Get even MORE out of your Live Virtual Kindermusik Classes

 

As we look ahead to this next month together of virtual Kindermusik classes, we wanted to share some of our favorite tips for getting the most out of your Kindermusik virtual classes – and along the way, to discover new ways to grow closer together through Kindermusik!

 

  • On the morning of your class day, remind your child that this is THEIR Kindermusik Day! Your happy reminder will spark that same delightful sense of joyful anticipation as with our in-studio classes and will also help them prepare mentally for the class.

 

  • Provide a transition time for your child. When you attend class at our studio, your child has time in the car to think about what is to come. On the day of our virtual classes, you can help them anticipate the transition by talking about class and getting ready for Kindermusik.  While you are getting things out at home for the class, tell your child what you are doing. It will increase their joy that much more!

 

  • Home is different from our studio classrooms, but look for ways to limit distractions.  For example, place the items you have gathered for the class out of sight of your child, up on a shelf or in a container where they can get to them later.  We understand that removing all distractions is impossible, but for your virtual class, try to look at your space as if it were a Kindermusik classroom. And as you are able, make sure to have plenty of space for sitting and moving around. 

 

  • At the heart of every level of Kindermusik is the parent-child relationship. The secret of our live virtual Kindermusik classes is that they are thoughtfully designed for family interaction and child engagement.  They have never been intended to be only entertainment. If your child seems disinterested or distracted, that’s normal and okay, but don’t let them stay that way.  Gently re-engage and continue modeling for them. Look at this time as a way to nurture your relationship and deepen your bond with your child as you enjoy this special activity together. 

 

  • You’re their favorite partner!  Even our Levels 3, 4, and 5 children will need a partner for some of the activities. So come ready to play and have fun with your child!  These will be the very sweetest memories of this time when we’ve all been staying home.

 

  • You are your child’s first and BEST teacher, and we want to celebrate YOU!  This is one of our favorite core beliefs about Kindermusik – that there’s no better teacher for your child than you.  We are here to lead our class and support you! This is even more true in our virtual classes. Your child will need for you to do each activity WITH them, BESIDE them, or maybe even FOR them if they do not engage right away.  Lots of loving patience and persistence with your child will pay off, we promise!  

 

  • What matters most is time together and time spent loving and learning with music.  The most important thing is that you have fun together in class, and that you carry that joy with you through the rest of the week in a way that makes every day a little more musical and puts a song in your child’s heart… to stay!

 

 

 

And some special encouragement for our Level 1 and Level 2 families:

 

  • Wandering is normal.  Our younger Kindermusik children often wander in the Kindermusik classroom at our studio. They will probably wander at your home, too. They may be distracted by the device you are using or by items in your home. This is normal. Follow them and engage them with the music wherever they are. 

 

  • Routines really do help!  The routines of Kindermusik – our hello/goodbye songs, the instrument play, and our storytime – will be a comfort to them at a time when everything else in their lives might still be feeling unsettled. 

 

  • Adapt the activities for your child.  Just like an in-person Kindermusik class, feel free to adapt the activities to your child. If they need to walk around the room, take their hand and walk with them. Swoop them up for a bouncy dance during lively music.  Give them a little space if they need it, but continue to stay engaged yourself so you can more easily re-engage them.
  • Your child is watching and learning… from you!  Did you know that it takes younger children 7 times longer than adults to process what is asked of them?  That’s why your child may need to see you do the activity and encourage them for a bit before they join you. The younger the child, the more time they will need before they join in. They may not join you at all the first time, or they may start doing that activity after the next one has started. That’s okay! They are learning SO MUCH just by watching you joyfully participating and encouraging them.
      
  • With familiarity comes engagement.  As we repeat different activities from week to week, and as you are enjoying your class activities throughout the week in between our classes with the all-new (and amazing!) Kindermusik app, you will likely find your child joining in more and more as you continue to engage and model, and as they become more familiar with the songs and activities.