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Summer Special: Unlimited Make-ups, Unlimited Classes!
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Summer registration is open for all locations and the 8-week summer session begins the week of June 19 in most locations.
Register now
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Once you register for the summer session, you are welcome to attend your class AND as many other classes as you can fit into your schedule-for no additional cost.
How will this work? You'll use our online
Make-Up Scheduler
to find out which classes have space available and sign up there for your make-ups and your extra bonus classes. Simple!
Last summer, one family fit in 8 extra classes! This is a summer-only offer, so make the most of it.
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Starting this Saturday, May 13 through Friday, May 19, we encourage you to bring a friend to class! Please invite another family to attend class during this week so they can experience Music Together!
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What is your family doing All Around the Kitchen? Use music to make cleaning up after meals more fun. Try your own verses to the Music Together classic All Around the Kitchen. It’s part of this semester’s Maracas collection, and also available to all on our Hello Everybody app. Here are a couple of verses to get you started:
Washing, washing sure is great, washing, washing, here’s my plate!
Rinsing, rinsing, my little cup, rinsing, rinsing, clean it up!
Small fork, small fork, in my hand, small fork, small fork, put it in the stand!
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Why are we so playful in class?
Children teach themselves through play!
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Children can develop basic music competence (singing in tune and physically keeping beat) most easily during the birth-to-preschool years. This is also the time when they develop themselves and learn about their world primarily through the magical process of play. The especially unique thing about play is that children are born experts in it. It is not necessary to teach them how to play. In fact, they use play to teach themselves the things they need to learn.
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There are several important characteristics that qualify an activity as "play:"
- The activity is freely chosen.
- The child controls its flow and duration.
- It is intrinsically rewarding or done for its own sake.
- The activity is relatively free of externally imposed rules (in contrast to games).
- It needs to be moderately challenging in order to sustain interest, but not so hard as to cause frustration.
- It thrives best when undertaken in a relaxed setting.
- Most important of all, the activity must be fun.
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The substance of play in very young children is usually made up of the environmental objects and experiences to which they have been exposed. In music play, the child teaches herself about the music of her culture by experimenting with the information she has gathered from her music environment. Her music play may take place simultaneously with motor or other forms of play, or it may take place alone. She may sing parts of familiar songs or create her own short songs; she may recite familiar chants or make up new ones about her play objects or experiences; and she may also experiment with different kinds of rhythmic movement.
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If the environment is sufficiently rich throughout the primary music development years, there will be a continuous and even richer spiral of exposure to new musical elements, followed by playful experimentation with these elements. In fact, research has shown a direct correspondence between the quality, quantity, and diversity of musical stimulation and the extent to which a child's developmental aptitude can be sustained or enhanced.
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Music Together songs are a starting point for your musical play with your child. Play and improvise with them - it's easy and fun to make up new verses as we do in class. For example, to the tune of "She'll Be Comin' 'Round the Mountain," you might sing, "We'll be munchin' on some Cheerios when she comes!" You can also play vocally with different voices, like an elf voice, big spider voice, grandpa voice, or make train whistle, siren, or animal sounds. By modeling the exploration of the upper register of your voice you can help your child find his "singing voice." Remember, you are your child's most important model, so in class and at home let your own "child" come out and play!
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Clarice Wilson, Ph.D.
Director, Music Together in the Valley
651-439-4219
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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.
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