What Level Is Best For My Child?
One of the many strengths of the Kindermusik® philosophy is its focus on the different developmental needs of each stage of childhood. Each level is designed to give your child the most appropriate, most stimulating environment to nurture their developmental needs. We celebrate and explore each age rather than rush forward, coaxing forth the joy and creativity in each individual child and respecting their unique pattern and pace in growing up.
Since Kindermusik® addresses the development of the whole child, there are certain ages at which you may wonder which of the Kindermusik® curricula best suits your child’s age and stage. It is necessary for us to indicate age levels to guide you, but there is flexibility in certain age spans which overlap curricula. Our “transitional stages,” 1 year, 2 years, 3 years and 4 years, are points at which you and I can help your child by deciding which level would be most beneficial and appropriate. Ask yourself some important questions. Which of these levels will my child thrive in, rather than just being able to get along in? Am I considering my child’s pleasure and emotional development as much as their cognitive development? Is my child eager for added independence and challenges, or are they most delighted by sharing special time with me to help guide and support them?
There are certain guide posts to look for in development which will help direct your choices. Below are some characteristics which indicate that your child will obtain the maximum developmental benefits and pleasure from a particular curricula. Let these assist in making this important decision. While no two children develop in the exact same way, a child who is ready for a certain curricula will display many of the characteristics of that level. Of course, I am always here to discuss individual questions and concerns- please do not hesitate to contact me. Sharing in your child’s developmental journey is both my profession and my joy.
Ms Nancy
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0-1s
• Listening to and experiencing songs and rhymes
• Back-and-forth vocal plays and other parent-child interactions that build neural pathways in a baby’s developing brain
• Exploring baby-safe instruments and other object play
• Baby-caregiver bonding exercises, including story time, massage, and relaxation activities
• Increased balance and control over movements and strengthened core muscles
• Ability to embrace both familiar and unfamiliar social experiences
• Development of listening and back-and-forth communication skills
• Introduction to a variety of spoken sounds and rhythms that will support language and literacy development |
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1s and 2s
• Crawls on hands and knees in a cross-crawl pattern
• Pulls up from sitting to standing with support of adult or stationary object
• Stands for at least a few seconds unassisted
• Cruises, holding on to adults or furniture
• Grasps items with pincher (thumb/finger) grasp
• Reaches across midline
• Responds to name
• Has a large receptive vocabulary (understands many words)
• Responds to simple verbal
• Explores objects in many different ways |
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2s and 3s
• Uses gestures and language to indicate needs
• Sustains interest in an activity for several minutes
• Shows cooperative/interactive learning: is interested in what others are doing and in sharing that activity (whether by observing, parallel exploration, or imitation)
• Can understand and follow verbal directions of two steps; will generally cooperate with a request
• Is learning to explore objects in purposeful, symbolic ways, rather than mouthing, dumping, etc.
• Shows interest in concept pairs- high/low, fast/slow, loud/quiet, stop/start
• Responds to song and rhyme; may join familiar ones, and enjoys word and language play
• Can reliably point to named body parts, is beginning to understand number, color concepts
• Group interaction and connection with an activity is becoming more appealing than individual exploration of the environment
• Physically, can walk well, explores other types of movement (run, tiptoe, jump, turn) - enjoys own mobility and will try new movements they see others doing
• Beginning to understand and participate in “sitting” activities: finger plays, lap bounces, and singing |
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3s and 4s
• Separates from adult without crying; enjoys interacting as part of a peer group
• Thinks creatively- has moved from “what animals do you know” to “what might we see in our pretend tree?”
• Recognizes the needs of others; can be empathetic, take turns (usually!), understand classroom rules and why they are important
• Developing abstract language and thought - can sustain a pretend play and enjoy developing an idea for up to 5 minutes or more
• Can tell stories, relate a series of ideas, connect own experiences to those of others
• Has good patience - can accept “she is playing the wood block, and you have the tambourine today”
• Has a broad movement vocabulary, and can explore the same movement in diverse ways (“what other parts of your body can twirl?”)
• Can sit and listen to a story or musical selection for several minutes, and comment on what they have heard
• Knows shapes, colors, weather, seasons, counting
• Participates in singing, reciting rhymes; follows a model for movement or instrumental play |
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4s and 5s
• Understands that writing moves from left to right, and repeats from the top of the page down
• Has good fine motor control- reproduces shapes and letters, enjoys puzzles, games, drawing
• Follows directions reliably, can participate in an activity with groups doing different things simultaneously
• Has good abstract thinking skills- can answer questions such as “how do you think a composer can make music sound like birds?”
• Can sing whole songs, and is developing a good sense of pitch
• Is ready to begin understanding concepts of proper handling of an instrument, and playing a tune as opposed to exploring ways of creating sound on an instrument |
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Ages 5 - 7
• Learning how to understand simple music notation and play the glockenspiel, dulcimer, and the recorder
• Experiencing steady beat, meter, and rhythm through listening to music, moving, singing, playing instruments, and reading and writing music notation
• Learning new music concepts through listening, moving, singing, game-playing, visuals, and imaginative play
• Listening to music and sound with an analytical ear and paying close attention to pitch variation and timbre between specific instruments
• Developing their speaking and singing voices through listening, imitating, and exploring
• Participating in a variety of ensemble experiences, including instrumental ensembles, vocal ensembles, and group dancing
• Ability to read traditional and non-traditional music notation
• Growing ability to extend what has been learned in one context to a new context
• Awareness of steady beat, meter, and rhythm, essential musicianship skills with ties to physical development and coordination
• Development of self-confidence, musicianship, collaboration, and creativity through teamwork, peer interaction and communication
• Ability to distinguish specific sounds within words and increased awareness of the rhythmic structure of language and developing speaking, reading, and listening skills
• Understanding of music reading, beat competence, expressive movement, singing, instrument playing, and ensemble participation, skills that are beneficial in fields of study that involve problem-solving, creativity, coordination, persistence, fine-motor capabilities, and team participation.
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