For babies from birth to 18 months

KINDERMUSIK VILLAGE includes eight different units (8 weeks each): Cockadoodle MOO, Do Si Do, Dew Drops, Feathers, Dream Pillow, Zoom Buggy, Hickory Dickory Tickle and Bounce, and The Rhythm of my Day.

KINDERMUSIK VILLAGE is designed for lap babies, crawlers, and walkers accompanied by a parent or caregiver. Kindermusik Village introduces multiple levels of developmentally appropriate activities occurring simultaneously with babies of this age range. In class we may see one baby rocking gently in Dad's arms, another waltzing on Grandma's toes, and yet another bouncing on Mom's knees all at the same time. Depending on whether your baby is on your lap, crawling, or walking, I will give you suggestions on how to participate, but feel free to follow your child's as well as your own needs and wishes.

There will be a limit of 8 children per class. The program features singing, expressive movement, dancing, listening, creativity, storytime, playing simple percussion instruments, parent education and parent/child interaction.

The Kindermusik philosophy values the education of the whole child in mind, spirit and body. It also wishes to educate you the parent as to why these activities are important to your child's development. In class we will balance the education of your child by experiencing both vestibular (ear and balance) and visceral (gut and heart) stimulation. In Kindermusik Village we will open each class with a gentle gathering time, lots of touching and embracing, a wide range of movement such as rocking, bouncing, flying, swooping, and special attention to vocal development through play activities. I am very excited about facilitating your relationship with your child through music!

Materials for the child and family: Each kit contains a carry bag, a home CD featuring all the songs and chants from the class plus a few more, baby's literature book, baby's home journal with home activity cards, song cards, a development of the brain card and ways to hold baby card, two art banners to aid visual and language development.

The Village program offered for Winter 2009 (starting in January) will be "Hickory Dickory Tickle and Bounce". Research shows the more you expose your baby to nursery rhymes and songs, the stronger those emerging language-learning skills will be. That's why these Mother Goose-like stories and rhymes are the main theme of this class. Plus, you'll develop research-proven communication strategies with your child through listening activities, speaking "parentese," and sign language.

Home Materials: CD of beautifully arranged nursery rhyme and songs from class, a rhyming picture board book - Hickory, Dickory, Tickle, and Bounce, a set of Art Banners, and an instrument for music-making at home.