An early childhood music program

Music Kids is an early childhood music program for preschools, childcare centers, magnate and Montessori Schools.

Mario Montessori (1956), Maria Montessori’s son, spoke of "language for communication between minds and music for communication between souls.”

Enter a Music Kids class and you will hear blend of rain sounds, songs, boomwhackers plunking rhythmically accompanied by melodic xylophones. That blended with movement and mixed with the science of sound, pitch and vibrations engage the children in an organic experiential musical experience.  

~ Boomwhackers demonstrate that the longer the tube, the lower the pitch. Examining the bars on the metalophones reinforces this concept. 

~ The Thunderstick’s vibrating spring helps explain an eardrum and ear canal that sends the vibrations to the brain. 

~ Beth Frack’s song “Sound is Air That’s Been Compressed into Waves” presents the concept of sound waves musically, so that children can remember it. 

~ If there is time, Zero the Hero will visit to sing about geometric shapes. 

~ Children will get turns on a variety of percussion instruments or drums or get to twirl the whistler.  

~ Class ends with a jazzy “See You Later, Alligator”.  

Music Kids is based on Carl Orff's method of teaching music to young children by focusing upon improvisation, use of body percussion, and the discovery of one’s own singing voice. In Music Kids classes children sing, explore instruments and dance to traditional songs, folksongs, popular and classical music. Children are encouraged to make up their own verses to songs.  By integrating singing, talking or chanting with movement, children discover rhythm and the ability to keep a steady beat. They begin to learn to match pitch accurately and bask in the community of making music with others.  Using drums and assorted percussion instruments, our young musicians expand their ability to recognize and play rhythms, implementing patterns, tonal qualities, timbre, tempo and volume. In Music Kids we believe that children learn best by doing and experiencing. Our classes are filled with songs and movement. Through the fun and joy of experiencing music first hand children naturally learn life-long musical skills and experience high self esteem by being successful in a non-competitive affirming environment. 

Music Kids nurtures the song-seed in every child. 

In the 2001 book, A User's Guide to the Brain, Dr. John Ratey describes this development.

“The musician is constantly adjusting decisions on tempo, tone, style, rhythm, phrasing, and feeling-training the brain to become incredibly good at organizing and conducting numerous activities at once. Dedicated practice of this orchestration can have a great payoff for lifelong attentional skills, intelligence, and an ability for self-knowledge and expression.”

Amy Haywood has been an early childhood music educator, song and storyteller for thirty-two years in public and private elementary schools, Montessori schools and childcare centers. She stimulates children’s imaginations by embellishing her music, dance and storytelling with puppets, scarves and unusual instruments. She trains Music Kids teachers and is the director of a music camp: Camp Oonie Koonie Cha. Amy and Claire Valine (Music Kids) have produced five CDs for young children. Two have won Parents' Choice Highly Recommended Awards.  Before Claire moved to Memphis and Amy to Boulder, they performed regularly around the Piedmont in North Carolina.

In North Carolina Amy worked part time for the state Smart Start Program conducting workshops for teachers, and going into centers to instruct teachers in their own classrooms on ways to use music to teach science, math, and other subjects. Amy and Claire, were invited to be the keynote speakers for the South Carolina First Steps Early Childhood Conference.  She took over when Musicare ended during Covid and initiated Music Kids. When Amy came to Colorado, she started Camp OKC. Camp Oonie Koonie Cha is a hugely popular music camp started by five Musicare teachers in Winston-Salem. Last year there were one hundred kids signed up for Camp OKC here in Boulder. One parent said, “WE are still singing and dancing to the son collection from last summers camp. As a family, we are so excited about attending again this summer that we even have planned our family vacation so that we can be there. Last year’s camp program enriched the musical life of our oldest son and our entire family tremendously! – The Fossom Family, Boulder CO. 

What is the Importance of Music in Early in Childhood?

Here is an article by Tanja Mcilroy on Empowered Parents: 

Young children love music. They grow up exposed to it in their homes, schools and environments. 

It is obvious how much pleasure and enjoyment your children get from music, but did you know just how important music is in early childhood? 

Play is important and music is one of the best kinds of play to engage in. Music plays a major part in children’s development. 

