Led by Heather Bigelow Hearne, R-DMT, the Music School’s popular Music & Movement classes are for our youngest musical learners, 4 months through 6 years, and their parents, grandparents or caregivers. A wide range of classes – from Bouncing Babies to Movers & Shakers, and even yoga – engage children from head to toe, and keep everyone moving, singing, and laughing. Not only are the “M+M” teaching methods proven to be the most effective way of giving young children a great start on a lifetime of music-making and creative expression, these sessions are a fun way for grownups to bond with their young ones and for families to learn new ways to create a musical life at home.
The fall sessions for Movers & Shakers, Family Fun, and Yoga and Story Movement run from September 14 to December 7, and the fall session for Bouncing Babies runs from September 15 to December 8. Classes are offered on Monday and Tuesday mornings, and drop-in classes are available!
Click here to see current class offerings and to register for a class.
Movers & Shakers (9 mos – 30 mos): Mondays 8:30am – 9:15am. A caregiver and child class designed to enhance social, emotional, cognitive, and physical development through music and dance. Children will play percussive instruments, work with finger-plays, try out some lap bounces and rhythm and rhyme patterns, dance to various styles of music, express themselves while dancing and singing with a prop, enhance social interactions through music and dance, have a story and meditation time and more. As care-providers move and relate with each child a beautiful family bond occurs and the child feels secure enough to socially relate to other children.
Family Fun (8 mos – 6 yrs): Mondays 9:30am – 10:15am. This multi-age class is designed to support a variety of ages and to encourage care provider and child bonding.The class starts with instruments and traditional songs to encourage early music education but also social interactions. Finger-plays are added to help with attention and fine motor skills as well as language acquisition, rhythm and rhyme. The class will have dancing and singing with a prop and will be themed according to the season. Children will have a chance to dance and play with not only their care provider but also other children within the class. As we end class children will gather for a book and then learn a new way of meditation.
Yoga and Story Movement (3 – 7 yrs): Mondays 10:30am – 11:15am. Come bring your mat, take some breaths and practice yoga with your child. This class is for caregivers and their 3-7 year olds to unwind and learn the importance of breath, movement and flow. Yoga story-time or guided meditation at the end of the class, while in shivasina, provides a time to integrate the practice and settle the mind, body and spirit. (Bring a mat, water, & comfortable clothing)
Bouncing Babies (5 mos – 18 mos): Tuesdays 8:30am – 9:15am. This caregiver and child class provides moments of singing, instrument playing and lap bouncing to enhance bonding and security within the child and caregiver relationship. The big drum will be a focal place for movement development, as well as some social relations among children. Prop’s and songs will be added to the experience to help children experience sensory interactions as well as some fine and gross motor movements through music and song. A moment at the end of class with a book and breath help to encourage babies to relax and release.
