Why Early Childhood Music and Movement Classes? Part I: Earleen Coburn
/Why Early Childhood Music and Movement Classes for the Improved Development of the Child
Music helps the child to develop in so many different ways, including mentally, emotionally physically, spiritually, verbally, vocally, socially, and musically It has been shown to help immensely with brain development, gross motor skills (learning balance, and flow of movement), spatial awareness, ear development ((such as auditory discrimination and balance) The ear has been proven to be the most important organ in early childhood development.), developing inner speech and self control, learning to interpret signals and cues, parental bonding, memory and recall, self expression and creativity, and so much more. I am just going to cover a few of these briefly to give you an idea of what I mean.
Brain Development
As I have told many of you, the greatest part of brain development takes place from birth to five years of age. At that time the brain is like wet cement (that’s why it’s a very important time to be learning musical concepts with the mind and body through play). At that time the brain is filled with billions of neurons that need to be “connected in” (through stimuli) or they will be lost. When a child just listens to music he/she uses many different parts of the brain to process that music. All the parts of the brain that are being used at the same time are making connections with each other. “Cells that fire together wire together.” Those connections build circuitry in the brain, which builds capacity in the brain, which can later be used for math, reading, science, sports, music, or whatever. If a child is involved in the music (dancing, singing, playing a rhythm instrument or other instrument), then even more brain development is taking place. When a child is actively participating in music 90% of the brain is being used (and developed). While making music (especially involving the voice), all eight “centers” of the brain work simultaneously. Coordinating one’s voice, body, and/or hands playing a rhythm instrument, with the flow of the music is an amazing mind/body exercise, especially for a young developing brain and nervous system. Some neural pathways are only connected during musical activities.
Music stimulates the brain. A child’s brain is in its developmental stages from birth to age 9. It has been shown that if a child with a developing brain listens to classical music before a test he/she will do better on that test and the brain improvement will be permanent. If an adult listens to classical music just before a test, he/she will also do better on that test, but the improvement will only be temporary.
Statistics indicate that children who have learned to “keep a steady beat” (become “timed”), or “have a good sense of rhythm in their bodies” (by 7 or 8 years old) perform in the higher percentile ranking of their academic and professional peers throughout life. Learning to keep a steady beat – a cadence - successfully has been shone to help children with reading and language skills. That’s because these areas require a good sense of cadence. Every language has it’s own cadence. We do a lot in Musikgarten to help children to develop a good sense of rhythm and timing, especially in our abundant use of rhythm instruments, as well as in the singing, dancing, and drumming. All musical activities, but especially dancing and playing rhythm instruments, help to develop listening skills, and “auditory discrimination” (recognizing different sounds). These are some more necessary tools in developing speech and reading skills. Many pre-reading skills are part of music, like; rhyme, sequencing, patterns, rhythm, and eye-hand coordination, to mention a few. Learning to keep a steady beat has also been found to help ADD and ADHD children learn to focus better, and become more successful in school.
Speech
Children who don’t talk, (have never spoken, or have recently come from another country and don’t know English), who are exposed to musical activities involving language (on a regular basis) begin to say or sing words and develop a vocabulary. This has been shown in research done by the University of Miami, and by High Scope Educational Research Foundation in Michigan. Putting the words with the music seems to help them to make the connections more easily. Perhaps it is the emotional element of music. Whatever it is, music helps them to speak and learn words and language better.
Social
Children in daycare and preschool setting have become much more friendly and sociable when musical activities have become part of the daily routine, as opposed to schools where it was not. This was also discovered by the University of Miami research.
Movement
Music and movement together help children to develop gross motor skills, coordination and a good sense of balance and spatial awareness. Movement helps learning to become more concrete, when added to any learning activity. We retain 50% more when a movement component is added to the learning sequence.
Inner Speech and Self-control.
Young children have a very hard time controlling themselves (telling their bodies what to do, when and how to stop etc.). Our bodies are very tuned into the flow, beat and nuances of music. It can make us feel happy or sad, active or relaxed. If we’re moving with the music and it stops we have a much greater impulse to stop than if there were no music. Musical activities help children to learn to tell their bodies what to do, when to stop, when to go, when to clean up. Transitioning from one activity to another is often difficult for children. When a song is sung regularly to cue the change of activity, the transition goes much more smoothly. Music helps them to develop inner speech, controlling their bodies and making them fit with the musical suggestions and flow.
A Refuge
In our crazy society where everyone is rushing around with their busy schedules, children as well as adults develop a “fight or flight” mentality, and often feel like a cornered animal where nothing is sure, secure, solid or easy. It just all seems scrambled. This is a huge obstacle to learning, and in many cases shuts down learning capabilities. Music and musical activities help children to calm and organize themselves. Different from all the draining things around us, music energizes us. It sensitizes the brain to learn, and it helps us cope with the crazy world around us. Good music, and being actively involved in it, is a very healthy thing for us, on every level; mentally, emotionally, physically and spiritually.
(Dee Joy Coulter, Ed.D., a neuroscience educator and researcher from Colorado recently gave this information in a talk at the University of Delaware.)
Growth Mindset Parenting: Make Sure Learners Get a Chance to THINK!! (part 3)
/
After laying the groundwork for your children by discussing how the brain works, focus on your environment. In Teaching Kids to Thrive: Essential Skills for Success, Silver and Stafford suggest six ways to create a supportive learning environment that emphasizes effort, practice and determination (2017). These ideas can be applied in our day-to-day parenting.
#1. Growth Mindset Parents Make Sure Learners Get a Chance to Think.
In a growth mindset way of parenting, the adults do not give away “the answer.” They provide the children with the time and support needed to struggle. As a growth mindset parent, you can encourage your young ones when problem solving by saying, “Can you think of a new way to try that?” “You’re on the right track!” This is particularly helpful when a child is building with blocks, figuring out how to carry all their toys to a new place or working on gross motor skills on the playground. Do you want to “rescue” them by telling them how to do it in the most effective way or by simply doing it yourself? As easy as both are to do, don’t! Try waiting. After offering a guiding question, wait at least three seconds before taking an answer. This allows the child a chance to process the question and formulate an answer. If a child incorrectly answers, try waiting five seconds (Stahl, 1994) This encourages the learner to use their problem-solving skills to sort out another possibility.
Be comfortable with silence. Just wait! After they’ve been given “think time,” try asking something like “Walk me through your process.” “How did you reach that conclusion?” or “What is another possible answer?” before providing any more support. This allows your child to think about how they got their answer and if other possibilities exist. Try this method out in the coming weeks and watch your child’s thinking develop before your very eyes!
Allow your child a chance to watch this short video about how we expand our brains and build new neurons. Our monster buddies MoJo and Katie learn they have the power to change how their neurons are wired together and learn by doing challenging things!
Growth Mindset Parenting: When Your Child Says, “I’m Not Smart Enough!” (Part 2)
/As parents, we watch our children grow from birth through adulthood. As they grow, their mindsets grow alongside their bodies. Think about the typical young child’s excitement level when singing versus the all too frequent “I can’t sing attitude” of many older kids. Somewhere along the way, that young person decided that he couldn’t sing or realized he wasn’t singing as well as his peers, so instead of trying and failing and trying again, he decided that he would rather not try at all. This all too familiar situation occurs as children age due to most people viewing musical ability as a God-given gift or inherent talent. For example, people seem to naturally sing well or poorly. Dweck says:
Just because some people can do something with little or no training, it doesn’t mean that others can’t do it (and sometimes even better) with training. This is so important, because many, many people with the fixed mindset think that someone’s early performance tells you all you need to know about their talent and their future. (2016, p.70).