Here are some reasons music is so important for your kids and why they should be regularly exposed to musical activities at home. Read on to find out what simple ideas and music activities you can try at home. 

What is the Importance of Music in Early in Childhood? 

The benefits of music are huge during the early years. It stimulates some of the following developmental areas: 

1. Brain Development 

Music builds overall brain development and creates pathways in the brain that improve a child’s cognitive functioning. 

Language, reading and mathematical abilities, in particular, are developed through music activities. These are further explained below. 

2. Language and Vocabulary 

Songs and rhymes expand a child’s vocabulary as well as their ability to use language correctly. 

The repetition in popular rhymes and songs helps children to memorize new words. They also become familiar with language patterns and how words are placed together. 

A well-developed vocabulary enables children to communicate effectively and learn to read with greater fluency and comprehension (to read for meaning). 

3. Auditory Perception 

Auditory perception is the brain’s ability to make sense of what it hears through the ears. This is one of the most important skills for reading. 

Children must be able to hear various sounds, distinguish them from each other and manipulate them (e.g. blend an s and a t into one sound st to read the word stop). They must also be able to join sounds and break them apart in order to be able to read and spell words. 

Teaching children classic songs and rhymes is one of the best ways to develop their auditory perceptual skills. It is fun and children learn auditory skills with little effort. 

Nonsense rhymes are great for tuning a child’s ear to sound patterns, especially rhyming patterns. 

4. Sound Patterns 

As stated above, sound patterns are learned through rhymes, poems and songs. These patterns emerge through: 

rhyming 

rhythm
instruments
syllables in words
stress patterns in a song alliteration, etc. 

Patterns actually form the basis of literacy and numeracy. Learning about patterning through musical activities will help a child cope academically when learning to read, write, spell and do maths. 

5. Motor Skills 

Children playing, holding hands in a circle 

Motor skills are extremely important for learning to read and write. They are developed in various ways during musical activities. 

Fine motor skills (the small muscles) can be developed through: 

Finger plays 

Action rhymes 

Playing with instruments 

Making instruments (e.g. a rice shaker)
Gross-motor skills (the large muscles) can be developed through: 

Action rhymes
Playing with large instruments Music games (e.g. musical statues) Dancing 

Coordination, an important skill for children, can be learned through many musical activities. Music also improves a child’s sensory development, especially when paired with a movement activity such as dancing. 

6. Self-Expression 

Music is a wonderful mode of self-expression for children. 

Through music activities, children develop a sense of creativity and feel free to express themselves without judgment. Creative expression is an important part of a child’s development. 

7. Memory Skills 

Children’s songs are usually filled with repetitive phrases, which helps them to develop their memory skills. 

The tune and rhythm of songs and rhymes makes it easier to memorize them. This is good for developing auditory skills as well as general memory skills, which a child will rely on throughout school and beyond. 

8. General Well-Being 

Child singing. 

Music is simply a fun activity that makes you feel good. 

Children are naturally drawn to music. They are not self-conscious when singing and are not held back by fear and judgment as adults may be. They relax, sing and move freely. 

In today’s stressful society, an activity that relaxes a child and promotes general well-being should be encouraged frequently. 

Eight Simple Music Activities for Preschoolers 

Music is not just about singing. It involves activities such as rhyming songs, finger rhymes, action rhymes, listening to music, playing with instruments, body percussion, poems, dancing, musical games and stories with music. 

Here are some music activity ideas for kids. 

1. Nursery Rhymes and Songs 

During the preschool years children enjoy learning songs and rhymes that have the following characteristics: 

They have repeated words and phrases in them 

There is a strong rhythm and beat in the song
They have melodies
They are about familiar topics e.g. animals and people 

Preschoolers especially enjoy nonsense rhymes and poems. Here are some fun nursery rhymes your kids will enjoy learning. 

2. Finger Rhymes 

Finger rhymes build a child’s fine motor skills. Children develop finger control and strength and also develop bilateral integration as they learn to coordinate their left and right hand together. 

