A few FREE ideas

The best things in life are free right? With summer around the corner I'm super excited to have more time to play and do fun things with my kiddos, but I'm also a little anxious about the price tag :). Here are a few free ideas for your family

FREE MUSIC
Of course I think one of the best things you can do with your child is Kindermusik! Go to play.kindermusik.com to register and receive three, free music downloads. There are just so many incredible developmental benefits to exposing your children to music early in life. You can also preview our children's music classes at no cost while connecting with other parents and spending quality time with your child.

CHECK the LOCAL LIBRARY
Libraries are one of the best no-cost places to take your kids. They are stocked full of books, music, and dvd's for your learning little one.

KIDS EAT FREE
Many restaurants nationwide have specific days of the week where kids eat free. Websites like kidseat4free.com will find the restaurants in your area that offer free dining for kids.

LOCAL MUSEUM for FREE KIDS DAY
Most museums offer free days for kids. mark the free local museum deal days in your calendar early so you remember when the days roll around. The Hogle Zoo always does their free day in the spring.

NATURE WALKS
Being outside is a great way to spend your time. Head up the hills for free and go on a nature walk, collecting leaves, rocks, flowers etc and then bring them home for some fun arts and crafts! head to the lake for a sandy beach day! Enjoy your summer!

Summer! Summer!

Summer Camps start in less than 2 weeks! It's not too late to sign up as there are a few more spots in each class. It's a great time to try it our for less money and a shorter commitment. Plus it's a wonderful activity for your kids to learn and grow while they are playing and laughing with new friends and with their favorite person, you!!

Call or email me today to sign up! And don't forget there is a $5 off discount when you refer a friend and they sign up too!

Pretend Play

'Learning to imagine is the first step in stretching the human potential.' The ability to pretend and imagine usually starts around 18 months. From there, the developmental 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. Kindermusik classes help provide the kinds of experiences that provide the opportunity for imagination to blossom, but you will probably notice that your child engages most readily-and sometimes most humorously-at home where your child is the most comfortable.


IDEA: Simple toys like blocks and stuffed animals, dress-up clothes from the thrift store, and even empty containers or cardboard tubes can inspire hours of pretend play. Organize these items into containers that are easily accessible to your child and watch their imagination take over!

Repetition & Body Control

Again!! Again!! children learn through repetition. Each time a child is exposed to a new object or experience, new neural connections are made in their brain. Through repetition, these connections are strengthened and learning occurs. Every Kindermusik curriculum is designed to repeat certain activities-in part because of this important connection between repetition and learning, but also because repetition of activities helps to create the Kindermusik classroom community. Ritual and repetition at home are important components of a predictable and nurturing home life as well.

Tip: So go ahead, sing that song or read that book AGAIN! For the hundredth time. Take satisfaction in know that you are doing your child's brain a world of good!

During movement activities, children learn to organize the available space in relation to themselves and in relationship to objects and other individuals...this is how they develop body control, spatial awareness, and confidence in the power and ability of their own bodies.

Tip: Turn on some dancing music and dance around the room together. Add a prop, like a scarf, a ball, or a hoop for more movement and body control fun and learning.

Summer of Musical Fun

Are you ready? The kids will be out of school in just 3 weeks! Sure the first few weeks will be a lot of fun but we all know after a too much free time they are going to want something to do!! And you will too! Adding music to your schedule is one of the most fun (and developmentally beneficial) activities you can do with your kids.

In just four lessons, I’ll give you a summer’s worth of music, stories, and activities created to inspire a lifetime of learning. In a Kindermusik summer camp, you and your child will play, learn, sing, dance, create, and share in the fun of making music together. Inspire your child's love of learning in our delightfully engaging summer sessions. Best of all, every one of our summer camp activities—the music, stories, and crafts—is specially designed to nurture your child's natural curiosity, eventually drawing them toward learning new words, new concepts, and new big ideas. Fall semester will begin after Labor Day and this is great way to 'try it out' and see all the great benefits and the power of music in your child's life. Enrollment includes: Developmentally appropriate class for parents and children ages newborn to 7 One set of At Home Materials including a literature book, CD of music from class, and an instrument. Guaranteed giggles and grins! Sign up today and get $5 off! Just click on the Enroll Now button on the top!

Did You See it! Did you See it??

Kindermusik with Jamie was featured on the front page of the Ranches HOA monthly newsletter in May. It is a great article with lots of great information and our summer schedule. I hope you saw it because..................there is a discount offered for HOA members!! Let me know if you saw it and definitely let me know which class I can sign you and your kiddos up for this summer! It's coming up FAST!!!

The way They Learn

We all learn in different ways. The more children you have, the more potential you have to see this in action. Some of us are visual learners, some are aural learners, some or kinesthetic learners. Here are some questions to start you thinking about you and your kiddos learning styles:

*What are the two main ways that you and your children take in information? Are you a concrete or abstract perceiver?

*What are the two main methods people use to order the perceived information? Do you order information sequentially or in random chunks?

*How does this information help you to have the most beneficial relationship with others?

Sometimes this can be an area of frustration with our children. If we learn in different ways it may be hard for us to understand why they can't pick something up as easily as we can, or why they don't understand something we may be trying to teach them. Maybe we are teaching them int eh way that we learn, not in the way that they learn.

Discovering your learning style and your loved one's learning styles is exciting because it's empowering. I am always ready to ad some tools to my relational and parenting tool box.

The Kindermusik classroom is a great opportunity for kids of all learning styles to learn! We hear the music, we see and feel the movement in our bodies, instruments, sometimes a parachute or something really fun! No matter your child's learning needs, it will be covered in Kindermusik!