FAQ about Kindermusik

To the casual observer, it might indeed look like we are just playing and having fun. While the approach is necessarily and appropriately playful, every aspect of the Kindermusik at SIM curriculum is built upon a solid musical and developmental foundation.

While playing, moving, and singing, children are improving their rhythmic competency, developing a sense of steady beat, achieving the ability to match pitches, becoming acquainted with timbre, learning a repertoire of songs, experiencing many different instruments, increasing their ability to listen, and of course, gaining a love of music that will last throughout their life.

Kindermusik at SIM acknowledges that you are your child’s first and most important teacher, and your Kindermusik at SIM classes and @Home Materials will empower you with the knowledge and tools to bring the love of learning and love of music to your child. Kindermusik at SIM is truly the essence of “quality time,” offering you a place to create special memories with your child and gain new insights into your child’s development.

You will discover a unique sense of community and belonging in the Kindermusik at SIM classroom. Not only will your child blossom in this environment, but you will come to appreciate the support and friendship from the other adults in class.

Instinctively, we know that music belongs in the life of young children; young children are ready for music, they are in their critical period for developing a good foundation in music, and full musical potential is often lost if it is not nurtured and maintained in these early years.

With Kindermusik at SIM, parent-child interaction is fostered, socialization with other children is encouraged, fine-motor and gross-motor development is enhanced, and language skills flourish. Children learn valuable school readiness skills as a rich musical foundation is laid.

In short, Kindermusik at SIM helps each child develop musically at the right time and in the right way. The result is a Kindermusik at SIM graduate with a solid foundation and a giant head-start when they move to instrumental or voice lessons.

Scientists tell us that infants are born with billions of nerve cells and a nearly unlimited potential for connections between those nerve cells. Every time an infant has a sensory experience, neural pathways are formed. The greater the number of neural pathways, the greater the brain power. Rich sensory environments are vital to the brain development of infants.

In Kindermusik at SIM, we dance in a social setting where small children can begin to understand and anticipate patterns, which prepares their brains for math and musical theory. We play with steady beat, which underlies our ability to pick up the pattern of language. The bonding and comforting activities we show you in class help you and your child work through all the natural stresses that occur with growing and developing. Music increases coordination and balance, promotes literacy and language, cultivates listening skills, and encourages delightful and rewarding interaction with your child!

When it comes to preschool, many parents have found that this is not an either/or choice. Kindermusik at SIM and preschool are not mutually exclusive. In fact, Kindermusik at SIM supplements and enriches the preschool experience tremendously. The appropriate developmental nature of Kindermusik at SIM activities ensures that learning is never “too much, too fast.”

Many of the benefits of the other activities – such as promoting physical coordination and social skills, providing a structured routine, building self- esteem and developing talents and cognitive abilities – are actually all encompassed in a Kindermusik at SIM class. The opportunity to creatively express their individual imaginations through the combination singing, moving, and playing instruments activities is unique to Kindermusik at SIM

PLUS there is the added benefit of a development for a love of music that will last much past the time when school is done and the dance shoes and karate gees are put away. In fact, as we often say at Kindermusik at SIM: “A good beginning never ends.”

Absolutely! Autistic children, children with Down’s syndrome, hearing impaired children and those with other physical, emotional, speech and learning needs have generally thrived AND improved in Kindermusik at SIM. What Kindermusik can do for children with special needs is often more significant than all that it does for those without these disabilities.

In our Young Child class, children learn to play instruments like an accurately pitched glockenspiel, a dulcimer, and recorder. Using the principles of Suzuki, Kodaly, Dalcroze, Montessori and Orff, students explore many facets of the musical experience-speaking, singing, moving, dancing, listening, creating and playing instruments, as well as learning to read and write music. Young Child helps every child develop a confident, joyful voice for singing and speaking as well as essential building blocks for a future of successful learning.

Our private music lesson teachers do tell us those children who begin lessons much before 7 or 8 are not any farther ahead of the child who begins at a later age, so that’s why we often recommend Kindermusik at SIM first. Kindermusik at SIM is foundational to ALL the activities your child will want to do – soccer, private music lessons, reading, math, making friends and more!

Consider this:

Kindermusik is the leader in Early Childhood Music and Movement programs. Being a part of “KINDERMUSIK ” ensures that you get an exceptional product and an exceptional experience.

• Kindermusik is the “designer” label as opposed to the “generic” or “in-store” label.

• Kindermusik regularly consults with experts in the field of Early Childhood development, music and movement as they develop their curricula. These experts, along with an amazing team at Kindermusik International, bring their knowledge and experience into your lives. No other curriculum can boast of such backing.

• The materials produced by Kindermusik International are of the highest quality. With your Home Materials, your classroom experience can continue at home (or in the car, the doctor’s office office, or grocery store) every day of the week!

• If you compare apples to apples, Kindermusik at SIM is actually often less expensive than other programs. There are no costume fees, recital fees, instrument rentals, or additional purchases required. With Kindermusik at SIM, you get what you pay for – and then some!

Kindermusik is truly MORE than just music. Carla Hannaford, educator, biologist, and author of Smart Moves, put it this way:

“Kindermusik is elegant in its integrated approach to a child’s development…The importance of having families working together, where everyone benefits from the sense of belonging, gets directly at the heart of what we, as a society, are needing at this time to raise healthy, loving children. . . All of this is provided in the Kindermusik at SIM program.”

After 22 years of offering Kindermusik at SIM, we think so! However, we are working with young children here, so not every class is a dream, but most classes come close. The curriculum works beautifully because it is developmentally appropriate and musically engaging. Each child learns at his or her own level and ability. There is not one standard of performance that anyone is trying to meet, and the WHOLE child is developed through music. It’s truly magical – at every age and every stage!

We invite you to join thousands of other parents around the world who attend Kindermusik classes every week. We’d love for you to experience for yourself why Kindermusik is the world’s most trusted brand in musical learning and why Kindermusik at SIM has been an award-winning Kindermusik at SIM program for so many years.