These are two of my favourite classic finger rhymes: 

Two Little Dickey Birds 

Two little dickey birds sitting on a wall, (both index fingers in the air, move both of them)
One named Peter, (wiggle one index finger) one named Paul (wiggle the other finger) 

Fly away Peter, (draw the hand with “the Peter finger” behind your head and hide it)
fly away Paul (draw the other hand behind your head and hide it) 

Come back Peter, (reverse the last action with “the Peter finger” hand) Come back Paul. (reverse the last action with “the Paul finger” hand) 

Where Is Thumbkin? 

(Start with hands behind back) 

Where is Thumbkin? Where is Thumbkin?
Here I am. (bring right hand to front, with thumb up)
Here I am. (bring left hand to front, with thumb up)
How are you this morning?
Very well, I thank you. (Wiggle thumbs as if they’re ‘talking’ together) Run away. (hide right hand behind back)
Run away. (hide left hand behind back) 

(Repeat rhyme with each finger: Pointer, Tall Man, Ring Man, and Pinkie) 

3. Action Rhymes 

Action rhymes encourage children to move their entire bodies and develop their gross motor skills. They also teach children listening skills as they need to pay attention to the words in order to follow the actions. 

Here is an example: 

An Action Rhyme 

Raise your hands above your head, Clap them one, two, three,
Rest them now upon your hips, Slowly bend your knees. 

Up again and stand up tall, Put your right foot out; 

Shake your fingers.
Nod your head 

And twist yourself about. 

4. Instruments 

Expose children to different kinds of instruments and let them experiment with making sounds. 

Here are some examples: 

shakers
bells
cymbals
drums tambourines string instruments wind instruments 

Making instruments can be a wonderful craft activity to incorporate into music activities. 

drum set 

5. Stories with Music 

Play audiobooks for your children that have a musical soundtrack, or listen to musical stories on YouTube. 

These stories will develop your child’s listening skills and are far better than watching TV as your child needs to actively listen to follow the story. 

6. Poems 

Listening to and saying poems is an important activity as children learn to recognize rhythm and rhyme in a sentence. 

The benefits of poetry are numerous, including developing vocabulary, language, phonological awareness, mathematical concepts, a love for literacy, etc. 

Try these fun fairy tale poems. 

7. Dancing 

Dancing is a wonderfully freeing activity. It feels natural to children as they love expressing themselves through music and movement. 

Dance to music often with your children. You can move freely to the music or make your own movements for your favourite songs. 

Child dancing 

8. Musical Games 

Play some fun music games that incorporate movement. Games such as musical statues or musical chairs are also good listening activities. 

Pack which includes an entire year of activities for 3 to 6-year- olds. 

The article below is from the American Orff-Schulwerk Association

http://www.aosa.org/orff.html  Apr. 3, 2010

What is Orff Schulwerk? 

"Tell me, I forget…show me, I remember…Involve me, I understand." Carl Orff

“Orff Schulwerk is a way to teach and learn music. It is based on things children like to do: sing, chant rhymes, clap, dance, and keep a beat on anything near at hand. These instincts are directed into learning music by hearing and making music first, then reading and writing it later. This is the same way we all learned our language.

Orff Schulwerk happens in a non-competitive atmosphere where one of the rewards is the pleasure of making good music with others. When the children want to write down what they have composed, reading and writing find their moment. 

Orff Schulwerk uses poems, rhymes, games, songs, and dances as examples and basic materials. These may be traditional or original. Spoken or sung, they may be accompanied by clapping and stamping or by drums, sticks, and bells. 

The special Orff melody instruments include wooden xylophones and metal glockenspiels that offer good sound immediately. Played together as in a small orchestra, their use helps children become sensitive listeners and considerate participants. 

With Orff Schulwerk, improvisation and composition start students on a lifetime of knowledge and pleasure through personal musical experience. Learning is meaningful only if it brings satisfaction to the learner, and satisfaction arises from the ability to use acquired knowledge for the purpose of creating. For both teacher and student, Orff Schulwerk is a theme with endless variation.”

What is Music Kids?

"Let us be grateful to people who make us happy: They are the charming gardeners who make our souls blossom. " Marcel Proust (1871 - 1922)

Music Kids nurtures the song-seed in every child. 

