When my son was just a year old, I didn't fully appreciate how important it would be to have a toddler who LISTENS.  And remembers.  I think when we say someone is a "good listener," it really means they retain what they hear.  Having a good auditory memory is crucial for language acquisition and for much of our learning throughout life.  

What does music have to do with becoming a good listener?  From reading over the years (and now observing my toddler), it seems that listening to music throughout the day can stretch the capacity of the auditory memory.  It's easy to see through our kids' dancing, drumming and singing that they have a lot of fun with music. But, aha!  While they're groovin' to the tunes, their auditory cortex is growing millions more synapses!  (Synapses are the connections between neurons.)  This enables improved attention to verbal sounds as well as musical sounds. Here's a brainy fun fact: at age two, our kiddos' impressive brains already have the same number of synapses we do as adults, but by age three, they have DOUBLE that number of synapses.  Your toddler really IS a sponge, soaking up everything with this super brainpower.  Yes, every new thing your child encounters grows new synapses all over the brain, so everything you do with your child is great, but how easy is it to have music playing all the time?  So easy!  Especially when you get fun, age-appropriate CDs automatically through Kindermusik.  My son chooses (nay, demands) the Kindermusik CDs at least 75% of the time --and I feel our musical playtime is a major component of my child's contentedness (and smartness, if I may say so myself.)  
 
If you're looking into this as a new option for your cuddly cutie, then you might be wondering why go to a class instead of just doing music at home?  Well, allow me to offer a few ideas out of the hundreds, which come to mind.  In the beginning, I went from a skeptic to a staunch supporter in about six weeks, as my 15-month-old was SO thrilled to perform the actions described in the songs (backward and forward, around and around, etc.) And Mom and Pop were rather thrilled, too.  OK, tight budget or not, we agreed we'd keep him in these classes!  There was just that much joy all around!  I still smile at the memory of him with this huge light bulb over his head.  It has been so fun for all of us to use what we learn in class to continue the learning and laughing at home.  And here's more Kindermusik magic: I don't think he would have been so very, very interested in the songs if it were not for the social aspect of going to class.  The classes create a culture for the kids, showing them we think these activities are important.  The group setting seemed to carry much more weight in his mind than my previous attempts at musical play on our own.  And please understand that for me a musical child (though it is great in and of itself) is not the end goal, but rather at this age I view music as a means to learning other skills and growing a well-wired and well-balanced brain.  For example, I was surprised at how quickly he learned it is important to listen to the teacher.  And who doesn't want a child for whom that comes naturally?  Additionally, because he enjoys music so much, he looks forward to class even though he is quite shy.  He has moments where he needs to withdraw, but overall the activities keep him quite well engaged and I believe this must build his confidence as he overcomes his fears.  The activities in class are carefully contrived to include both fine and gross motor exercises as well as an array of cognitive challenges.  A lot of thought - and research - has gone into the curriculum.

Having a toddler who listens and follows complex instructions at a very early age keeps him safer and reduces friction in many ways.  Having a toddler who was saying before the age of two "The vacuum cleaner is a machine for cleaning the rug and it has wheels for rolling," is just plain cool.  Thank you, Kindermusik of Cleveland!
 

Written by Kindermusik Mom, Katrina, who is thrilled her son is listening to her!

Happy Holidays!   As we launch into dark and dreary winter, we put a lot of energy into brightening our days with preparations for the winter holidays.  Cultures around the world have holidays and festivals in the winter and many of them revolve around bringing light into the darkness.  I love the twinkling lights --they bring my inner child to the forefront and they do cheer me up!  As moms (dads, grandparents) creating holiday magic for our little ones, try taking a moment from the busyness to relive some of your most magical memories. Remember the sights, smells, tastes and sounds.  As I did this, I found a new level of inspiration for my holiday preparations and it's suddenly so much more fun!  Instead of that inner voice saying "I ought to do this and this and this..." my mind is now swirling with energy and ideas to add special touches to the 989 things still to be done.  (But, hey, 11 are scratched off the list!)

One thing that surprised me was how many of these special memories centered around music.  In one early memory I see myself opening the record (remember those big round vinyl things?) cabinet, pulling out a faded Christmas album and being so proud of myself for starting it up on the record player.  As a four-year-old, I already knew that playing music during the morning's festivities made it more, well, festive!  Another memory from the preschool years is singing "Away in the Manger" with my mom.  I loved that one!  I had her sing all three verses again and again until I had them memorized, too.  (Now my two-year-old son is learning to sing it.  Big grins!)  Once we were older, another tradition emerged on Christmas eve:  we dimmed the lights and gathered around the piano (Dad played) and sang carols one after another until we just couldn't think of any more.  I remember my dad missing a note here and there and grousing about the dim lighting... Yeah, Dad, the lighting.  Can you tell we skipped ahead to the pre-teen years?  Will I, too, someday have a know-it-all teenager noticing every tiny mistake I make and keeping tally?  Yes, but not for many years. For now I'll just enjoy every minute with my snuggly toddler. 