The life of Mozart illustrates this point well. He struggled for over ten years before composing the works we admire today. Before then, boring and patched-together chunks taken from other composers marked his pieces (Dweck, 2016, p. 56). Instead of quitting, Mozart constantly stretched himself, analyzed his pieces and addressed their weaknesses. Dweck’s research suggests that when children adopt the growth mindset, like Mozart did, that their achievement increases, along with their motivation (2016). So, how do we as parents develop this mindset in our children?
Parenting with a growth mindset perspective is a relatively new concept leaving many parents overwhelmed at the onset. Have no fear! Many teaching techniques can mark the beginning of this journey, but I suggest starting by teaching your children about growth mindset, especially if this is a new concept for your child. Consider a read aloud for a simple beginning. For example, Drum Dream Girl: How One Girl’s Courage Changed Music by Margarita Engle and Rafael López and Hana Hashimoto, Sixth Violin by Chiere Uegaki illustrate growth mindset on a child’s level from a music perspective and make for memorable reference points as you coach this new way of thinking.
Some kids need concrete evidence that growth mindset works, so don’t hesitate to get into the neuroscience. In this great kid-friendly video by Class Dojo, the concept of exercising our brain as the muscle that it is, gets introduced. Little Monster Mojo has a fixed mindset, but with the encouragement of his buddy Katie, he learns that our brains can be stretched and challenged! Thanks to Katie’s phrases like “you can’t give up” and “anyone can be smart; you just have to work at it!”, Mojo adopts a growth mindset. Come back to our blog next time to discover specific ways to create a supportive learning environment for your children that emphasizes effort, practice and determination
Thank-you Jamie Rives!
Growth Mindset Parenting
/
“I can’t do it!” sobbed our 3-year-old son as he gave up and tumbled to the ground in total despair. To my surprise, his 4-year-old sister, stepped up and said, “It’s okay! Try again! I’ll help figure it out.” Have you ever noticed how some children blossom in the face of challenges, while others shut down altogether?
Jamie Rives
Jamie Rives, a colleague of mine, shared her research of Carol Dweck’s studies of this phenomenon. Jamie reports: “Throughout Dweck’s work, she realized that some children blossomed in the face of challenges, while others shut down altogether. In addition, the children willing to embrace challenge and wrestle with failure obtained more positive results than the children who used avoidance tactics when they encountered an obstacle in their learning. She began seeing it everywhere in the world around her- in education, parenting, business, and even sports. Eventually, she came up with a name for it: mindset. In her work, Dweck identified two separate mindsets: fixed mindset and growth mindset. She defines them as follows:
Fixed Mindset: The belief that people are born with a fixed amount of intelligence and ability. People operating in the fixed mindset are prone to avoiding challenges and failures, hereby robbing themselves of a life rich in experience and learning.
Growth Mindset: The belief that with practice, perseverance, and effort, people have limitless potential to learn and grow. People operating in the growth mindset take on challenges with the understanding that making mistakes and failing are essential to growth.”
Both mindsets exist in us all. It’s whether we choose to view various situations through the lens of the growth mindset or the fixed mindset that makes all the difference. In Mindset, Dweck points out that all people begin life with a growth mindset. Think about infants. They don’t care if their babbling make sense while learning to speak and no matter how often they fall in learning to walk, they always get back up.”
So, when does a fixed mindset develop and how can we, as parents, help guide our children to develop growth mindset? I’m glad you asked!! WeJoySing thanks Jamie Rives for sharing her research and will be sharing the answers to these questions in a blog series: Growth Mindset Parenting! The series will feature Growth Mindset videos and practical growth mindset techniques and suggestion to add to your parenting tool chest. You won’t want to miss a single post!!
Parenting Joyfully,
Mrs. Jo
Mrs. Lynnette: "Once Upon A Time"
/
Loving what I do best!!!
Once upon a time, in fact, in 1996, the founder and director of WeJoySing, Jo Kirk, called me to extend an invitation to come teach with her. I thought, "I don't have the training for that!" However, I decided to talk with her anyway. It was on a hot summer day that we talked, laughed, and cried a little. It was also on that day that I fell in love with WeJoySing and its director, Jo Kirk.
I had just recovered from a total hysterectomy and my heart was broken that I could not have any additional children. We had one VERY special daughter, but my heart ached for more. I knew I would not see first steps, hear first words and first cries again. That is what made that summer day so special. When I accepted Jo's invitation, I began a journey that would change my life forever. I have witnessed first steps, first words and have received so much love that my heart has overgrown. That is why I want to share some exciting news with you.
My Family!!
My daughter, Lindsey, her husband, Adam and our two grandchildren, Lilly and Gehrig live in Cincinnati. My husband and I have the opportunity to move to Cincinnati and be closer to them....to be able to play a more important part in their lives. This is something we have been dreaming about for a couple years as our grandkids begin to get involved in many sports, cheerleading, dance and singing. The best news is that I am going to begin WeJoySing classes in Cincinnati! I am currently searching locations and have high hopes that they can begin soon!
My Grandchildren!!!
This is a bittersweet decision for me because I have fallen in love with all of my students and families. The memories I hold, will be in my heart forever. My tears have fallen for two reasons...leaving my Central Ohio families and tears of joy to be with our grandchildren. However, I am so thrilled to share with you that MY NIECE, Mrs. Beth Marshall will be "keeping it in the family." She will step in and teach my classes beginning in the Fall. You see, she has over 12 years’ experience as a WeJoySing Instructor!! She is fabulous and has been a well-loved WeJoySing Instructor. I know she will capture your child's heart (and yours!) very quickly!
My niece: Mrs. Beth!!!
Thank you for sharing your children with me. Thank you for the hugs I've received every day. Thank you for the friendships we've built (thanks to social media, we can continue them!). Thank you for believing in the power of music that enhances your children's lives. Thank you for allowing me to be a part of your families. Thank you that YOU will continue to be a part of mine! Most importantly, thank you for your love!
Love and La Las,
Mrs. Lynnette
NO RUSH! Let Them Observe!! Part II Interview
/
Watching…Watching…Watching! Learning…Learning…learning!
An observer is a person who watches what happens but has little to no visible active part in it. Parents of an “observer” often struggle to understand why their child “just sits and watches” while others are up and joyfully playing with their parents and the other children.
Perhaps your little one is an observer and you are wondering if his or her development is normal. If so, you will connect with the parents I’ve interviewed. These four families have been attending WeJoySing for a minimum of 9 months up to 2.5 years and have had a variety of teachers within the WeJoySing program. Two of the children attend the evening sessions and two attend mornings. The parents were asked the same questions and you will see similarities in all the replies which show how your “little observer” is still gaining from his/her WeJoySing classes. In this two part series, you’ll read how these parents guided their child through this observation process to gain new skills and a greater sense of security to joyfully, on their own, actively participate in class.
Some observers like to be held or stand to the side during movement experiences
YOUR “OBSERVER” IS JUST FINE!! It is through observation that your child learns…through watching. As your “little observer” watches the musical activity, he/she is mentally very busy processing all the information he/she is “meeting and greeting.” Your child is getting to know and understand the activity through observations. This observation process gives your child a greater sense of security once he/she begins to be actively involved with the experience.
Describe the observer behaviors you see from your child during class:
Rylan: My child sits on my lap pretty much the entire time. She watches the other children and teacher but does not really sing along or participate. My first born wouldn’t even go up to get an instrument from the teacher or to get la-la’s. My youngest who is now in class sits close and holds my hand during all walking/dancing; but she will go up and get instruments and la-la’s.
