Category: Mom Life
Why is Barefoot Best for Baby?
👣Barefoot is often considered best for babies for a few reasons:
1. Helps with sensory development: The soles of the feet have numerous nerve endings that help your baby understand their surroundings. By being barefoot, baby can feel different textures and surfaces, which can help with their sensory development.
2. Promotes proper foot development: When babies are barefoot, they can move their feet and toes freely, which allows for the natural development of the muscles, tendons, and ligaments in their feet. This can help with their balance and coordination as they learn to walk.
3. Allows for better grip: Bare feet can provide a better grip on smooth surfaces, which can help with walking and prevent slipping.
4. Allows for natural cooling: A baby’s foot can be a natural to regulate their body temperature. Being barefoot allows the baby’s feet to breathe and cool down if they become too warm.
However, it’s important to note that in certain situations, such as when a baby is outside in cold weather or on rough surfaces, it may be necessary to provide them with protection for their feet. It’s always a good idea to consult with a pediatrician for advice on what is best for your baby’s specific needs.
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Enter to win $100 of KINDERMUSIK CLASSES!
It’s time for Kindermusik International’s annual “We Love Kindermusik” week ALL around the world. Kindermusik is enjoyed by so many, and once again we can all share our experiences and love for this amazing enrichment program together.
“WE LOVE KINDERMUSIK” week is truly intended to be a week of happy reminders of why we all love Kindermusik and most importantly, of all the special people – educators, families, and children – who come together every week to change the world through music…. one child and one song at a time.
Read below for details on how to share the love, and enter to win $100 of IN-PERSON OR ONLINE CLASSES AT GROW AND SING STUDIOS! Two lucky winners will be announced. One for our We Love Kindermusik giveaway, and another for our REEL/STORIES/TIKTOK giveaway. You can enter both, entries are unlimited. Hashtags are KEY for your entry!
We hope you enjoy sharing the love, and good luck! — The Grow and Sing Team
GIVEAWAY #1 – WE LOVE KINDERMUSIK
Here are all the different ways to get an entry into our SHARE THE LOVE GIVEAWAY. (entries are unlimited, so have fun!)
- Color a “We Love Kindermusik” coloring sheet complete including a testimonial of WHY your family loves Kindermusik classes. Not in Kindermusik yet? That’s okay, tell us how you incorporate music at home with your kids. (THIS PART IS REQUIRED FOR ENTRY). Take a photo of your coloring sheet and post to any of our socials (IG, FB, or TIKTOK) or you can even email it to . Be sure it’s set to public so we can see it. Use #growandsing Click here to print coloring sheet.
- Comment on any of our posts, reels or tiktoks including the hashtag #growandsing. (each comment is an entry)
- Tag us in a REEL, POST, or STORY. Be sure to use the hashtag #growandsing (each tag is an entry)
GIVEAWAY #2 – REELS/STORIES/TIKTOK GIVEAWAY – Share videos or photos of your child(ren) or family telling us or showing us why you love Kindermusik, music making, our team at Grow and Sing Studios, you get the idea! You will automatically receive an entry into our main contest, PLUS the Grow and Sing Studios staff will be voting for their favorite REEL, STORY or TIKTOK and that winner will automatically win $100 of classes (you can choose in-person or virtual). Be sure to include the hashtag #growandsing. Creativity counts! Good luck!
FOLLOW US:
FACEBOOK
INSTAGRAM
TIKTOK
We will be keeping close track of entries, and submit your name accordingly. However, you are welcome to email us your entry count. If you choose to do so, please be sure you let us know exactly how many and WHERE your entries are, so we can verify and get your amount right! Do not send us several emails to verify, just wait until you are done and then send us one complete email listing all the ways you entered (and how your name appears on social!). Thank you! The contest begins Monday, February 13, 2023 and will close at 11:59pm Sunday, February 19, 2023. Prize may be gifted to someone else if you are not able to use it and can be redeemed for ANY service offered by Grow and Sing Studios including lessons or birthday party. Each prize value is $100 and can be used for any of our services throughout 2023. Winners for our giveaway will be chosen by random draw with the exception of the reels/stories/tiktok entry (photo/video) contest which will be chosen by our staff. Winners will be announced sometime during February on our socials once we tally up all the votes, so be sure to like our social media accounts and select get notifications so you don’t miss the announcement of winners.
NO PURCHASE NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN. A PURCHASE OF ANY KIND WILL NOT INCREASE YOUR CHANCES OF WINNING. ODDS OF WINNING WILL DEPEND ON THE TOTAL NUMBER OF ENTRIES RECEIVED. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW. THIS GIVEAWAY IS NOT ASSOCIATED WITH KINDERMUSIK INTERNATIONAL, FACEBOOK, INSTAGRAM, TIKTOK OR ANY OTHER SOCIAL MEDIA OUTLET.
