Mother’s Day at Kindermusik

My wife Florence, an awesome mom to our 8-month old daughter Maggie, spent their first morning session at Kindermusik in Regalia Park Towers, near EDSA Cubao. Teacher Jeannie, who began the program in 2003 in the Philippines and also a recognized Kindermusik Maestro Award educator globally, has offered a summer program called Village Adventures. It is more like an introductory summer program for a 60-minute session each for six Sundays.

There were actually several sets of program depending on your child’s age. Like the Kindermusik Village Adventures that my daughter has attended yesterday, is offered for children from newborn to 1 1/2 years of age. As mentioned, it is a short summer camp program since the regular session is in a 15-week stretch. Other Kindermusik offerings are: Our Time for 1 1/2 to 3 years old; Imagine That for 3 to 5 years old; Kindermusik for the Young Child for 5 to 7 years old; ABC Music & Me, a Preschool Music Program for 2 to 6 years old; Sign & Sing, a sign language curriculum for hearing children 6 months to 3 years old; and Family Time, a music class for families with multiple children for ages newborn and up.

Kindermusic session where children and parents alike
participate in the activities

It was bonding and fun-filled moments for the participants who were also first-timers in the program. My wife, who is likewise a licensed Kindermusik educator, was the one who attended to our daughter most of the time. I assisted my wife from time to time especially on the sessions where I was the one who needed to carry and gently rock our baby daughter because of her weight. Like me, there were also dads who had participated and helped with their wives as well in the different activities. It was truly a wholesome experience.

Teacher Jeannie leading the children and parents
during the drum session

Maggie playing with her rattle

Into the plastic tunnel

    

Tucked with wireless microphone, teacher Jeannie, together with her two co-teachers in yellow-striped uniforms led the singing, while the CD containing songs and music exclusive for the Kindermusik Village Adventures session was playing at the background. The high-quality musical instruments such as rattles, shakers, and drums were also distributed accordingly depending on the programmed activity. The kids on the other hand, guided by their parents corresponded with the rhythm played from the CD through dancing, singing, and playing with the said musical instruments. Big plastic balls and tunnel were also introduced for the kids to play with. A multi-colored parachute-like with a diameter of around 12 to 15 feet, which is as large as the playing area were also introduced. The parents held the chute for awhile making gestures such as up and down and carousel-like movements as children played underneath. My daughter actually missed this activity when she got tired, hungry, and eventually fell asleep. Towards the end of the session, teacher Jeannie, held a hardcover book entitled Oh, What Busy Days! where she read and told the story. The take home materials include the said hardcover book, CD similar to the one they played in the session, musical shapes bell, and activities poster, for the parents to continue the activity with their kids at home.

Mother and daughter

Kindermusik which derived from a German phrase, Children’s Music was founded in the United States in 1978. Its framework is based from music and movement that uses high-quality digital recordings, instruments, and award-winning literature books along with traditional nursery rhymes, finger plays and songs to build a strong foundation not only in music education, but other areas of development, i.e. cognitive, emotional, social, physical, and language skills1.

When my wife and I played the CD at home, our daughter Maggie actually paused for awhile, eventually recalled the familiar music and perhaps remembered the activity that corresponds with the said music. From that very brief moment, we actually witnessed the effect in our daughter. We are looking forward for another Kindermusik session on Sunday which we think is worth investing in, that is beneficial for our daughter as well as for us parents.

For more information on Kindermusik classes and respective schedules near your area, you may check on Kindermusik Philippines and Kindermusik with Teacher Jeannie & Company.

Reference:
1 Kindermusic, Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kindermusik

One more thing...
To all the mothers and especially to my wife, Happy Mother's Day!

"The Miracle of Life nurtured by a woman who gave us love and sacrifice... MOTHER" 
- Joel Barquez