Millie: When we first started attending, Millie was very hesitant about participating. She would not dance, sing, or use the instruments. She would quietly watch the other kids doing those things but would often stand and watch in one spot while I would move around. This was something I was concerned about especially during those first few sessions, but Mrs. Kristi explained these were normal observer behaviors.
Describe the ways you know your child is enjoying the class.When your child is in a familiar environment what does he/she say or do from WeJoySing class?
Rylan: She is very excited the morning of class and can’t wait to get in the car and go. She rushes up the stairs to class. She talks about the class at home and when we pass by the church she excitedly says, “are we going to music class today?” She repeats several of the songs from class like Uuuuuup the hill and Doooooown the hill. She sweetly said that Mrs. Kristi is a good singer one day in the car!
Millie: She is always excited and willing to come to class. When we pull into the parking lot she starts saying, “We’re here! We’re here! La-La Class!” Millie will sing the songs at home all the time and she likes to dance the movements. She gets really excited if any of the La-La Class songs are on the radio!!
once your observer is comfortable, she will move from your lap to “where the action is!!!”
Talk about your feelings as the parent when your child is more of an observer.
Rylan: It can be awkward at times. Others are usually very nice about it, but you can tell they may think it is odd. You want your child to participate more and really show she is enjoying it; however, having been through this with our older child, I know this is something my child enjoys and is a bonding experience for us. I try my best to let her be herself. It is good practice for her to feel out a new setting and determine how she wants to experience it. It’s ok if she wants to sit on my lap or hold my hand…she is still around other children, in an environment away from home, and listening and following instructions from a teacher.
(For what it’s worth, I also have a very active and outgoing child. That also presents its own set of challenges; like chasing them around, trying to get them to share, return instruments even if they don’t want to, etc. The quiet observer offers benefits in that regard—they sit still, listen and follow the rules! There is no ‘perfect’ child and you have to roll with it a bit!)
Millie: Oftentimes I would feel sad for her because I knew she would enjoy participating but for whatever reason is not comfortable in doing so. I don’t want her to miss out on anything, so I love that I now see her taking risks with new activities in class!
La La’s after class…ALL BY MY SELF!!!!
What changes have you seen in the amount of participation from the beginning?
Rylan: My child started to participate around the start of her second consecutive session (fall and holiday). She is still reserved and mostly sits with me, but she will participate in the dances and walks a little more. She bravely joined in on the parachute and jumps up to put the mats up! She even proudly said her name one time during the introductions!!! We all cheered! She loves getting the la-la’s and proudly shows them to her older brother and sister.
Millie: We reached a point where it seemed like Millie would participate in one new thing each week and it just grew from there. We have been attending for 10 months now and she fully participates in most activities. She especially loves the introduction song and will do the movements for The More We Get Together all the time! As a stay-at-home-with-grandma-while-mom-works kiddo she is also getting extra time around other kids her age which is a wonderful opportunity for social interactions!
What do you see other parents, kids or teachers do that encourages your children to warm up at their own pace?
Rylan: Both WeJoySing teachers we have had have been excellent at letting my quiet children be themselves and go at their own pace. They include my child, but don’t push when it is clear things are uncomfortable. The teacher responds positively when she participates or feels like moving away from mom. The kindness to me and my child seems to respect that it is OK to be a quiet child who sticks close to mom.
tHE JOY OF GROWING & LEARNING THROUGH MUSIC!
What would you say to another parent with a child who likes to observe?
Rylan: It is a great experience for you and your child, something to do together to build your relationship. Let your child be who he or she is and don’t sweat it if your child isn’t as outgoing or excitable. Let them enjoy it in their own way and know you are there to support them.
Millie: WeJoySing is a wonderful class where students get to engage in music at their own comfort level and ability. Since the activities are repeated week after week kids can get used to the expectations and appreciate the levels of consistency.
WeJoySing’s deepest gratitude goes to the families who participated in this interview!
Your comments have “calmed many” parent’s heart, soul, and mind!!!
La La’s!!
Mrs. Kristi
NO RUSH! Let Them Observe! (Part I)
/
watching….watching…watching….
An observer is a person who watches what happens but has little to no visible active part in it. Parents of an “observer” often struggle to understand why their child “just sits and watches” while others are up and joyfully playing with their parents and the other children.
I’m here to tell you, YOUR “OBSERVER” IS JUST FINE!! It is through observation that your child learns…through watching. As your “little observer” watches the musical activity, he/she is mentally very busy processing all the information he/she is “meeting and greeting.” Your child is getting to know and understand the activity through observations. This observation process gives your child a greater sense of security once he/she begins to be actively involved with the experience.
I CAN DO IT!! i CAN DO IT!!
Perhaps your little one is an observer too. If so, you will connect with the parents I’ve interviewed. These four families have been attending WeJoySing for a minimum of 9 months up to 2.5 years and have had a variety of teachers within the WeJoySing program. Two of the children attend the evening sessions and two attend mornings. The parents were asked the same questions and you will see similarities in all the replies which show how your “little observer” is still gaining from his/her WeJoySing classes. In this two part series, you’ll read how these parents guided their child through this observation process to gain new skills and a greater sense of security to joyfully, on their own, actively participate in class.
Describe the observer behaviors you see from your child during class:
Kiran: She stares very intently at the instructor and very rarely sings along. She never used to do hand motions and when she did start joining in, it was always about halfway through the activity with tiny movements. She is doing a much better job now with Mrs. Kristi than I have ever seen in any sort of class before.
Ryker: He is a great listener and is quick to collect and return instruments. Early on, he didn’t want to leave my side, but now he is eager to sit up close for the story books especially. He is always paying attention and aware of what others are doing.
kiran (monkey) enjoys the ball with mom & dad
Describe the ways you know your child is enjoying the class.
When your child is in a familiar environment what does he/she say or do from WeJoySing class?
Kiran: If she didn’t want to go, she would be a lot harder to get in the car! She used to ask me to sing the songs at home, now she sings them herself. As a toddler, she would shout “Stop!” just like the teacher whenever I sang Johnny Works with One Hammer. She loved Minka and would ask for it over and over. Now she asks me to do it with her baby sister. Starting in toddlerhood, she would happily sing the clean-up song from class when we had to put anything away. More recently, she’s been playing with the good-bye song by altering the words. I overheard her showing a book to her baby sister and singing, “Press, press, press the cow. Press the cow together. La, la, la, la…”
Ryker: Ryker always loves to sing the welcome and goodbye songs, and always has a smile on his face while doing so! He gets very excited when the instruments come out. He also runs up at the end of class for his La-La’s and to check out any instruments Mrs. Kristi shares with the class. He plays his instruments at home and remembers several songs from class!
Ryker watching…watching….learning ….learning
Talk about your feelings as the parent when your child is more of an observer.
Kiran: When she was younger, I’d get a little exasperated; but I’ve tried pushing and it only made it worse. I don’t want to say I feel ‘embarrassed’, but it does occur to me that other parents may think I’m doing something wrong, or that she’s not participating because she doesn’t understand what is going on. Lots of patience!
What changes have you seen in the amount of participation from the beginning?
Kiran: The first session we attended had only two other families and the teacher had an enormous bear that Kiran just loved. In this younger class, she wasn’t expected to do much but sit in my lap and be loved! When we moved into the older class and the group was bigger and more boisterous, she clammed up and didn’t want to get instruments or anything. The improvements began when we re-joined in the fall. A big part was that Mrs. Kristi had monkey puppets and an extended monkey theme which happens to be Kiran’s favorite! We were also in a quieter, carpeted room and although the class wasn’t tiny, she knew several other kids.
Often, a story will draw the child into the play
What do you see other parents, kids or teachers do that encourages your children to warm up at their own pace?