I appreciate anew what lovely music we have in the Christmas carols as my toddler fell instantly in love with them.  For the moment, I'm not allowed to sing anything else at nap and bedtime.  And my heart melts as he sings along with the portions he has learned.  I had to stifle laughs, though, the other day as I was singing "Silent Night."  Each time I sang it he interrupted me to ask "What does 'virgin' mean?"  There are plenty of other words in these songs which are new to him, but does he ask "What are 'heavenly hosts'" or "'herald angels'"??  No, just virgin.  These are the times that try a mom's quick thinking!  But it does make a funny story and if I can remember to retell the story 15 years from now, I just might rack up some "cool points" with my teenager.

I hope you have a bounty of good cheer and music in the coming weeks and that you enjoy the magic of your special holiday.

By Katrina Heinzen, Kindermusik mom, who loves singing with her son through all her holiday celebrations.

With children energizing the household, I'm sure you value the lovely moment in the evening when you realize that everyone but you is sleeping. Ah-h-h-h-h, a moment to think, reflect, plan, VEG-OUT! We all need occasional silence to fully appreciate the beautiful sounds of daily life. And so it is with both music and language, sound in its purest state. Silence is the opposite of sound and sometimes our ears and brains need a break.

Silence can serve as a moment of reflection, a momentary "break" for our brain, a way to process what we've heard and get ready for what comes next. In music we might detect the emotion of the piece or embed what we've just listened to. The few seconds between a repeated phrase allows us to anticipate its return and "audiate" the phrase we have been hearing. In other words, a repetitive phrase stays with our brain in the silence. We actually think the words and music we have been using and imprint it on our brain. Have you ever had a tune stuck in your head as you continue to sing it over and over without conscious thought?

As a child learns to use language, silence is essential. As our child listens to the flood of words into his brain, he needs occasional silence to process all he hears. While we "bathe" our child with language throughout the day we must also keep in mind essential quiet time, while either directly engaged with us or alone at play. A good practice while playing speech and language games is to provide a word or sound model and then be prepared to stay engaged as we observe what comes next. Give your child at least 5 long seconds of SILENCE to process and possbily respond. If we jump in and fill the silence with more sound, our child has lost the opportunity to respond to what he is already thinking about.

At Miss Cathy's suggestion, I directed parents to use non-verbal cues during quiet time to guide their child's actions as we used towels as hammocks. It worked so beautifully. Everyone was able to communicate clearly and follow the directions without words. If we look for opportunities to facilitate silence in the context of our day, we open the door for greater appreciation of the beautiful sounds of our lives.

Written by Miss Priscilla, who is also a Licensed Speech/Language Pathologist

Ah... Quiet Time.  It’s the one time during Kindermusik class that we encourage you to “do nothing,” and just breathe.  It’s important to remember how to relax and teach your child that it’s not only OK, but enjoyable to take a few minutes out of the day to gear down.  The simple act of “allowing a deep breath into your body” allows your system to regroup.  Your child may have begun to understand and even enjoy these quiet moments in class.  They are learning that relaxation just feels right.

Conscious relaxation is healthy for your mind and your body.  And when we learn to call upon this skill at will, we can use it to make better music and even speak more effectively.  The muscles and tissues of our vocal mechanism are powered by our breath.  When we know how to keep these muscles relaxed during speaking or singing, we free up our vocal cords to effortlessly vibrate over the breath we have taken.  We’re able to change the pitch of our voice, which helps us to match musical pitch and speak with inflection.  If we’re playing a wind instrument (like our recorder or slide whistle), our breath helps us make lovely tones and control our phrasing. 

Newborns know how to use their breath to produce noise from the moment they are born.  Boy, do they know it!  But as with all innate skills, as our brain matures we learn to fine-tune our ability to make noise into sounds, sounds into words, and use words to open up our world.  Kindermusik provides a fun platform to gently expand our child’s vocal range and call attention to breath as one of the fundamental elements of music and speaking.  So relax, and just breathe your way to good vocal habits for yourself and your budding singer. 

Shared by Miss Priscilla, who has a Master's Degree in Speech Pathology, and uses breathing and relaxation techniques on a daily basis. No wonder her Kindermusik parents are so relaxed after class!