With the virtual sessions (over Zoom), our licensed educator guides parents as they engage their children with the activities, since babies and very young children aren’t inclined to watch the screen themselves. With the exception of the 3-5 year-olds class, participants are muted during the lesson to minimize background noise, but the educator continues to give instructions and feedback, in real time, to parents and children. (There’s an opportunity for two-way conversations before and after the lesson.) It’s okay if your child wanders out of the room periodically; they’re not expected to stay in front of the camera. And, like in any Kindermusik class, however they want to participate in each activity is fine; there’s no element of achievement.  It’s a fun, education opportunity to bond with your child, whether in person or on line.

Each class is 45 minutes long, and semesters run for 8 to 12 weeks depending on the time of year. The lessons are a series of brief, age-appropriate activities involving music or rhythm that benefit the children in all areas of their development. Specific activity benefits are shared periodically to give caregivers insight into their child’s developmental needs. Singing, moving to music, chanting, object exploration, rhythm instruments and story-time are regular segments of each lesson.

The digital resources are required for registration because they’re important part of the program. They give you access to the recorded music and stories from all the themes in each level so you can continue the classroom experience at home. There are also parenting tips and stimulating suggested home activities. Parents who want their child to have a more tactile Kindermusik experience at home have the option to purchase the book and instrument (or substitute) that goes with each theme.

Level 2 lesson activities assume caregivers are participating with the children, whereas level 3 (for children learning independence) only includes caregiver participation at the beginning and end of each lesson. They’re encouraged to leave the room after the hello song and will be called back in later. However, if your child wants you to stay, and you’re agreeable to that, you’re welcome to.

They could be in either. Even though level 2 is geared to toddlers who are a little older, if the Foundations class time doesn’t work for them, or you feel they’ve outgrown it, they can switch to level 2 early. They’ll need a little extra help with some activities, but they’ll still enjoy the class and benefit from it.

Each activity of the Foundations curriculum is adaptable and beneficial for newborns, crawlers and early walkers, so as soon as parents are ready, their baby can start. To encourage them to participate, we offer a 50% tuition discount for infants 4 months and under.