Kiran: The parents are always so supportive of all the children when they begin sharing their names at the beginning of class. Kiran clapped after introducing herself at a party the other, and I think it was because everyone always claps for her in WeJoySing class!
Mrs. Kristi does a number of things that really helped Kiran warm up.
1). Those darling monkey puppets and making sure each child had a chance to pick one up each time they were used. Those little delightful things make a big difference.
2). Drawing the kids out of their parents’ laps slowly by enticing them versus explicitly pressuring them to be independent.
3). Drawing them into the joy of pretend. You can tell when my child is really wrapped up in the day’s narrative because she forgets her inhibitions and dives in. Mrs. Kristi sells the daily narratives really well and ties it together seamlessly.
Ryker: Mrs. Kristi and all the parents clap and praise each child as they demonstrate some independence. Whether it be saying their name out loud or playing an instrument by themselves, it is such a warm, safe and inviting atmosphere.
What would you say to another parent with a child who likes to observe?
Kiran: Every child is different, and every class is different make-up; but there are lots of aspects of WeJoySing that can be seeds to a breakthrough! Whether it’s the exciting array of props and instruments, or the introduction ritual, the imaginative play or the La-La stamps; kids can build musicality through observation or from bringing class activities home. One of the best things we have brought home is the Clean-Up Song! It magically transforms putting things away from a chore into a joy…What parent doesn’t need that???
Ryker: WeJoySing is a wonderful program that provides creative movement and play while encouraging learning and individual development. It is an exciting and positive environment that truly encourages the children to do their best and have fun!
WeJoySing sends a huge THANK YOU to the Kiran and Ryker Family!!
La La’s
Mrs. Kristi
Welcome! Nancy Gillespie to the WeJoySing Staff
/
Mrs. Nancy has always loved listening to music and going to live concerts. She even played everything from the oboe to percussion in her childhood; but it was her search for something musical to do with her daughter that brought her to WeJoySing. A friendly neighbor mentioned the local class which Mrs. Nancy l
loved attending weekly with her then 8-month-old daughter Camilla.
Mrs. Nancy grew up in Northeast Ohio and went to college at The Ohio State University where she met her husband Mike. The two of them lived on the beach in Los Angeles for 5 years after graduating from college. Working, traveling and exploring California during their time there was thoroughly enjoyable. The couple moved back to Central Ohio to be closer to both families.
Mrs. Nancy and her husband enjoy date nights in the Short North and she enjoys working on little interior design projects throughout their home. She likes to do yoga and go for stroller walks and runs in their neighborhood, with frequent pit stops at nearby playgrounds for Camilla, of course! Camilla, who is now almost 18 months old, is excited to become a big sister when her little brother is born in April of 2019!
Mrs. Nancy will be serving as our social media marketing coordinator and will be building a strong social media presence for WeJoySing. Mrs. Nancy states, “We have been so fortunate to have been in Mrs. Jo's class in Dublin since my daughter started WeJoySing when she was 8 months old - she is almost 18 months old now. I have gotten to know Mrs. Jo over the past year and this opportunity organically came up in one of our conversations before class. It was naturally a perfect fit for both of us! I'm really excited to share special WeJoySing moments from both class as well as moments captured at home!”
Mrs. Nancy is already hard a work increasing WeJoySing’s online presence, so we are excited to share that WeJoySing is officially on Instagram! Please make sure to follow us: @wejoysingmusic. We will be using Instagram with our Facebook page to share pictures, announcements, teacher spotlights, giveaways, videos and more! We know you are already taking pictures and videos during class and we would LOVE to have our followers share their in-class and at-home WeJoySing moments with us by tagging us @wejoysingmusic and using the hastag #WeJoySing when you post your memories!
Children Tugging at Our Heart Strings
/
tHE SONG MAKES ME FEEL SAD
Just about everything we do at WeJoySing is JOYFUL. Purposely. It’s what we do. Why, it’s even our middle name! But sometimes life is not all joy. Sometimes life stinks. And, music can be there for us in those times, too. In fact, there is a whole genre of music called “The Blues.”
During the holiday session, I was singing a lullaby to a class of babies. Lullay, thou little tiny child… (it’s in a minor key). An older sibling attending the class, left the circle during that song. I thought, “No big deal, maybe she needs to go to the bathroom.” When she returned, I noticed she had been crying. I asked what was wrong. Articulately, the little three-year-old replied, “That song makes me feel sad.” I love that music is so multi-faceted: that it is both mathematical and soulful, both deep and playful. Lullabies especially bring out the emotional side of music, they often have a slow tempo and sometimes are in a minor key.
pROTECTING WITH LOVE
As parents, we try to protect our kids, even ourselves, from heartbreak. We don’t want our children to hurt. That’s why everyone gets a trophy and a valentine. In my family, my husband put his foot down! We were never getting a dog because of the pain he experienced when his childhood dog died. His pain was so huge; he never wanted our kids to feel that pain. But I’m going to let you in on a secret: not all of life is sunshine and roses. There will be pain. There will be gray skies. There will be sadness. As much as we try to protect our children from it, sometimes they will hurt. But I say, embrace the pain. Label the hurt as an authentic feeling. Sing some blues. Have a good cry. THEN … turn the page. Look for the rainbow. “Weeping may endure for the night, but JOY comes in the morning.” (Psalm 30:5) In my WeJoySing class, that sad little three-year-old asked, “So can we sing a happy song now?”
mUSIC HELPS CHANGE US THROUGH SADNESS
Anger sometimes happens, too. Music can help us express and work through that as well. For example, during the holiday session, we met a character named Sam. Sam didn’t like to wait. It took a long time for his cakes to bake. So, while he waited, he sang a little song. Wait, Sam, wait, Sam, do di diddle um, do di diddle um. But he REALLY didn’t like to wait. In my classes, he folded his arms across his chest, stomped his foot, put in his angry voice, and sang, Stomp, children, stomp, children, do di diddle um, do di diddle um. But then, guess what? The timer on the oven rang. The waiting was done. He ran JOYFULLY to get his cakes! He made it through the hard time!
MEET “ROSIE!!”
Most often, hard times make us grow stronger. Do we like struggles? No. Do we wish pain for our kids? No. But if we never take the risk, we will never see the view from the top of the mountain. Dare to open up. Try something new. Put your heart out there. Feel the Feels. And surround yourself with music every step of the way.
PS: We got a dog this year. 😊
La La’s and Love
Mrs. Julie
"WeJoySing, Refreshment for the Mind and Soul" a parent quote!
/
“Hello How Are You” - Greet a friend circle game
“We absolutely LOVE our “Music & Me” class with Mrs. Jo! It’s such an amazing program that integrates music skills, motion and all the activities are developmentally appropriate.” This social media post raving about “Music & Me,” WeJoySing’s school age music literacy program, prompted us to learn more about this family’s experience.
JC has been with WeJoySing for 3 years, starting “HeartString” classes in Granville with Mrs. Jody and then moving to “Music & Me” with Mrs. Jo. JC ‘s parents described him as a “bright, energetic individual who loves learning new things. Even though JC struggles with Sensory Processing Disorder, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder and Anxiety, music seems to be his forte. The “Music & Me” class has helped build JC’s confidence and taught him to overcome fears, take risks, and he loves to challenge himself by trying new things.”
Singing game that prepares new melodic concept
JC’s mother, Tami, and father love all the benefits they have seen from attending Music & Me. “It has strengthened our family relationship, because Music & Me is very interactive and involves ALL the family members at times. JC loves the dancing and movement that his body requires, especially the ‘wolf game’ as he calls it, where Mrs. Jo ties motion and music together into a fun game of chase.”
