MusikGarten
MusikGarten, founded in 1994, is the internationally known, preeminent early childhood music program available to children ages birth through 9 years old. Classes are informal and structured in a way which is age appropriate. Major components within each lesson include: singing, dancing, playing instruments, listening, and pattern work. All classes are structured as a group setting and expose your child to the many aspects of music. MusikGarten’s founders are huge advocates of extensive training for their instructors. They offer support to each center and their leaders, and provide continuing education through monthly newsletters and yearly trainings.
Here at FPCO, we offer MusikGarten as a ministry. We will facilitate your child’s foundation of basic music skills which are: singing on pitch and keeping a steady beat. Your child learns best through what you model, and our goal is to give each parent the tools to bring music into their child’s life, and ultimately, the family.
Class Levels
Class Level Descriptions
Babies (Birth-13 months): When your baby is born, he or she will have a memory of what they experienced while in the womb for one year. It is our privilege as parents, guardians, and teachers to continue their memory of their experience, especially music. No child is too young for music class. Even 5 week-old babies have attended music class before! The Babies curriculum is designed to introduce music through activities they love: bouncing, rocking, singing, feeling their parents’/caregivers’ touch, and hearing their parents’/caregivers’ voice. All expectation is on the parent/caregiver to participate, exposing baby to music and helping them build the foundation of musical knowledge. A parent/caregiver must be present. Class duration: 40 minutes
Walkers (14-23 months): This age group is a transitional time for your child because they are beginning to explore their motor, language, and social skills. Each child learns differently – some children are participators and some are observers. There is no expectation of the child to participate, however there is high expectation on the parent/caregiver to continue to model for the child during class. We will continue to rock, bounce, sing, and move as we continue to build our large motor skills in class. A parent/caregiver must be present. Class duration: 40 minutes.
Toddlers (2-3 yrs): At this age, children are still experimenting with a broader foundation of knowledge and a better understanding of the routine. They are becoming more independent in many ways. Their imagination begins to form as their language and other skills develop. Listening time is more focused because of their life experiences, and instruments are easier to manipulate. This class will transition them into the activities they will experience in Big Kids class. A parent/caregiver must be present. Class duration: 45 minutes.
Big Kids (3-4 yrs): As children continue to improve their fine motor skills, their imagination comes alive at this age. The stories told in class become real as they come up with their own ideas along the way. The listening time will become an opportunity for the children to identify and name an animal by its sound. Parents/caregivers will still attend music class with their child, however, new activities will allow the children to become more independent allowing them to interact more closely with other children. A parent/caregiver must be present. Class duration: 45 minutes.
Family Class (siblings/mixed ages): It is difficult for families with multiple children to coordinate each child to attend their appropriate age level, so we offer a class specifically for siblings and mixed ages. This class is focused on the toddler age level. The instructor will give tools to parents with infants they can use during class as an alternate activity, as well as utilize the older child as a helper and challenge them with other activities. The Family Class is a great alternative for parents with multiple children under age 5 to attend class together until they begin Kindergarten. A parent/caregiver must be present. Class duration: 45 minutes.
Explorers (4-5 yrs) [Pre-Piano I]: This is the age where children are even more independent, building upon even more life knowledge. We will explore what our home, woodlands, cattail marsh, and meadow look like and how we fit into those environments. This will be our tool to dig deeper into our creativity and challenge the senses and musical abilities at a higher level: such as acting out a story, drawing the sound effects from that story, using instruments to play sound effects, then playing the sound effects together as a musical ensemble! Students will attend class without parent/caregiver for the first 45 minutes, and parent/caregiver will join class at final 15 minutes. Class duration: 1 hour.
Explorers I – Fall only
Explorers II – Spring only (prerequisite: Explorers I)
World Travelers I & II (5-6 yrs) [Pre-Piano II]: Students will travel the globe as we look at cultures other than our own: British Isles, Amerindians, African-American Heritage, and Germany. There is a vast array of songs and stories which come from these traditions and they will come alive by experiencing them in class! Students will attend class without parent/caregiver for the first 45 minutes, and parent/caregiver will join class at final 15 minutes. Class duration: 1 hour.
World Travelers I – Fall
World Travelers II – Spring (prerequisite: World Travelers II)
*Introduction to Piano (6 - 9 yrs): This 1-week/5-day course is the prerequisite to MG Piano I. Students will be introduced to music, first on the floor, then with percussion instruments, and finally will move to the keyboard. This course will help the students to be most successful in their Keyboard classes. Intro. to Piano is offered during the summer only. Students will attend class without parent/caregiver for the first hour, and parent/caregiver will join class at final 15 minutes. Class duration: 1 hour, 15 minutes (75 minutes). Coming Summer 2012.
MG Piano I, II, & III (6-9 yrs): (prerequisite – Intro to Piano, World Travelers I & II strongly recommended) Everything your child has experienced in MusikGarten will be useful in every way during these classes. Here, we will begin to use familiar songs on the keyboard and learn new ways to use our fingers. Small movement activities will strengthen our fingers while we practice our steady beat and use our singing voices. This class will be split into floor activities and keyboard activities. First, we sing it, second, we use our body as an instrument, then we use an actual percussion instrument, and finally play it on the keyboard. This approach will help your child be most successful in their efforts. Students will attend class without parent/caregiver for the first hour, and parent/caregiver will join class at final 15 minutes. Class duration: 1 hour, 15 minutes (75 minutes).
MG Piano I – one full year (prerequisite: Intro. to Piano)
MG Piano II – one full year (prerequisite: MG Piano I)
MG Piano III – one full year (prerequisite: MG Piano II)
Preschool Classes: In addition to our community MusikGarten program, we provide 30-minute music classes for all children in the Infant ChildCare Center (ICCC), a preschool on campus here at FPCO. Children’s Music has partnered with this preschool since the Fall of 2004, and it remains a successful partnership.