Welcome to our Family Music Play Group!
What the Class Is:
This is a recreational and casual music class for ages 6 months- 6 years old to participate along with an adult whom may be a parent, guardian, babysitter, grandparent, or other relative. This group gives children the opportunity to explore different instruments, have fun dancing and singing, have an opportunity to work on social skills such as sharing & turn taking, and be introduced to some loosely structured group activities.
What the Class Is NOT:
This class is not the same as instrumental lessons where they are learning how to play a particular song on an instrument. We recommend private lessons start at age 6 and up. Until then, instrument exploration through play and listening/moving to music is one of the most beneficial precursors to learning how to play an instrument.
What is Expected of the Parent:
- Please guide your child to play the instruments in an appropriate and gentle way. Turning pegs on stringed instruments can result in injury.
- Please guide your child to take turns and share the instruments.
- Do not get frustrated if your child does not sit for the entirety of story time or the hello/goodbye song like other children. It’s ok to explore during those times too!
- Please take a break from your phone and participate with your child! This is a judgement-free zone where we can all act silly with our children and sing along no matter how bad our singing is. They will participate so much more if you are participating with them!
- Babies and toddlers will put things in their mouths– just help us keep track by putting dirty items in the “Yuck Buck” on the side of the classroom so they can be sanitized later.
- Adapt what we’re doing to whatever fits your situation! For example, dancing and jumping for babies and younger toddlers really means you’re the one dancing and jumping while holding them, while older toddlers and preschoolers enjoy doing this on their own next to you.
- Your child won’t let go of an instrument to clean up when we’re done with it? No problem! Let them keep it until they’re ready to give it up! Every child is in a different stage of development! You can gently encourage them, but don’t let that ruin a whole class for them if they’re not ready to clean up!
The Hesitant Child
All children greatly vary in development, personalities, courage, and participation levels. It can be frustrating or discouraging when everyone else in the class jumps right in and participates while your child refuses to join in. Be patient! This is a brand new atmosphere with brand new instruments they may have never seen before and brand new people they are not familiar with. (Also remember that some children may have already been enrolled in previous semesters & their comfort level may be different.) It’s ok if they only cling to you the whole time– they are still taking in the things around them and absorbing the music! Just gently encourage them and keep modeling the activities yourself to show them it’s ok. Over the years, I’ve had some students who took almost a year to warm up, but once they came out of their shell, music class was one of their very favorite activities! I’ve also had students who looked like they were paying NO attention at all in class but would go home and start singing the hello song and repeating activities we did in class. Please know that it is NOT my expectation with this age range that everyone should perfectly participate & have a wonderful attention span. Instead, I would just like them to have fun and enjoy the music, and they can each do that in their own way!
If you misplace your schedule at home, you can look it up on the website: http://www.creativecanton.com
At the end of each semester, you will be given first priority to keep a spot in the class and continue. Please RSVP in a timely manner so that if you are not continuing, that spot may be given to someone else.
Creative Canton Music Studio Resources 