Reading & playing rhythms on Tom tom
Tami states, “As a parent, my greatest joy of WeJoySing is how the program is so developmentally appropriate. It provides lots of movement, while allowing children healthy learning and interactions. The children are playing instruments while learning musical concepts.” JC chimes in saying, “I like playing the drum really hard! And I love Mrs. Jo and the ‘wolf game’. Can we play that every day?”
JC has developed his musical intelligence as well. He is using music to help him complete school work or soothe him when he is overwhelmed emotionally. JC seems better able to self-regulate when listening to music. Even JC agrees that Music & Me classes have helped him “learn to do fun games with my friends.”
“Sol - Mi” exercise!! Jumping melody read from staff notation
“By far, this program has exceeded ALL our expectations and more! Mrs. Jo is the most energetic individual I know and her enthusiasm for music is contagious! JC loves her very much. I am especially thankful that Mrs. Jo has taken time to understand our JC. She knows what his body needs, and addresses concerns he has in a positive way by looking for ‘marvelous musicians’ who make good choices. I love how she keeps the classroom climate positive in which the kids WANT to be the BEST they can be!”
Refreshment for mind and soul! How precious!!
When Tami describes why they are willing to drive an hour for JC to attend a Music & Me, she exclaims that it “refreshes our minds and souls” amid a busy life. JC cheerfully agrees and says other kids and parents “need to know how fun it is!”
Why not take their advice and join us for your own refreshing experience with WeJoySing? We’d ENJOY having you as part of our WeJoySing “family!” Message us or call 614-868-0107 for more information and to register today!
WeJoySing Welcomes Samantha Lin to Our Instructor Staff!!
/
Mrs. Sam is a self-proclaimed lover of singing; singing every chance she can get, both alone and with her daughter, Ellie. She and Ellie play, sing and dance a lot at home; but as a Mommy she also wanted her daughter to be with kids her age to share the music experience. She began searching for mommy and me classes and WeJoySing came up both on a Google search and in her Facebook ‘Powell Parents in the Know’ group.
“At our first WeJoySing class, Eleanor’s smiles and giggles filled my heart as we shared in the joy-filled experience together! I quickly learned WeJoySing is not only for the children, but gives moms and dads a chance to bond, let loose and be silly with their children; because let’s face it, taking care of a child is no easy task.”
Mrs. Sam’s love of music began as a child playing the piano, singing in choirs and joining orchestra and band. She could often be found putting on little shows for friends and family and singing in the car during family road trips! After high school, she majored in piano and minored in voice at Kent State University obtaining a degree in Music Education. As a Preschool teacher, Mrs. Sam incorporated music during circle time and provided private piano and music lessons to many children and centers. Currently, she enjoys sings with the Worthington Chorus!
Samantha was born in Akron, OH but lived in Texas for most of her childhood. She recalls going to three different middles schools in three different states; 6th grade in Texas, 7th grade in Ohio and 8th grade in Michigan, finally landing in Westerville. Samantha and her husband, Alan, lived in Victorian Village then moved to Powell in preparation for their daughter Eleanor. Bo, the Yorkie dog and Dottie the cat are family members too!
In her personal life, Mrs. Sam enjoys organizing her home, she feels that giving everything a ‘home’ of its own is very satisfying! When asked where the family likes to travel, it was without hesitation - Disney was first! “We love all things Disney. I should say, I love all things Disney. It’s a huge part of our life. Alan proposed to me at Minnie Mouse’s house, we had a Disney themed wedding, I celebrated my 30th there and Ellie had her first trip in March to Disney world. We get our Disney fix by going to the Disney store.”
Locally, Mrs. Sam likes to visit the Columbus Zoo regularly with her family to see the elephants and the Christmas lights. Eleanor’s favorite thing to see at the Franklin Park Conservatory are the butterflies! Mrs. Sam LOVES Target, she says “there’s something so therapeutic just walking through it. I live very close to one, so it’s quite dangerous!”
Get to know Mrs. Samantha even more during Winter session as she joins the WeJoySing Instructor family teaching classes in Upper Arlington on Saturday mornings and in Powell on Tuesday evenings! “I believe that music and movement is second nature and an amazing way for children and adults to express themselves. Let’s get together, sing, dance, play and make new friends! I look forward to beginning this musical journey together with your family!”
HAPPY NOTES: Singing Accolades for Mrs. Cathy!
/
I’ll listen and watch Mrs. Cathy!
A proud grandma watching her grandson grow and change through the magic of our 30-minute WeJoySing HeartStrings class took the time to share her excitement. A note of joy directed to Mrs. Cathy in Hilliard came via the Contact Us tab on WeJoySing.com. “As Everett’s grandmother, I want to say thank you to Mrs. Cathy for teaching Everett to love music and play with new friends. His little personality has exploded because of her loving personality and singing!”
I’m the “Little Drummer Boy!!”
Mrs. Cathy recalls the ‘happy accident’ that brought Everett and his Grandma into their first WeJoySing class. “They were new in town and decided to check out the community center to see what programs might be available. By chance, they did this on a Thursday morning, and someone at the center directed them to my class, which, also by chance, was the exact age group for Everett. They joined in enthusiastically and signed up for the session as soon as class ended.” Grandma Elizabeth pointed out that Everett’s Great Grandfather was a musician and high school band director for years, so it was exciting to share pictures with him of his grandson was learning all about music!!
I’ll figure out how this thing works!!
This experience for both grandma and Everett was noticeably enjoyable as Mrs. Cathy points out her observations of the duo. “Grandma Elizabeth is an extrovert in every way. She played with enthusiasm, encouraged Everett and every other child in the class, and quickly made friends with all the other moms and grandmas in the class. (I think she even organized some field trips and play group time outside of class as well.) They often arrived early and would go around and greet all the staff and visitors in the Senior Center (where the classroom was located) and then come into my room. Grandma and Everett would then play a game where Grandma would jump from one carpet square to another, and ask, "This blue one? This green one?" until Everett chose the one he and she would sit on that day.”
“Everett is an observer, so although he participated in class, he initially did so quietly and stuck close to grandma's side. As he became familiar with the people and environment, he opened up and was all in. I was honored that he would often come to sit in my lap when it was time to read a story, and sometimes even chose me as his partner for circle games or other classroom activities.” Grandma also noted that “Everett was shy at first but started dancing, playing with instruments, interacting a lot more and knew all the little songs. Eventually he would love to sing for Mommy and Daddy in the evening after class and would often ask first thing in the morning if it was music day!”
Celebrating TOGETHER!!!
Elizabeth loves that Everett was “learning to respect elders, teachers and other friends along with opening up and discovering the joy of music! I feel it was a very important first class with such a positive environment as we learn to listen to music, sing, share and follow directions!” What a fantastic experience for all involved. Come see for yourself, the magic of playful, joyful, musical memory making!
Singing through the Holidays!
Mrs. Kristi
What’s “ON Your Face” and “IN Your Voice” Makes a Difference in Your Child’s Development!
/
Baby imitates facial expression!
