What happens during class?

Ten to twelve families are led through a series of songs, dances and fingerplays by a trained teacher, who promotes the idea of learning music through play. You'll experience small movement/lap songs, large movement dancing and bouncing songs as well as quite a bit of percussive instrument play. We use shakers, drums, rhythm sticks, jingle bells, plus a lot more to supplement the music making. The emphasis is on participation - not performance!

What is expected of my child?

Absolutely nothing! We don't expect the children to sit in the circle. They are free to move about and explore and participate (or not!) at their own pace and in their own way. We honor all learning styles. Very often children come to our classes and just sit and stare - but when they are home in their own environment, they sing and dance and wiggle like crazy! We encourage adults to just sit back and have fun with the music and to not worry that the children aren't doing what they "should." In fact, there are no shoulds in Music Together^®!

What is expected of me?

We just expect the adults to have fun! We know that young children learn by watching and imitating the primary people in their lives. By singing and dancing joyfully, you're sending a clear message to your child that music is something that everyone can enjoy. It doesn't matter if you can sing in tune or dance with accuracy. It is the disposition for music making that is the special gift for your child. So we invite you to jump in to the music and as the saying goes, "sing as if nobody's listening, dance as if nobody's watching!"

Why are there children of different ages in one class?

Music Together is based on the philosophy that a mixed-age classroom is the most powerful learning environment for young children. In a mixed-age class, you'll see babies learning from toddlers, toddlers learning from preschoolers, preschoolers learning from grown-ups, and parents happy that they can bring both children to the same class!