Grow and Sing Studios staff including educators and assistants have been invited to share their thoughts about anything Grow and Sing, or Kindermusik! A big thank you to Ms. Kristen, Board Certified Music Therapist and Licensed Kindermusik Educator,  for her contribution and amazing insight into the many kinds of relationships formed in Kindermusik.
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Hi everyone! Ms. Kristen here.  It has been my pleasure to teach Kindermusik classes for Grow and Sing Studios over the past year. I have sincerely enjoyed making music with all of my families and helping each and every child learn and grow! One of my favorite parts of being a Kindermusik educator is watching various relationships form and continue to strengthen through the magic of music.

Many families enroll in Kindermusik classes in order to make music and have fun with their children. But did you know that making music with your child can actually help you bond with them? Take your child bouncing on your lap to the song “Little Red Wagon,” for example. This activity not only focuses on gross motor skills, but also promotes physical touch, trust and teamwork between parent and child. Singing your child’s name during “You Are My Sunshine” along with giving hugs, kisses and eye contact gives your child a sense of love, protection and security.

One of the best benefits of participating in Kindermusik activities is the opportunity for social interaction between the children in class. Watching a group of kids play on a gathering drum is not only adorable and fun, you are also seeing non-verbal communication and cooperation. Participating in a partner dance in our Village class promotes eye contact, physical touch and body part recognition. (of him/herself AND his/her partner!) As a parent myself, I know that watching my children positively interact with other children gives me the biggest sense of pride and joy!

This past spring and summer, I have also really enjoyed watching the parents in my classes become true friends, inside and outside of class! Your relationships may begin with a conversation about breastfeeding or teething in the first class, and by the last class, you’re discussing your children’s successes in Kindermusik and promising to enroll together the next semester. One of my favorite Kindermusik activities is great for creating and nurturing friendship naturally; you create a hammock for your baby out of a blanket and gently swing him/her side to side to the music with another parent. This activity promotes trust and familiarity between both parents, while also sharing the pleasure of watching the baby’s enjoyment.

And last but not least, my very favorite part of Kindermusik is creating my own relationships with both the parents and children! I love learning about the children and their favorite things in life; it is the best feeling in the world when a child in my class runs into the room and gives me a great big hug! I am so proud of their successes within the Kindermusik classroom, such as learning to share instruments, and also at home, such as learning to walk for the very first time! I get the biggest kick out of watching the children work together to help me clean up while and return instruments to the table while singing the “Teamwork” song. Some of my parents report that their child will only clean up at home when they sing “Let’s put the _____ away…” These little anecdotes make me so happy to see that our Kindermusik songs are just as beneficial at home as they are during class.

I hope to see that your relationships continue to bloom in and out of our Kindermusik classes as you either join or continue as a part of our Grow and Sing Studios family. Have a musical day!