Our babies learn about trust, relationships and the world through our playful interactions. They are quick to react to the parent’s playful voice, smiles, eye contact, and touch. Delightful interactions such as, using expressive language, smiling with eyes and lips, making sounds, looking where your child is pointing and joining in a “call and response” type of language are important to your child’s healthy development. Providing this sensory stimulation and interaction is vital to the child’s development. WeJoySing stives “to foster [this] adult-child interaction, therefore cultivating the artistry of parenting and strengthening the family unit.” (taken from WeJoySing’s Mission Statement.)
tHE joy OF SHARING FACIAL AND VOCAL EXPRESSIONS
This is never more evident than in a study conducted by Dr. Edward Tronick of Harvard University called the Still Face Mother Experience. “Babies, this young, are extremely responsive to the emotions, reactivity and social interaction that they get from the world around them.” Dr. Edward Tronick. The experiment instructed the mother to play and interact with her child as normal. When given a cue, she is to turn away from the child. When she turns back to face the child, she is to keep her face completely still and not respond to her baby. The baby very quickly picks up on this change. The child smiles, points, vocalizes, uses hand movements and playful gestures to get the mother back. Signs of frustration, irritation, crying and meltdown begin when the child is unable to engage the mother. It is a joyous reunion when the mother receives a signal to resume normal interaction with the child. The baby settles back into the comfort zone and joyful play she and mother have developed.
dADDY’S LOOKING…i BETTER LOOK TOO!!
The same reactions and outcomes were discovered when Project ABC at the Children’s Institute performed the experiment with fathers. “What we have learned over the years is babies are much more capable than we initially imagined but they’re also much more vulnerable.” Richard Cohen, Ph.D.
“We discovered how able the child is to initiate and be part of the relationship with the parent, and how much she depends on that healthy relationship in order to keep an even keel. And when she is grounded and comfortable, she can explore the world, try new things, and meet new people because there is a trust level there and she has that safe base she can always rely on." Dr. Richard Cohen.
It must also be noted that the voice and face to face experience is a crucial component. The mother and father were both physically present for the experiments, but their absence of facial expressions and vocal interaction caused the child distress. Whereas the expressive speaking and facial interactions were joyfully absorbed by the young child.
nOW THIS IS “EXPRESSIVE!”
Dr. John Feierabend, Ph.D., wrote, “If children experience expressive speaking, they will assimilate that skill. If children are read to in an expressive voice, they will later read aloud and to themselves with appropriate expression.” Music and Movement for Infants and Toddlers: Naturally Wonder-full.
We know that initial adult responsiveness from caretakers are keys to the baby’s success as a child and an adult which is why we include joyful Bounces, Wiggles and Tickle experiences in all of our WeJoySing classes from infant through 1 year old. We want to bring the mother or father face to face…joy to joy…with their child to build this healthy secure sense of relationship.
lET’S gO “bOUNCING” TOGETHER….eNJOY THE RIDE!!
BOUNCES:
Bouncing an infant or toddler provides an ideal experience of a steady beat over rhythmic speech for the very young child. These rhymes and songs often consist of delightful melodies and the young infant can experience the beat and the delight on the parent’s face as he/she share the experience together
WIGGLES:
Wiggling a young one’s fingers or toes from largest to smallest has inspired many rhymes that provide the child to experience the cadence of the rhyme while discovering that, “Hey! Those are MY TOES!!”
TICKLES:
Tickles begin in a baby’s palm or on a belly and work up the baby’s arm or body, ending in a gentle delightful little tickle. The anticipation of the tickle at the end is the greatest joy!
Bond with your little one with a few of our favorite Bounces, Wiggles and Tickles shared below.
The benefits to you and your child are far-reaching…and such fun!
*******************************************************************************************************
BOUNCES
Here we go up up up Lift baby over-head OR lay baby on floor
gently bring to seated position (support neck)
Here we go down down down Bring baby back to lap OR gently lower baby to lay back down
Here we go back and forth Rock baby forward and back OR with baby on floor,
gently rock side to side
And here we go round and round Roll baby’s arms or legs
Trot, trot to London, trot, trot to Dover Outstretched legs, child facing parent
Watch out baby, or you might fall over. At end, tip child to the left
Trot, trot to London, trot, trot to Dover Outstretched legs, child facing parent
Watch out baby, or you might fall over. At end, tip child to the right
Trot, trot to London, trot, trot to Dover Outstretched legs, child facing parent
Watch out baby, or you might fall over. At end, tip child backward
Trot, trot to Boston, trot, trot to Lynn, Outstretched legs, child facing parent
Watch out, baby, or you might fall in! At end, open legs and let child ‘fall’ gently to the floor
Increase tempo each time
WIGGLES
Big “A” Little “a” Place baby on outstretched legs facing adult
Open baby’s arms wide, bring together
And bouncing B, bouncing B Bounce baby on kne
Cat’s in the cupboard, Clap hands on “Cat’s” and “cup”….
And you can’t see me! Cover baby’s eyes or your own eye
Peek-a-boo! Play peek-a-boo
This Little Baby Rocked the Cradle Rock child’s arms side to side
This little baby jumped on the bed Jump your fingers in child’s palm
This little baby crawled on the carpet Crawl your fingers on child’s arm
This little baby bumped his head Tap child’s head gently
This little baby played hide and seek… Cover your eyes with both hands
Where’s my little baby? Peek and cover eyes again
Oh, oh, peek! Oh, oh, peek! Peek and give baby big HUG!
TICKLES
Creepy Creepy Little Mousie Slowly walk fingers up baby’s arm, leg or body
From the barnsey to the housie
Found some cheese and ate it upsie
Nibble, nibble, nibble, nibble. Nibble baby’s neck, chin, fingers, toes, etc.
Criss Cross Make large X on child’s back
Apple Sauce. Tape child’s shoulders twice
Spiders crawling up your spine! Walk fingers up child’s spine
Cool breeze, Blow lightly on child’s neck
Tight squeeze, Hug child
Now you’ve got the shivers! Tickle child
Joyfully Submitted,
Mrs. Kristi
IT'S the MOST WONDERFUL TIME of the YEAR!!
/
My teddy loves holiday music too!
“It’s the most wonderful time of the year! “ Did you sing this phrase in your head? - If you did, it demonstrated the power of music in your life!!
Few things set the tone for Christmas and Hanukkah like holiday music. Music physically triggers happy emotions and brings back magical memories – the glow of candle lights, the smell of fresh cut pine and Grandma’s special cookies she only made at Christmas time.
When I look at the traditions of my family, I see that music is the central theme to all of them:
· Caroling to neighbors (dressed in Santa hats)
· Singing “Silent Night” at the Christmas Eve Candle lighting service
make it a family affair…share music together!
· Playing Christmas music in the background while frosting cookies
· Spinning a dreidel and Singing “Dreidel Dreidel Dreidel”
· Watching “Frosty the Snowman” (and singing along, of course!)
· Going to the local performance of the Nutcracker Ballet
· Teaching “Jingle Bells” to a new class of little ones at WeJoySing.
It’s not too late to add to your list of Holiday Musical Memories by enrolling in our HOLIDAY SESSION!!!
These traditions will never fade away, even as our families grow and change. Nostalgia is HUGE! Kids remember these special times fondly even as they are grown adults, and these memories are easily brought back by a simple song, because of the way the brain stores music: FOREVER!
I have my Bells…do you have yours?
Dr. Rhonda Freeman, a clinical neuropsychologist, says “Many of us associate [Holiday] music with childhood and a happy time of presents and traditions and all the specialness that happens around that time of year. When the brain makes these associations with something very positive and pleasurable, the rewards system is being activated [which triggers] a number of chemicals including dopamine.”
Traditional Holiday songs are powerful because they’re among the last remnants of what used to be common practice: the passing down of oral tradition.
So, what will you pass down to your children? What were your favorite Christmas, Hanukkah and Holiday traditions growing up? Will you continue to keep them alive? Grab some jingle bells, break out the Christmas, Hanukkah and Holiday music and make some new memories today! And remember, it isn’t too late to sign up for WeJoySing’s HOLIDAY SESSION to add to your Holiday Music Memories!!!
Happy Holidays!
