Did you get two CDs in one jacket with a code inside the jacket that allows you to download the music?

Did you get the new plum-colored booklet “Music and Your Child: A Guide to Parents and Caregivers?" Have you read it? Try scanning it and see what “ah ha!” moments jump out.

If you have a child under one in class, did you get the lavender booklet, “Babies in Mixed-Age Classes Family Guide”?
Winter Session Schedule and Song Collection
The ten-week winter session runs January 6 – March 16 with no holidays and we will be working with the wonderful Bells song collection with all-new music and activities. Trust me, you’ll be ready for new music by then.
I’m always happy to hear from you, so if you have questions or comments, please don’t hesitate to contact me.
Clarice Wilson, Ph.D.
Director, Music Together in the Valley
651-439-4219
 Music Together art & logo design ©1992-2017 Music Together LLC. Music Together is a registered trademark. Music Together in the Valley is licensed by Music Together LLC.