GOOD LUCK!!!!
How we can be present for our kids at the holidays
Let’s talk PRESENCE. Life is busy, especially during the holidays. While we are in the same space as our children, you might find your mind is in a million other places. Taking some time to be mindful with our children, allows us to focus on the present moment only and not on things that have happened or things that are going to happen. When we are fully present with our children, they learn from us. When we are fully present, our children feel seen, heard, important and special.
How do we do this?
1. Slow down and just take in the present moment through all of your senses.
2. Observe your child without agenda. Simply watching and observing all the amazingness that is your child, will slow your mind down from expectation and future planning.
3. Sing a song. Music is a magical tool that naturally brings presence. It’s very hard to sing a song and think of much else in that moment!
4. Dance together. Moving with baby reduces stress and calms baby down. It also will calm your mind.
5. Come to Kindermusik! Well of course we are going to say that. Hee hee. But seriously, it’s very hard to come to Kindermusik and NOT be present because we do all of the above in class. We slow down, observe, sing and dance. Amazing! That 45 minutes each week is worth SO MUCH for learning, bonding, presence and mindfulness. Give it a try.
Happy Holidays!
Try a class for $5 (in-person & virtual)
growandsing.com
School Year 2022 – 2023 in-person and virtual classes registration is ongoing until May. We know you’ll find an option that will be the perfect learning experience for your child (or YOU, hint hint, private lessons…). Have questions? Just contact us.
We are currently offering in-person $5 preview class opportunities for our baby, young toddler and toddler music classes as well as a full preview week for $5 for virtual classes. Give Kindermusik a try! In-Person Central Florida Kindermusik classes held in Orlando and Volusia at UCF/Oviedo, Winter Park, Baldwin Park, Lake Nona, Winter Garden and Port Orange.
Holly Lesnick is owner/director of Grow and Sing Studios, an award winning Kindermusik accredited program. She is a proud mother of two amazing kids, music therapist and Kindermusik University Coach for Kindermusik Internation Corporate.
October Kindermusik $1 Demo Days are here!
October is here and that means KINDERMUSIK $1 DEMO DAYS at Grow and Sing Studios are coming! Have you been meaning to come try out a class, or are you just finding out about our program for the first time? We invite you to come check out one of these classes FOR ONLY $1, have some fun, make some music and hopefully fall in love with the magic of Kindermusik! Reservations are required and space is limited.
We are “traveling minstrels” so our classes are offered at different locations around town throughout the week (including virtual!).
First, choose the class you would like to preview based on the calendar above. If you do not see a class that works, you can also view all currently running classes at growandsing.com/registration (if your chosen class is full, you can always sign up to be on the waitlist). $1 October Demo Days are available in Oviedo/UCF, Winter Park, Baldwin Park, Winter Garden, Lake Nona and Port Orange. PLEASE NOTE – This is not a guarantee of availability. Once you register you’ll receive an auto generated email. Following that, we will send you a confirmation email which will let you know if your preview spot(s) are available in the class you signed up for. If that class has filled with paid members, you’ll be offered another class. If no other classes work for you, you will not be charged and your preview class will be canceled. We reserve the right to cancel your preview class should the class you signed up for reach maximum capacity with paid members. In this situation you can either choose another class or be refunded. Currently due to Covid, there are no more than 12 children enrolled per class at a time (8 in Winter Park). Spaces only count for children, all parents are included free, always.
Read about our covid adaptations and classroom tips here: https://www.growandsing.com/covid/
TO SIGN UP FOR AN IN-PERSON OCTOBER $1 DEMO DAY CLICK HERE.
TO SIGN UP FOR A VIRTUAL OCTOBER $1 DEMO WEEK CLICK HERE.
We will confirm your reservation as soon as possible!
Click here to contact us with any questions. We are here to help!
October Kindermusik $1 Demo Days are here!
October is here and that means KINDERMUSIK $1 DEMO DAYS at Grow and Sing Studios are coming!! Have you been meaning to come try out a class, or are you just finding out about our program for the first time? We invite you to come check out one of these classes FOR ONLY $1, have some fun, make some music and hopefully fall in love with the magic of Kindermusik! Reservations are required and space is limited.
We are “traveling minstrels” so our classes are offered at different locations around town throughout the week.
