>On January 8th, Down East Dance Studio will be starting a new session of Kindermusik classes for children ages 0-5 and their caregivers. Kindermusik is a music and movement program for infants, toddlers, and preschoolers. Parents and children enrolled in Kindermusik classes will play, listen, and dance to musical activities specifically designed to stimulate early childhood development and strengthen neural pathways in the child’s mind.
For new parents who are struggling with the day-to-day of nap schedules, feedings, and diaper changes, Kindermusik can be a great way to get out of the house and meet other parents who are going through similar joys and challenges. For parents of all ages, Kindermusik provides a special bonding time for parents and children. Instructors prepare and facilitate fun yet meaningful musical learning experiences that recognize the parent as the child’s first and most important teacher.
But the benefits of Kindermusik go beyond parent and child social interaction and bonding. According to the Kindermusik website, “early, positive, and age-appropriate experiences with music – like a Kindermusik program – can have a remarkable and research-proven impact on your child’s:
• language and literacy skills (vocabulary, comprehension, listening, expression)
• social and emotional development
• mathematics and pattern-recognition skills
• ability to plan, guide, and self-regulate their behavior.”
Each Kindermusik student also receives quality at home materials to continue their musical education in their own home. Home materials include activity books, literature books, music CDs, and instruments.
The spring session will feature two exciting new classes for Down East Dance Studio:
Sign & Sing for 6 months – 3 years is a class that incorporates basic sign language into a traditional Kindermusik class. Sign language for infants and toddlers encourages early language skills and eases frustrations in children who are struggling to express themselves.
Family Time for ages 0-5 years will be a class time when children of all ages can participate in the same class. The teacher will facilitate activities in such a way that the class will be age appropriate for all children with the added benefit that younger children will learn from watching older children and older children will learn from teaching younger children.
The class schedule for the spring session will be as follows:
Monday
8:30 – Imagine That! (3-5)
9:30 – Our Time (18 mo-3)
10:30 Sign & Sing (6 mo-3
Tuesday
8:45 – Imagine That! (3-5)
9:45 – Our Time (18 mo-3)
10:45 Family Time (0-7)
Saturday
9:30 – Our Time (18 mo-3)
10:30 – Village (0-18 mo)
For more information or to sign up for a free preview class, please call 252-633-9622 or visit http://www.downeastdancestudio.com/.
Submitted by: Marisa McDonald for Down East Dance Studio