Imagine That! Busy 3-5 year olds

I have been studying a lot about the 3-5 year old child. This is a busy, busy group of kids! Not only physically but as parents we seem to want to get them involved so early in things. Preschool, Tball, dance, playgroups, all seem to start at this young age. I'm guilty of this too. I signed my oldest up for preschool 1 month after he turned 3. He wasn't even potty trained but I thought he 'needed to go to school.' In my personal experience I learned they grow up way to fast and so my second child did not start preschool until he was 4. I chose to spend those early years building brain cells instead of school experiences. They will have plenty of school (as my 1st grader already complains about), why not try something that will benefit and compliment them in their journey to learn?

Enter Kindermusik.....

Psychologists, neuroscientists, and experts in early childhood development have demonstrated that music does more for children than bring them joy, it helps their brain cells make the connections needed for virtually every kind of intelligence. Kindermusik's curriculum is built on this research. When young children are consistently engaged by music in an age-appropriate, socially accepting environment, they benefit at many levels:
* They gain the phonological processing, spoken language, and comprehension skills that are the foundation of reading. Just as the alphabet is made of individual letters and sounds, music is made of individual notes and rhythms. Being able to hear and distinguish between different tones and beats lays the foundation for learning to read and write.
*They build the spacial-temporal and reasoning skills required for math, science, and engineering.
*They develop social and emotional skills that are essential for school readiness-like the ability to regulate their responses and relate to others in complex ways.

By moving and dancing to music and playing simple instruments, children improve their gross and fine motor skills. Activities that encourage freedom within a fun and friendly structure spark their creativity and build their confidence. And of course they develop a lifelong love of music.

Research shows that experiences with music 'light up' a child's brain, including areas used in processing language. In a study of children ages 3-5, music training was proven to improve brain functioning related to listening. Amazingly, after only 7 weeks of music classes, brain scans showed frequencies associated with increased cognitive processing. Music also has a proven impact on a child's verbal memory. Having a good verbal memory means they can remember the beginning of the sentence by the time they get to the end of the sentence. This has a profound impact on them in school and their comprehension ability.

So, I could go on and on about the many things I have learned and the amazing impact of music on our kids growing and developing brains. So to sum it up.......Music is the single best gift you could give your child. If they are already in preschool, dance, sports I would say great! Come see what music can add to that, give them 1 semester of Kindermusik and I promise you will see them improve in every aspect of their lives. They will be learning and increasing their abilities to comprehend, listen, move, balance, and building a foundation for reading, math, and science skills, all while we are singing and dancing together!

My 5 year old has had Kindermusik classes for over 2 years of his life, and I can see a HUGE difference in him as he is learning to read. He picked up on the phonetic sounds of the alphabet almost over night, and is able to remember sight words very easily. He doesn't get quite as frustrated with the process either. I attribute this to the foundation of music and the building blocks it gave his brain.

This class starts next Tuesday Jan 11th at 1:00pm.