First, choose the class you would like to preview. You can view all currently running classes at growandsing.com/registration. $1 October Demo Days are available in Oviedo/UCF, Winter Park, Winter Garden, Lake Nona and Port Orange. PLEASE NOTE – This is not a guarantee of availability. Once you register you’ll receive an auto generated email. Following that, we will send you a confirmation email which will let you know if your preview spot(s) are available in the class you signed up for. If that class has filled with paid members, you’ll be offered another class. If no other classes work for you, you will not be charged and your preview class will be canceled. We reserve the right to cancel your demo class should the class you signed up for reach maximum capacity with paid members. In this situation you can either choose another class or be refunded. Currently due to Covid, there are no more than 10 children enrolled per class at a time. Spaces only count for children, all parents are included free, always.
Please Note: One $1 demo class per family. If you want to bring a second child, or sign up for a second demo day, the charge will be $5 for each additional child or class. To sign up your second child or for a second class, click on the $5 preview class option.
MASKS ARE REQUIRED FOR ADULTS. MASKS ARE NOT REQUIRED FOR CHILDREN. Read about our covid adaptations and classroom tips here: https://www.growandsing.com/covid/
We will confirm your reservation as soon as possible!
Click here to contact us with any questions. We are here to help!
Is my child uninterested?
We are back in person which has been SO amazing! The connections, the smiles… it’s something we missed so much during our almost 18 months of being only virtual. Being in person with Kindermusik comes with some common questions from parents. These are questions we haven’t answered in a while, so we wanted to revisit this topic and see if we can reassure you that your child is thriving no matter their learning style.
Whether you are in our Kindermusik classes, another parent child class, or even getting back out there with playdates and social opportunities, you may be noticing that your child isn’t instantly jumping right in, or seemingly excited to be there. However, what you see on the surface many not be the entire story.
Children learn in so many different ways. Some learn by listening (auditory), some learn by moving (kinesthetic), and some learn by touch (tactile). Some children, especially in new environments may appear disinterested, when in reality, they might just be processing. Many times parents interpret this passive learning as their children not liking the class, activity, or experience. This might not be the case at all. In fact, when you go home, or when class ends and your child is back in their safe place, they might start showing you all that they learned. It’s quite amazing to see!
The best learning experiences are those that integrate the senses, learning domains, developmental needs, and interests of the child. For example, a great integrated activity might involve singing, language, imagination, listening, creativity, problem solving, and pretend play. This level of integration creates an optimal and meaningful learning environment for each child.
Preparing a safe and secure learning environment is a top priority. When in this type of environment, children are able to access the part of the brain which is responsible for learning and memory. With you by your child’s side, you are creating a safe, loving place to return to at any time. The key is making exploring and socializing an option, but not judging how or when your child may integrate in. Inviting them to join and participate at whatever pace they need without expectation is the best gift you can give as you both return to these kinds of activities.
I hope this eases your mind as you head back to an in-person experience. Wishing you well.
School Year 2021 – 2022 in-person and virtual classes registration is ongoing. We know you’ll find an option that will be the perfect learning experience for your child (or YOU, hint hint, private lessons…). Have questions? Just contact us.
We are currently offering in-person preview class opportunities for our baby, young toddler and toddler music classes as well as a full preview week for our virtual classes. Give Kindermusik a try! In-Person Central Florida Kindermusik classes held in Orlando and Volusia at UCF/Oviedo, Winter Park, Lake Nona, Winter Garden and Port Orange.
Holly Lesnick is owner/director of Grow and Sing Studios, an award winning Kindermusik accredited program. She is a music therapist, and proud mother of two.
Transition Talk
✨Who else is going through a lot of transition right now? Transition and change is so hard isn’t it? Will and I just moved our oldest daughter Anna into her first college apartment this past week. While it’s not too far, it’s still out of our home. She’s been under our roof for almost 20 years. We didn’t realize how much the transition would affect us, mostly in the form of FATIGUE.
So, this might seem like a strange comparison, but it immediately came to my mind and I wanted to share it with you. In Kindermusik classes we have observed that for children, the most challenging time for them is not during the actual activities in Kindermusik, but in the time in between. The TRANSITIONS. Moving from one moment to the next. Sometime in class something might get collected or taken away (like an instrument), and a child might feel immediate feelings of sadness, fear, or excitement! The unknown of what happens next. It’s intense!
Sadness, fear or excitement. The exact feelings Will and I are experiencing through this life transition of moving our daughter out of our home.
🙌My reflection: What a beautiful gift we are giving our Kindermusik families. In our classrooms, we are working on transitions within in a safe, loving, judgement free environment. We are helping young children work through transitions, which is a LIFE SKILL we all must possess.
