Why Choose Sound Beginnings?
Over the course of their lifetime, you’ll make many choices for your children: what they wear, what they'll eat, with whom they'll spend time, and in what types of activities they’ll participate. With so many choices to make, we want to help you understand the unique features of the Sound Beginnings curriculum that might make this preschool music class the right fit for your family!
Children Benefit from Early Musical Experiences
In much the same way that young children are equipped to easily acquire their native language, the infant brain is wired to process musical information. Infants and toddlers possess a natural ability to acquire and assimilate information at a rapid pace. This makes them uniquely suited and remarkably proficient at distinguishing between pitches, recognizing the distinct timbre of voices or instruments, and processing other complex auditory stimuli. Just as early exposure to language promotes linguistic fluency, early exposure to quality musical experiences lays a foundation for future musical proficiency.
Renowned music educator Zoltan Kodaly famously advocated for early music education, suggesting it should begin "nine months before the birth of the child...and nine months before the birth of the mother." He emphasized that music should be accessible to all, and children thrive in environments where music is integrated into daily life. His mantra, "Let music belong to everyone," underscores the importance of a musical upbringing from the earliest stages of life.
Sound Beginnings Foundations
Understanding the importance of this early learning period, the Sound Beginnings
curriculum was established in 2010 to provide quality musical experiences for young children. Developed by Raya Leavitt (MA Music Teaching and Learning) and Heather Prusse (BS in Early Childhood Education), it launched as a weekly preschool music class for child and caregiver. While much of the curriculum was designed with toddlers in mind, Sound Beginnings welcomes and includes children ages 0-4.
Using age-appropriate music and activities, Sound Beginnings incorporates seven
research-based foundational elements in every class session: literacy and kindergarten skills, rhythm and beat, vocal and pitch development, fine motor skills, gross motor skills, classical music experience, and parent bonding. Experiences in each of these areas has proven to positively impact the growth and development of a young child, and every activity in class is designed based on one or more of these foundational elements.
Quality Materials
Each of Sound Beginnings’ six semesters features a student workbook, simple rhythm instrument, and soundtrack. Together, these musical tools allow children to have an auditory, visual, and kinesthetic experience with music while promoting other important developmental skills! Each soundtrack includes 41 recordings of folk tunes, classical pieces, original songs, and individual instruments. Families are encouraged to listen at home and further explore in class by singing along, playing musical games, keeping the beat with a variety of rhythm instruments, and using movement tools such as dancing scarves. Simple rhythm instruments are used in every class to reinforce the steady beat. Their use also helps children develop hand-eye coordination and practice fine motor skills. The colorful student workbook provides opportunities for students to practice important visual discrimination and tracking, and it lays the foundation for developing focus,
attention, and literacy skills.
Join us!
If you're ready to nurture your child's early musical development and explore
additional ways to cultivate a musical environment at home, register for your first 15-week semester. In each 30-minute class, you’ll use music and movement to
intentionally connect with your child and explore music together. So, come sing,
dance, and play with us in a Sound Beginnings class!
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