Frecuently Asked Questions

Q. What's the point of coming to class if my child is too shy to sing in class?
A. We'd like to encourage you to consider these wonderful first years of life as a time for musical and linguistic development and fun. Please do not get confused between learning and performance. A child's temperament may dictate whether he or she will want to sing out loud in class. A parent's pressure on a child to perform in class might only make the child uncomfortable, and may take away from the relaxed environment in which young children learn best. Children learn through exposure in a fun environment and need the freedom to experiment on their own. Instead of assessing your child's learning by how he or she "performs" in class, rest assured that if your child enjoys coming to class and enjoys doing the songs and activities with you at home that he or she is learning in as natural a way as possible. Remember, if your child sings at home and not in class - that's OK!

Q. When should my child start taking formal music or English lessons?
A. Before instrumental instruction can begin, a child must achieve "basic music competence." Basic music competence, which can be attained by all normal children, is defined as the ability to sing in tune and in rhythm, and to make rhythmically accurate movements. With proper musical stimulation, this usually occurs between the ages of four and six. This is also the age when most children are ready to begin a more formal course of English instruction. By this time their ear will have been tuned to the sounds and pronunciation of English if they have been exposed from early on. Regardless of whether your child chooses to play an instrument or pursue English formally at some point, the tonal, rhythm and language skills they are learning now will give them a lifelong understanding and enjoyment of music and English.

Q. What Should I Expect of my Child in Class
A. All young children need time to get used to a new room, teacher, songs and situation. It typically takes about four weeks to become familiar with the class environment. There is a wide range of responses children will display during the first few weeks. You will see that as the weeks continue the children will become more and more focused in class. It's important to listen to the tape/CD at home frequently, particularly during the first weeks. Children like what is familiar to them and need a lot of repetition. If they know the songs, they will have more fun in class and learn more.

According to age

Infant:
A baby's brain is still forming - more so than at any other time in its life. As babies are learning the sounds of language, they are adding the rhythms and tones of music as well as the sounds of language. Just as children learn to speak by hearing their parents speak - learning many of the sounds necessary for communication before they ever utter their first word - children go through the same process of listening, decoding and then experimenting on their own with musical skills. Even if your child is too young to actively participate in class, rest assured that he or she is learning. Early exposure to music and language will payoff significantly later in life. It's never too early to start playing music and singing to your baby in any language!

Toddler:
Toddlers learn through play; so class needs to be fun. They are watching and experimenting on their own, discovering what they like. They will enjoy playing instruments, singing and dancing. Though their efforts are not very accurate, they will begin to show improved musical and linguistic skills as they grow older.

Two and Three-year olds:
These children have become more accurate in reproducing music, both tonally and rhythmically. They begin to interact less with their parents and more with their teacher and the other children. They are still busy observing and imitating. At this age they become more creative and develop their own ways of singing songs and doing activities. This should be supported and encouraged!

Four-year-olds:
Some at four will have already achieved basic music competence, but still benefit from being in a creative and musically stimulating environment. While some children at this age may feel too old to be in class with babies, most do not care as long as they are having fun. Parents should refrain from pointing out age differences to their child, but should talk with their child to see if they are enjoying class. If so, parents should relax and enjoy it, too.

All ages:
Some children want to march and run; others want to spend the class no more than a foot away from the teacher; some will sit in laps; while others want to observe from a cozy corner in the room. At Music Kids we recognize that there are many different learning styles, and we encourage parents to let the children be where they are comfortable. A typical class may have all of these different types of children, but all children have one thing in common: they are all watching, listening, and learning from us. So have fun and make music!

For more information, contact us at:
music_kids@hotmail.com
o call at 665 675 081