Mrs. Julie
A GIFT for YOU!! - Peek Inside.....
/
Call 614-868-0107 to redeem your 10% HOLIDAY GIFT of JOY
from US to YOU!!!
Parent's WeJoySing Testimonial & LOVE for Mrs. Lynnette!
/
Janelle Pickens, Speech Language Pathologist and owner of Cornerstone Speech Therapy, shared an excerpt from an email she received from one of her speech therapy families who started their child in WeJoySing. The excerpt “sings” the praises of Mrs. Lynnette and WeJoySing’s methodology.
“We had the first visit to New Albany Franklin UB Church for music and movement learning program for toddlers last night. What a fantastic program it was! Mrs. Lynnette, the lady that conducted the program, was terrific! We had a quality time with our child yesterday. He was very focused, and this lady was so amazing that she was able to get him focused most of the time.
He used to say 'UL' when someone calls on his name. When Mrs. Lynnette asked, 'What is your name?" He said his name to our dismay. Then she asked what his age was. He said 2 without any hesitation. That was amazing! This lady was energetic and most effective in getting the children focused. Kids get drawn to her in a matter of minutes. I believe that's something she may have developed over the past few years.
I think it is a joyful way for our child to learn and grow. Not only did the kids but also we had a quality time yesterday.”
Music is such a JOYFUL way to learn, listen, play, and grow! Thank you, Janelle for sharing this delightful WeJoySing testimonial!
PLAY & Have FUN!!!
/
“I don’t like to sing” said one child during introductions at our first class together in his morning preschool. Although, this may have shocked his teachers and even me, just a little, I wasn’t bothered by it. I simply looked at him smiling and said, “that’s ok, I’m sure we will still have a lot of fun!”
I wasn’t upset by his first comment because I’ve seen and heard this before. A child is unsure of singing or an activity in class but within minutes, even moments, they are joyfully playing along with their peers. I’ve also seen kids who stay extremely close to mom during their first class steadily gain confidence and bravery as they begin to play instruments or do movement more independently each time they attend. I’ve talked with parents who tell stories of their shy little one singing WeJoySing songs “all the time” at home, while in class, they prefer to observe.
One of the most beautiful aspects of WeJoySing is that the entire 30-minute class is a playful environment for the children. During class, they are enjoying the story line being told with each activity and they are eager to get to play a part in the story. The children are doing what comes so naturally to them which is playing. And, another beautiful thing is that they have no idea how much they are learning about music, language, social skills, math and so much more. In this video, Landry and Dempsey are learning “expressive speech and the foundations of "sing!"...Yep, it sure doesn't sound like singing though. However, they are exploring ALL the PITCH POSSIBILITIES in their voices! This is the first step to in-tune singing. Research indicates that in order to SING one must be able to explore all the different pitches available in your voice.
Not only have I witnessed the fun other children have while I’m teaching, but I’ve seen it with my own boys. I love hearing my boys enthusiastic, “yes!” when I ask if they are excited to go to music class. They practically run towards the building once they are released, yes released, from their seat belts…parents of toddlers, I know you understand.
What a joy it was to go to our first class this fall, after a summer break, and see both of my boys smiling, singing and dancing, “the more we get together…” as if we had been doing it every day since Spring.
It is important to note however, that while we have a lot of fun in each WeJoySing class, there is also an incredible amount of learning and growth happening for each child. The curriculum is loaded with fun and developmentally appropriate activities that teach music, language, math, social, listening and even physical skills. Children learn how to keep a steady beat which helps develop their language and reading abilities. They joyfully learn to listen to instructions, stories, and music. They will learn spacial awareness and physical movements while dancing and moving around the room. They will learn how to help clean up and take turns. Parents will see their children growing and learning these skills but the children are simply doing what they love best, PLAYING!!!
While teaching, I truly hope each child learns, grows and develops these various skills. I love that music makes learning FUN! Oh, if you were wondering about the child “who doesn’t like to sing”…well, as we continued class and got to our first movement exploration song, “Come children, let us go…put on your running shoes,” I looked over and saw this student moving all around the room with the biggest grin on his face.
Joyfully Singing on My Way!!
Mrs. Kinsey!!
17 Month Old Re-Enacts WeJoySing at Home -AMAZING!!
/“Bounce, Bounce, Bounce….STOP…SHHH,” directed little Elliott as she re-enacted her WeJoySing “Heart Strings” class at home. Mom grabbed her camera, captured these delightful memories and shared them with Mrs. Karen, Elliott’s WeJoySing teacher, and Mrs. Jo, WeJoySing’s President. They were thrilled to see the tremendous amount of language development and sequencing of thought emerging during Elliott’s musical play.
The power of music during our play time with our children extends far beyond smiles, giggles and bonding. While the child is actively involved in the work of playing; his/her musical, mathematical, language, and emotional intelligences are all being ‘wired’ in the brain.
Language Development:
*Elliott’s use of the ‘B’ sounds as she bounces teddy and her use of the ‘T’ sound while she taps her leg demonstrates her phonological awareness and approximations towards the words ‘bounce’ and ‘tap’!
*The rhythmic bouncing, stopping and shushing show Elliot’s sequencing skills which will assist her in future sentence construction as she gains more language skills.
* Bouncing an infant or toddler provides an ideal experience of steady beat. “The child must be rocked, patted, bounced to develop a feeling of the beat. Meter and beat are often used in early rhymes and favorite books which will assist in expanding language development.” (Music and Movement for Infants and Toddlers: Naturally Wonder-Full. By John M. Feierabend, Ph.D.
*Elliot is clearly in the transitional stage of learning where she can now transfer to her teddy bear the things we once did to, for and with her! The class bouncing activities have been internalized by Elliott and she can now ‘do it herself’!
*The exposure to a variety of vocabulary, both in the action words Elliott is using and in the lyrics she will begin to repeat soon, will enhance Elliott’s future repertoire of vocabulary. “For if you wish for children to develop a sophisticated spoken vocabulary, they must also hear a sophisticated vocabulary.” (Music and Movement for Infants and Toddlers: Naturally Wonder-Full. By John M. Feierabend, Ph.D.)
The sheer number of words a baby hears affects his language ability later in life. Notice the graph here as it relates to vocabulary development in children who are talked to and within their formative first years of life.
GRAPH from pg. 40 in WeJoySing manual, From article: Inside Your Baby’s Brain
Elliot’s videos clearly reveal that she is ‘talking’ excessively to her little baby! Wouldn’t you love to know just what she is saying so vibrantly and lovingly to her teddy? Obviously, her WeJoySing musical experiences have made a lasting impression on this 17 month old little life!
These early impressionable years are extremely important in our little ones’ development. The amazing, joy-filled moments of music and play in their lives have far-reaching effects on their overall development and are happily disguised as play! So Bounce, Bounce, Bounce awaaaay!!
Joyfully
Mrs. Kristi!
SHARE THIS ARTICLE with a friend and LEAVE A COMMENT about HOW the article WAS HELPFUL for you at http://www.wejoysing.com/contact/ or on our Facebook page and receive $5.00 off your next WeJoySing enrollment. (Discounts cannot be combined)
MUSIC a "SUPER FOOD!"
/
Have you even noticed how children, even infants, are automatically drawn to music? They instantly respond with energetic movement, dance, and even join in song! Why is this? The answer: music is activating both the left and right hemispheres of your child’s brain. Research indicates that we are not only left or right brain thinkers, but both sides of our brains need to be engaged at the same time to create the best outcomes. Music not only hold words, a left-brain concept, but also rhythm and melody which are right brain concepts. VOILÁ!! MUSIC is a SUPER FOOD!! When your child responds to music, she is busy thinking, moving, playing and LEARNING through this joy-filled musical experiences!
