Village: Hickory, Dickory Tickle, and Bounce

Week 7:

It may be a cup, but to your baby the possibilities are endless. Babies are natural explorers. Their curiosity makes just about anything an irresistible challenge. You can satisfy this need to explore by offering him a great variety of baby-safe items around your home. Not only will he have a supply of easy and inexpensive toys, he will be learning about texture, shape, size, sound, gravity, and more. His natural ability to use one item in more than one way just might give you a few ideas of your own, so have fun exploring together.

Our Time: FIDDLE-DEE-DEE

Week 7:

According to a leading brain researcher, Arnold Scheibel, “Unfamiliar activities are the brain’s best friend.” We know that routine and familiarity are conducive to learning because they allow a child to relax and focus without stress. However, within limits, the unfamiliar is also important for developing new skills. “The brain pays closer attention to things that don’t fit an established pattern…. Anything new causes the body to release adrenaline, and adrenaline acts as a memory fixative.”*

Today’s class included both the familiar and the unfamiliar, providing the perfect balance for your child’s learning environment. Through familiar routines and in a familiar setting, we were able to explore the unfamiliar: a new instrument (sandblocks), a new movement song (Walking in the Green Grass), and a new fingerplay (Ten Fluffy Chicks).

Imagine That!: CITIES! BUSY PLACES~FRIENDLY FACES

Week 7:

Today the children and I enjoyed some of our favorite activities from weeks past—My Bike, Apples and Bananas, Walk All Around, and others. The city sculptures they brought in were amazing! Each one was unique and creative. The children loved telling the class all about them!

During Sharing Time a new theme was introduced—taking pictures. Enjoy Family Activity #7, taking pictures, talking about them, reminiscing about trips, and making your very own book!

Young Child 2

Week 7:

As your child matures and grows, he is developing a stronger awareness of emotions and feelings. Typically, we hope our children develop the ability to express feelings in an appropriate manner. “Music can assist us in creating, identifying, and using emotional states to regulate our lives. Musicians use music to communicate, and a good performance or song will communicate emotions. … [Music is] a powerful language of expression, whether a student is playing or listening to it. In summary, music-making enhances the systems that allow us to perceive and respond appropriately to a world rich with emotions and complex social structures.”

This week’s class included several activities in which the children were given the opportunity to talk about their feelings. Read Music at Home 22 for ideas of ways to create music that expresses feelings.

Young Child 4

Week 7:

This week’s Music at Home 52 encourages your child to play her recorder and her glockenspiel. It also encourages her to talk with you about Johann Sebastian Bach. Bach was an organist and composer. We talked about him this week as well as listened to some of his music.

We’ve talked about several composers during our time together in Kindermusik. Ask your child who is his/her favorite!

Village: Hickory, Dickory Tickle, and Bounce

Week 6:

Today we began a new lesson focus, Major, Minor and More. We’re simply talking about a set of notes used to create the song. We don’t explore these patterns in music to create a class full of tiny composers, but as your baby listens, her brain takes in each one in a new way, helping her mind make more vital, neural connections, which is good for becoming a curious and logical learner.