Practicing With Your Preschooler At Home



Want to have a little fun with your toddler/preschooler today?  And, musically educate them, too?

• Get out some pretty scarves or bandanas and turn on your local classical music radio station.  Swirl and move your bodies and scarves to the music
• Another great idea for scarves is to have some slow, beautiful music playing in the background while you and your child pretend to paint something like a rainbow or sailboat.  You may even want to get into your painted sailboat and use the scarf as a sail 
• Put on your favorite CD or Video and play march, stop, and go.  You and your child or children will walk or march around to the beat of the music and when the designated person wants to, they will say "stop!"  Everybody must freeze, and then the same person gets to say "go!" a few seconds later and everyone moves again.  Take turns so you and your children get to be the "caller" at least once per game

You will feel good about reinforcing musical concepts with your kiddo and the exercises are artistically mindful for all of you.

Resuming Practicing After Not Practicing For Awhile

 



 

 Whether you and/or your child continue practicing your instrument over many years, there will be times where there will simply be no practice time.  Some life event or other priority may snatch your time to make music everyday but that's no reason to stop playing!

Steps For Resuming Practicing

•  Start your practice session with 5 minutes of practice
•  Take a 30 minute break, then practice for 5 more minutes
•   During the 5 minute sessions, play slowly and thoughtfully
•  Repeat the 30 minute break, then practice for 5 more minutes
•  Continue pattern joyfully as long as possible
•  Enjoy increasing practice time over the next few weeks



Thank You, Parents!

To learn with love and support



Music teachers everywhere so appreciate the hard work and dedication that parents put in everyday in overseeing their child's music education.  We know it's yet one more activity to put into your day and we still ask you to do it!  That's because putting in the practice, listening, and learning time must be done everyday.

Remember to keep practice time simple with realistic expectations from you and your child.  On very busy days, you may even want to set a timer with a time frame that you and your child agree upon.

Thank you for giving the gift of music!

Practice Time





It's okay to practice five minutes per day and it's okay to practice two hours everyday.  It is appropriate to practice for a small amount of time if your child is very young and it is appropriate to practice longer periods of time as your child gets older.  Your teacher will be able to counsel you on the correct amount of practice time everyday.

Some ideas to help motivate your kiddo to practice:

• Give your child friendly advance notice that it will be time to practice in 30 minutes(or whatever time frame works best for your schedule that day)
• Set a timer while your child is practicing and give great kudos when they have accomplished practicing.  It's helpful and authentic if you can speak with detail.  i.e. "I am so proud that you worked on fixing that note, passage, phrase..."  "I so enjoyed listening to the Mozart melody today"
• Music is infectious(in a good way!).  A great way to get inspired to practice is to have the parent practice before the child practices.  If you play a different instrument, practice that.  If you can play your child's instrument, pick that up and motivate your child.  In fact, if you are playing badly, that is a humorous ice breaker before your child starts his/her practice session
• Remember that you are giving the gift of music and you may have to be diplomatic and creative in order to give that gift
  
  

Music Child Classes

                                                              

Red rhythm sticks!

                                                                



The dynamic classes that are MusicChild are conducted in the Minneapolis-St. Paul area at local pre-schools, learning centers, and Montessori Schools. Joan Schubert, founder and teacher, travels to various locations complete with her suitcase full of percussion instruments: maracas, rhythm and rain sticks, tambourines to teach children age 18 months to 5 years of age.

The fun and learning doesn't stop there! We play musical games, sing, chant, learn about different instruments, and the list goes on. Free demonstration classes available for your center now.

Prices For Classes

$80 per visit     Usually includes 20 minute toddler classes and

                          30 minute classes for children age 3 - 5

Packages

$75 per visit     A discount of $5 per visit if buying 10 or more classes per year

Let your students creatively and musically soar! Your program will be enriched and your
parents will note one more reason to choose and stay at your school.

 music.child@ymail.com

Recent clients include: Discoveries For Children Montessori School, Small World Learning Center, St. David's Center, Evergreen Montessori School, Minnesota Valley Unitarian Universalist Church

Your Older Child Is Asking About Quitting Music Lessons

Here's a conundrum for you.  Your older child that has been studying a musical instrument for five or more years is asking to stop taking music lessons.  This can be a learning experience for you and a teachable moment for your child.  Please handle the conversation with your child carefully. 

Your unique family dynamics will dictate how you make your decision but please ask yourself these questions:

• will your child be sad that he/she didn't continue lessons as he/she becomes an adult?
• is there anything you can do to motivate your child?
• what are your child's feelings about lessons?
• will your child see this experience as a way to quit other endeavors in life?

Your next step should be calling the music teacher for advice.

What Does A MusicChild Class Look Like?

 

Who says music class has to be serious?

 

 

If you’re wondering what a preschool music class looks and sounds like, imagine a room full of smiling, moving, chanting, singing children under the age of 5.

In Miss Joan’s classes we start out our class time by warming up our listening ears and singing voices in many different ways. Sometimes we listen to sounds of nature or sometimes we’ll listen to animal sounds and turn into the animals, as well! Of course, it’s very important for children to move in rhythm, so we get to have “parades” while marching to the beat where we wave to our parents and friends.

Some of the percussion instruments we use are rainsticks, maracas, and rhythm sticks. Not only can we play our instruments, we may turn them into guitars, violins, drums, and the list goes on.
Many times Miss Joan will bring in an actual instrument such as a violin, guitar, or flute so the class may touch the keys, strings, and body of the instrument.

Walking To The Beat Of A Different Drum



Kids may have many musical interests



Try not to jade your child's enjoyment of different types of music--even if the style isn't appealing to you.  Of course, there are boundaries with appropriate lyrics and trying not to ruin one's hearing!  It's always good to be open minded and non-judgemental regarding any new music you and your child are listening to.  The example you set speaks volumes.

Summer Music Fun

Youth Orchestra In Action 

 



 

 

What will you do this summer when family schedules are turned delightfully upside down and your children's practice schedules are not consistently on the calendar?  You will go find and make some wonderful music!

• Try going out to your local farmer's markets as they frequently have musical guests performing that may inspire your family
• Look for inexpensive orchestra tickets in your local paper or online to take in some inspirational live music
• Try organizing a home recital with your children and other fellow music students.  Refreshments and visiting afterward are a reward for a job well done!



About Joan Schubert MusicChild Creator And Teacher

Joan Schubert has a music degree from The University of Texas at Austin.  She also has several years of pedagogy in early childhood Suzuki method education. 

Joan has played professionally in chamber music groups in the United States as well as Europe and run a community music school for four years.

Joan believes that sharing music in all ways improves our lives and our world. 

To book music classes for young children, contact Joan at music.child@ymail.com

Getting Excited About Other Instruments



Remember that it is a great idea to keep introducing many types of instruments and musical styles to your child via public radio, internet pictures, and appropriate videos on YouTube. There are also great musical programs on public TV so that a family may watch together and perhaps take in a Celtic music concert, a bluegrass duo, or a rock band. Fun discussion often comes up if a banjo is played or timpani drum is boomed.