Lots of News!

It's Thanksgiving and I have so much to be thankful for this year. Despite the interesting economy Kindermusik is thriving and this year we started classes in Marblehead and developed many wonderful relationships with local educational and children's groups. I have had the opportunity to share Kindermusik via ABC Music & Me in public schools. As we enter the holiday season there is many events coming up this winter for Kindermusik With Friends over the next few weeks.

Open enrollment for Winter 2010 begins Today! The calendar and online enrollment is now live on our website.

On Wednesday, 12/2, there will an FREE Village class at Marblehead Children's Center. This class is for newborns through 18 months. If you wish to attend this class please RSVP at elisacheney@comcast.net or call 978-741-7683.

On Saturday 12/5, 12/12, and 12/19 there will be special holiday classes at The Learning Tree Store in Stoneham, MA. The cost is $15 and it is called DeStress With Music. Registration is required at you can register online at the store website or call 781-438-8101.

Have a Happy Thanksgiving.

Much love,
Lisa

Simple Toys

Paper plate and scarf play is so much fun! Last week in Village class, for newborn to 18 months, we discovered so many ways to play with a very simple toy: a paper plate with a 1 1/2" hole cut from the center and a scarf. While we sang a call-and-response tune of "Nana, Thread Needle" we modeled "threading" the scarf through the hole in the plate.

Sure enough, within minutes many of the babies were pulling the scarf through the holes in the plates by themselves and signing "more" for "do it again, please!"

That's because this game is an opportunity baby's need to make stuff happen. One of baby's primary assignments during the first three years of life is to make things happen. This includes discovering qualities of objects, how things work, how to use objects as tools, how to plan, and how to make a plan work. Playing with Baby with item such as the paper plate and scarf helps Baby do her homework.

Simple toys, often made of materials you can find in your kitchen, have unlimited potential. Baby will remain interested in playing with toys which are flexible and open-ended. Simple items, such as this paper plate and scarf, encourage her creative play and expression.

Kindermusik With Friends

Kindermusik Meet-Up!

Kindermusik With Friends is now on Meet-Up! Please join us and check out the Meet-Up events scheduled for December.

Kindermusik With Friends

Village Demonstration Class and Open House at Marblehead Children's Center on Wednesday 12/2 at 8:45am

Village is for newborns through 18 months old and activities are appropriate for lap babies, crawlers, and walkers. It incorporates the most current research on early childhood development and provides families a special place for learning and connecting with other parents and babies through music and movement.

Call Lisa at 978-741-7683 or email at elisacheney@comcast.net to reserve a space in this special free demonstration class/open house to experience Village first hand before officially enrolling in a class. Reservation is required.

Where: Marblehead Children's Center, 21 Tioga Way, Marblehead, MA
When: Wednesday, Dec. 2, at 8:45am

Kindermusik With Friends

Pretend Play

"Learning to imagine [is the] first step in stretching the human potential." (Karen Miller, Ages and Stages, p.65.) The development progression of pretend play generally moves from using one object to represent something else, to dressing up and/or pretending to be something else, to role-playing and interacting while in that role. Foster experiences that provide the opportunity for imagination to blossom.

In Family Time tomorrow get ready to pretend to Dust, Dust, Dust and to Scrub, Scrub, Scrub the tub. The lesson theme is Bath Time Rituals.

See you in the morning!

Kindermusik With Friends
Kindermusik classes in Beverly, MA located at St.John's, 705 Hale Street.

Sign & Sing (6mos to 3 years)

Curriculum Description
Age Range: 6 months to 3 years
Class Structure: 14 classes in a semester—varies by location
Class Length: 45 minute class each week
Class Size: Class with no more than 12 children with parents

What a Parent and Child Experience In Class

Play, sign, and sing -- Using everyday items in engaging small and large group activities, we’ll sing songs and practice the sign as we say the words, play with toys, and help the children learn both the spoken word and the sign.
Expert advice -- Parents will learn to spot their babies’ most “teachable moments” and the sign language teaching methods of the experts. Plus they’ll learn to recognize and respond to their children’s versions of signs.
Communication through sign language -- When a child is chasing a bubble or asking for the ball, make the sign for it and say the word. So a child has the ways to associate the word with the object: the child holds the ball, hears the parent say the word, and then sees the adult make the sign.

Enrollment includes:
Developmentally appropriate American Sign language curriculum for parents and hearing children, ages 6 months to 3 years
14 week semester—varies by location
Weekly 45 minute class
At Home Materialsincludes a Family Activity Guide, DVD, and Clip-On Flashcards showing adults and children using signs. Over 75 sign language activities and games to play together.

This class is being added to the Saturday morning schedule at 9:15am. New classes start in Jan. 2010 and the schedule will be on the website for open enrollment on 11/24.

Kindermusik With Friends

Family Time (0-7) Here, There, and Everywhere!

Here, There and Everywhere—the five sub-themes center around different family outings: a visit with a friend, an outing at the park, a trip to the city, an afternoon at the aquarium, and a day on the farm. Move like animals with this unit’s story Flip-Flap, Sugar Snap! And follow a girl’s adventure as she loses her jambourine during the day’s outings and then finds it in the story Jingle-Jangle Jambourine.

Home Materials: Two Books—Flip-Flap, Sugar Snap! and Jingle-Jangle Jambourine, Two Home CDs, Family Guide, board game, Waggs the dog hand puppet and finger puppet, and two jambourine instruments.

This class will be offered on Fridays and Saturdays in Jan. 2010. The schedule will be on the website for open enrollment on 11/24.

Kindermusik With Friends