Music Kids is based on Carl Orff's method of teaching music to young children. This methodology focuses upon improvisation, use of body percussion, and vocal enhancement. Through song and movement, children begin to learn to match pitch accurately and experience steady beat within their own body. Using drums and assorted percussion instruments, we expand on the ability to recognize and play rhythms. In Music Kids, we believe that children learn best by doing and experiencing. Our classes are filled with songs and dance. Through the fun and joy of experiencing music first hand children naturally learn life-long musical skills.

The Innovative Music Kids Program

Each Music Kids class is different because there is no corporately prescribed lesson plan. Marie Hopper, director and founder of Musicare in 1989 from which Music Kids spun off in 2020 by Amy Haywood, hires teachers who first and foremost love children.  This draws individuals from many walks of life from MAs in Divinity, nurse practitioners, from the corporate world of Human Resources Realtors and Science, and from professional musicians and singers. Some are dancers, storytellers, writers or puppeteers. Passionate, quirky and dedicated, best describes a typical Music Kids instructor. Music Kids classes are structured so that every teacher brings his or her special gifts to class and is able to design lesson plans that suit the class, the school, the season and the chemistry of every unique group of children. All the teaching materials are provided thus no purchasing is required.  

Music Kids – A Flat Corporation

As a woman of profound conscience and integrity, Marie built what she calls a “flat corporation”, this means that no one in Music Kids profits off of another. Each teacher is a independent contractor and retains what he or she earns with the exception of a corporate fee paid for the use of the name, website, and mentoring support or in some substituting situations. As a result, Music Kids recruits incredible teachers for life.  

http://www.medicinenet.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=54039

Does Music Really Affect the Development of Children?

Interview with Don Campell

Naropa University, Boulder, Co.

http://www.chicagochildrensmuseum.org/learning_connection.html

Born to Sing: How Music Enriches Children's Language Development

By Ann Gadzikowski, former Grants Coordinator, Chicago Children's Museum
 

When I was a preschool teacher, I had a child named Lizzy in one of my classes. She rarely spoke. At three years old, Lizzy usually communicated with me by tugging on my sleeve and pointing her finger at what she wanted. Yet I wasnít at all worried about Lizzy. My confidence in her was so strong because I knew there would be at least one time every day when I would be sure to hear her voiceóduring music time. Quiet Lizzy came alive whenever she heard music. She clapped, she danced, she even sang along to class favorites such as "The Wheels on the Bus" and "This Old Man." Her favorite song was "Where is Thumbkin?"
 

Eventually, Lizzy did begin to speak and soon was able to talk and communicate like other kids her age. She taught me that music is a powerful tool for giving a voice to a quiet child.
 

All children benefit from experiences with music. Music enhances learning, especially language development. Children's experiences with music build vocabulary, listening skills, and language acquisition.
 

Music, language and the brain: Recent brain research tells us that when children sing and move to music, their developing brains are entirely engaged and stimulated. Both the left and right sides of the brain are activated when we sing. And the process of singing stimulates both new learning and memory. For example, music has been shown to help children remember their addresses and phone numbers. Even older adults can often remember the songs from their childhood days.
 

The more senses that are engaged, the more learning will take place. When children sing and dance the "Hokey Pokey," they are using their voices to produce language, rhythm, and pitch. They are using their ears to listen to the voices and sounds around them. They are using their eyes to follow the movements of others. And they are using their whole bodies to develop rhythm and coordination. When it comes to active learning, "that's what it ís all about!"
 

The Rhythm of language: Like music, language has a rhythm. As we talk, our speech has a beat and a tempo. Like a line of music, a spoken sentence has a cadence as it rises and falls.
 

It's not surprising, then, that language learning is enhanced when children experience the rhythm of music. In studies conducted by educator Phyllis Weikert, a child's ability to clap or tap a steady beat was directly linked to language learning. For example, clapping or tapping the rhythm of an unfamiliar word often helps children learn new vocabulary. Can you imagine teaching a child to say "Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious" (from Mary Poppins) without singing it?
 

Song and dance: Today's technology allows children to hear a wide variety of music from all over the world. But it's important for parents to know that listening to recorded music does not offer children the same benefits as making music with real people. At Chicago Children's Museum, the exhibit Now You’re Talking! tells the exciting story of how children acq