Music is a “Super Food” way to live, love and learn because it holds the powerful element of PLAY. Active music making feels and looks like play to you child. She will stay at a music activity longer because it feels like play. I mean, how many times have you heard “Sing it again Mommy!” or “More Mommy More!!” Joyful music play causes the child to thirst for MORE therefore, essential early skills are being developed through this joyful musical play. Play is the child’s “work.” It is how she learns.
MUSIC – “5 SUPER FOOD” BENEFITS
Did you know that we are not born with “skills?” Skills are taught, modeled and learned. And guess who is the most important “skill teacher” in your child life? YOU!! And, the home is your child’s most important learning environment. So, HELP! How can we as parents and caregivers teach, model and guide our children to master essential developmental skills using music? Let’s consider these
1. Listening Skills
“Listening is the most important skill our children need to be successful in school. Children are coming to school without this skill,” states E. Cunningham Ph. D in her book Book Smart: How to Support and Develop a Motivated and Successful Reader. My first reaction to this statement was, “Oh My! This is rather disturbing! What are we going to do? Answer: Give our children MUSIC a “Super Food.” But, you ask, “How is music going to teach my child how to listen?” Glad you asked! Answer: Music is First a Listening Art!! Music holds the wonderful element of PLAY that causes the child to thirst to listen. The music ‘begs” the child to listen because he wants to play the games, sing the song and be a part of the fun. The child must listen to do this. He must listen to sing, move, play, and relate to others.
What to do at home? Add the “Super Food” of Music to everything you do at home. Build your song and music repertoire by participating in a Parent/Child music class in your community. Go to your public library and check out high quality children’s literature that is based on Song. Instead of reading the book, SING the book!! Sing songs you remember from your childhood. Make-up your own songs. Sing about putting toys away, making dinner, going to bed, counting stairs up and down. Put on some good music and dance or play rhythm instruments with your child.
2. Language, Reading & Math Skills
We just learned that singing games, dancing, and playing rhythm instruments, help to develop listening skills and auditory discrimination (the ability to hear differences in sounds) But, did you know that these skills are necessary tools in developing speech, reading and spelling skills. Many pre-reading skills are part of music: rhyme, sequencing, patterning, word rhythm, prosody, vocabulary, meter and eye-hand coordination, to mention a few. (Coburn)
Learning how to speak, read and write are not simple or easy tasks!! But, MUSIC can be a “Super Food” that nurtures these skills for your child. Studies at Northwestern University found that the following five skills trigger language acquisition: “phonological awareness, speech-in-noise perception, rhythm perception, auditory working memory and the ability to learn sound patterns. Their research revealed that children who received music training along with reading training performed much better than those who received other forms of non-musical stimulation, such as painting or other visual arts. Each of the 5 skills were exercised and strengthened by music!!!
A study in Germany found that “music improves cognitive and non-cognitive skills more than twice as much as sports, theater or dance.” The study also found that students who take music lessons “have better cognitive skills, better school grades and are more conscientious, open and ambitious. WOW! I find this amazing!! (German Socio-Economic Panel)
Here's another mind-boggling fact! When a child actively participates in music, 90% of the brain is being used and developed. When the child sings, all 8 “centers” of the brain work simultaneously. These types of experiences build connections in the brain, which can later be used for math, reading, science, sports, and music. (Coburn)
What to do at home? Sing the Alphabet Song and songs that teach letter sounds. (Ask your preschool teachers…they’ll have a list!!!) Teach your child finger plays because the finger motions correspond with the words being spoken! Play rhythm instruments. Begin by tapping the steady beat (the heart-beat of the song) then progress to playing the rhythm (“the way the words go.”) Sing traditional folk songs and nursery rhymes with your child because the words of the “folk songs” follow the rhythmic patterns of our spoken language. Teach your little one tongue twisters and enjoy the laughter!!!
3. Social Skills
Want to help your children become more sociable and friendlier? Give them Music a “Super Food!” Research conducted by the University of Miami found that children in preschool settings become friendlier and more sociable when musical activities are a part of their daily routine, as opposed to schools where it is not. (Coburn)
What to do at home? Instead of “telling” your child to “put your books away,” SING “Books away, books away. Time to put your books away!” Did you know that children listen better if we sing instead of talk! Amazing!! I remember my own stressful Mommy days and how the joy of music and singing turned our day around, from stress and gloom to calm and giggles. Enroll in a Parent/Child Music Class where your child will be surrounded by other children. You will find that “something special happens between people who share music together!” Life long bonds are formed between not only the children but also the parents! Empathy, emotions and social interaction are modeled and learned in this play-filled musical environment! Music is meant to be shared with others!! Making music together is a social event!! Music is a “Super Food” towards social development!
4. Movement Skills
The child’s most favorite response to music is to move. In early childhood music IS movement. They go “hand in hand!” Music combined with movement helps the child develop gross motor skills, coordination, balance and spatial awareness. Can you believe that 50% more of a learning experience is retained when a movement is added to the instruction? (Coburn) Well, just think… How did we learn “The Ensey Wensey Spider?”…with MOVEMENT!! Movement helps to make the learning experience more concrete for the child. What a great “Super Food!!!”
Marching to and keeping the steady beat is not only for the marching band! It’s for “readers” too! Keep the beat help me be a better reader? Yep! That’s what I said! Northwestern University studies suggests that “moving in time to a steady beat is closely linked to better language skills. “We know that moving to a steady beat is a fundamental skill not only for music performance but one that has been linked to language and reading skills,” states Dr. Nina Krause.
What to do at home? Clap your hands, stomp your feet, tap your head, wave your arms, tap your foot, nod your head, jump up high, twist side to side as you sing some of your child’s favorite songs. Get out your pots and pans and make a “kitchen band!” Put on some fast-paced marching music and march around the house playing your “kitchen drum!!” Purchase high quality rhythm instruments for your child to explore. Encourage the child to tap “big big big big” on his instrument while the music plays or as you sing together!! Clap the steady beat while you say nursery rhymes or tongue twisters.
5. Self-Control & Regulation Skills
Musical activities help children learn to tell their bodies what to do, when to stop, when to go, and even when to clean up. If the child is moving with the music and the music stops, the child will often STOP more readily than without music. (Coburn)
Music is a “Super Food!” It energizes us. It calms us. It can make us happy or sad. It triggers the brain to learn and it helps us deal with the world around us. Coulter states, “Being actively involved with good music is healthy for us on every level: mentally, emotionally, physically, and spiritually. (Coulter)
What to do at home? Find a variety of musical recording that helps to calm, energize and center your child. Play these recordings when “the time is right!” Snuggle with your little one or rock him while filling the room with calm soothing music. Better yet, start singing your favorite lullabies or cherished songs from your childhood. Every night after prayers, my Mom would sing to my twin sister and me, “I love you a bushel and a peck, a bushel and a peck and a hug around the neck!....” Those moments are still near and dear to my heart and those memories are ages ago. Humm, must be the the power of Music a “Super Food!!”
Mrs. Jo’s Favorite Books for “Super Food” Music!
Both of these publications come with a delightful CD so you can learn the music along with your child!! Trust me! You’ll be humming many of these songs before you know it!!
May your parenting be filled with joy and music as you share, explore and integrated “Music, a “Super Food” into your child’s daily diet.
“Sing”cerely,
Jo Kirk, President
WeJoySing, Inc
SHARE this article with a friend and LEAVE A COMMENT about HOW this article WAS HELPFUL for you at http://www.wejoysing.com/contact/ or on our Facebook page and receive $5.00 off WeJoySing enrollment.