💜AMAZING. Thank you @kindermusik_international
🎵Sending love, light and musical memories,
Ms. Holly
Classes: Grow and Sing Studios
Mugs: @raedunn
Shelf: @hobbylobby
Rainbow Quote: @tjmaxx
💜🎵💜🎵💜🎵💜🎵💜🎵💜
😞Feeling stressed? Let us help!
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My biggest challenge yet…
Hi there, I’m Holly, founder, owner and director here at Grow and Sing Studios. 15 years ago, when my son was 6 weeks old, I created my studio which offered a very simple TWO Kindermusik classes per week total. I had previously taught Kindermusik and worked as a music therapist but had been on a break to have my second child.
I began my Kindermusik journey because I yearned for connections with other parents. I discovered Kindermusik through my first passion, music therapy, and it seemed like the obvious fit because Kindermusik is about how music affects a child’s development. I found Kindermusik to be a happy, smiley, positive place, and I wanted to create that for as many families as I could.
Even during the 2008 recession, Grow and Sing Studios thrived. It not only thrived, but won awards. Lots of awards. Through the years, I’ve added various classes, a wonderful staff, birthday parties, piano lessons, voice lessons… frankly, the list is VERY long because not all things I tried stuck.
Yet, throughout it all, the goal was simple.
Though I’m not sure I saw it for a long time. On the surface it was to have a career and support my family. I wanted to be the best I could be in my field. But it was also to make music and inspire my own children. However, it took many years to realize that the ultimate goal was to help inspire laughter, smiles, and connections.
So, I finally figured it out. It’s the constant Kindermusik joy guarantee in a life full of variables.
And boy has 2020 thrown us some major life variables!
I am always trying new things, testing the waters, figuring things out. Due to Covid-19, I’ve had to think WAY outside the box so that the laughter, smiles and connections didn’t stop.
That is where our Kindermusik Virtual program comes in. Back in March, I had NO idea what I was going to do. I had to take a step back, breathe, and remember that the ultimate goal was to create joy through music. Thankfully, we have an incredibly talented and DEVOTED team of teachers who were ready to try anything I put in front of them.
Our Kindermusik Virtual program has been a complete success over the past several months. A community of families from ALL OVER have embraced this new way to learn with their young children. I can’t express enough how heartwarming it is to witness! Friendships are being made between parents, between children, and even closer connections are forming between our teachers.
I’m starting to realize that if you can find a constant that makes you the happiest, you WILL succeed even in the middle of a pandemic. So, I finally figured it out. HAPPINESS is my dream. LAUGHTER is what I long for. CONNECTIONS are what I strive to create each and every day.
Mission accomplished.
So, what’s your story? I’d love to know more about YOU!
May your day bring you much happiness, peace, and many giggles.
Thanks for reading.
Love, Holly
CLICK HERE FOR YOUR UNLIMITED TRIAL WEEK
Summer Kindermusik Classes Announcement!
Hi Parents! We KNOW it’s been a hard time for you. As much as we would LOVE to return to the classroom in person we aren’t quite ready yet. After much reflection, we came to the decision to continue our very popular ONLINE CLASSES through Summer. Here’s why. We want to be sure our classroom is as safe as possible and the only way to do that is to educate ourselves and our team on best practices. We want to see what happens in the first phases of the state’s re-opening. Most importantly, we want to keep YOU and your young children in mind. Babies, toddlers and preschoolers do not understand social distancing. They are all about the hugs and kisses! They do not yet understand sharing. We teach that in class! They also tend to put things in their mouths which is developmentally appropriate. In addition, we have learned that an environment where there is singing, creates an aerosol that goes much further than speaking, and lasts in the air much longer. We care about you, and we want you to stay safe and healthy. We want to protect those that are high risk as well. We will be working behind the scenes to learn and prepare for our return. In addition, the locations we rent from have not yet opened, so our hands are tied.
In the meantime, we have an AMAZING lineup of online Summer programming! There are many options based on budget and session length needs. All programming includes UNLIMITED classes each week. We know our families have enjoyed being able to pop in any time they want. Whether it’s for a Kindermusik class, or a special event like a sing-a-long, puppet show or themed party. All programming includes digital at home materials to help enforce the learning at home.
We adhere to child protection laws, so we do not record classes. All programming is live.
The following links will lead you to our website for all our online fun. Please do not hesitate to contact us. We are here to help!
To view our online options click here.
To view our Bilingual Birdies + House Party Option click here.
To view our House Party Options click here.
To view our private piano or voice lessons click here.
To view our online Adult tap class a la carte option click here.
To view our online birthday party option click here.