Are you wondering if your child is “ready” for private lessons at My Little Conservatory? We have several readiness benchmarks that you can use to help you decide if your child is ready to start lessons. Check out our readiness benchmarks below. Read more
You’ve probably noticed your preschooler can now belt out the lyrics to their favorite songs! Sometimes at the top of their lungs with such passion and gusto! You may also notice that they begin in one musical key, but shift while singing. This is common and normal for our developing vocalists. If you want to help develop their singing skills, follow these simple tips to help their songs stay on pitch. Read more
We often get the question, “What instruments will my child get to play in Kindermusik?” Because of this we did a Facebook live showing and discussing all the wonderful instruments and props your little one will get to use and explore during their time in Kindermusik. Check out this video to see first hand!
Check out a video snapshot of our Kindermusik for Little Musicians program (Level 3 for 3-4 year olds).
Every month we share the wonders of Kindermusik with the residents of the Belmont Village Senior Living Center. Our Kindermusik for Grandfriends events bring the young and young at heart together to experience the joy and cognitive benefits of music! This is truly a magical experience for all that attend. The toddlers love engaging with the elders and the seniors in turn are invigorated by the little ones’ youthful spirit. These events are free to current MLC families as a perk to your enrollment.
Kids are born to improvise. They have no problem picking up an instrument and playing a “song” that they make up as they go along. And jazz is all about improvisation. April is National Jazz Appreciation Month with April 30 being National Jazz Day. April was chosen in recognition of the birthdays of jazz greats that happen this month – Duke Ellington, Ella Fitzgerald, Gerry Mulligan, and Tito Puente. Read more
February is Black History Month. What better way to celebrate it than through music. American music would not be what it is today without the influence of African American music. It begins from when Africans were forced into slavery and brought music to America from their homeland. As time went on, African-American music evolved into what we hear today. Here are some of the major African-American musical genres.
African-American Spirituals
A spiritual is a type of religious folksong that is closely associated with the enslavement of African-Americans in the American South. The songs proliferated in the last few decades of the eighteenth century leading up to the end of legalized slavery in the 1860s. The African American spiritual (also called the Negro Spiritual) constitutes one of the largest and most significant forms of American folksong. In the following video, Calvin Earl presents an African American spiritual song in hopes of providing a better understanding of the music created by the slaves in the cotton fields of the Old South in America. The history and secret codes within the spiritual ‘Wade In The Water’ is brought to life in a small clip of his performance in Colonial Williamsburg in Virginia.
Many people ask me what the difference is between our Level 1 Kindermusik Class for Young Toddlers (1-2 year olds) and our Level 2 Kindermusik Class for Toddlers (2-3 year olds). The two classes have a similar feel, pace and energy, but there are many differences.
Social/Emotional: In our Level 2 Class we work on sharing and taking turns. We may pass an instrument or prop around the singing circle for each child to explore. After their turn, they pass the instrument to the next child. This can be challenging for a 2 year olds, but through our supportive environment, most do well! We do not attempt this in our Level 1 Class. The children are not yet able to comprehend the idea of sharing. It would just end in tears or upset little ones!
Large and Small Motor Skills: In our Level 2 Class we add in additional movements into our dances and fingerplays. Children at 2 can often jump, shuffle feet, gallop, and side step so these are now incorporated in our movement activities. They can also do more complex dances with movements at specific times in the song, they can hold hands in a circle dance (teamwork!) and use some imaginative play to move like animals, etc. The 2 year olds can also do more involved fingerplays and remember longer sequences of finger motions.
Instruments: We use baby-safe instruments in our Level 1 class. Moving up to Level 2, we now add in Rhythm Sticks, Ankle Bells and Single Bell Jingles. We also incorporate Streamers (these are too long for the 1 year olds and they get under their feet) and Pom Poms (not ideal for 1 year olds who may still want to explore them with their mouths). Read more
When parents of toddlers get together and the subject of schools comes up, the question of whether or not your child will be prepared for school inevitably comes up. It’s easy to start worrying if they will be able to read and write in time. But what I know from my experience as an elementary school teacher is that children need to learn how to be ready to learn. We teachers want children in our classes that know how to get along with other children, listen to the teacher, and take turns. We look for these signs of school readiness: self-regulation, listening, social-emotional skills, plus pre-literacy and pre-math skills.
One of the best ways to gain these skills is through group music classes. Why? Well, firstly, kids learn these school readiness skills best in an environment with other children. Secondly, they also learn pre-math and pre-literacy through music. Third reason? The learning is all through play – it’s fun!
Music class helps self-regulation
Depending on where your child goes to school, there could be up to 30 children in a classroom – that’s 30 possible distractions! So, if your child can control their own behavior, emotions, thoughts and impulses, they are better at being able to focus. In our Kindermusik classes, children are given lots of practice moving to music, stopping and then starting again – all in a safe space with other children. By taking turns, they learn how to control their behavior and emotions. They learn about personal space and controlling their bodies while dancing with their friends. So what may look like kids rocking out to their favorite songs, is really them learning what is considered safe and appropriate behavior through example and positive reinforcement. Read more
Kindermusik Summer Classes 2016
Baby Class: Ages 0-1
Toddler Class: Ages 1-3
Preschooler Class: Ages 3-5
Class details:
Flexible Summer Schedule: pick any 4 classes per session
Session 1: June 13-July 23 (no classes July 4-9)
Session 2: July 25-August 27
Child(ren) and Caregiver attend together
Class Size: Maximum of 12 Students
Tuition: $80 (sibling discount: $60) per 4 Class Session
Kindermusik@Home provided for free
Bring your little one for some summer music fun! You and your child(ren) will love our summer themed classes complete with creative props, instruments and imaginative play. Story time, family jams, dancing, and singing all encourage discovery and exploration as your children strengthen their ties with each other and with you. Kindermusik@Home downloads, ebooks, and home activities are provided for you to enjoy together. Read more
My Little Conservatory
1256 S. Bascom
San Jose, CA 95128
Call: (669) 234-3383
Text: (408) 634-4087
Ranked in the top 1% of Kindermusik studios worldwide and the top-rated studio in all of California.
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