Early childhood music classes are group classes for babies, toddlers, and young children, most often with a parent taking part. The children sing, move, play small instruments, and listen. The best-known programs are Music Together, Kindermusik, Musikgarten, Music for Young Children, Yamaha, and Suzuki Early Childhood Education. They share more than they differ. The teacher in the room matters as much as the name on the door.
What these classes have in common
A class runs for about half an hour to an hour, once a week, for a term. A trained teacher leads songs, chants, dances, and games with shakers, drums, scarves, and bells. Parents join in, and the songs go home on a recording so the family can repeat them all week.
The aim is not to teach an instrument. It is to build the ear, the voice, and the sense of beat that later lessons rest on.
The main programs
Music Together. It began in 1987 in Princeton, New Jersey. Its core classes mix ages, so a baby, a toddler, and a preschooler from one family can attend together with a parent. Each term uses a new collection of songs, and families take home the recordings and a songbook.
Kindermusik. It grew out of a program developed in Germany in the 1960s and came to North America in the 1970s. Classes are grouped by age, from babies up through the early school years, and each age has its own set of activities and home materials.
Musikgarten. It was founded in the United States in 1994. Classes are grouped by age and build from baby classes toward group piano classes for school-age children.
Music for Young Children. This Canadian program was founded in 1980 by Frances Balodis. Children learn in small groups with a parent beside them. The keyboard is at the center, along with singing, rhythm instruments, and writing short pieces.
Yamaha. The Yamaha music classes began in Japan in 1954. Children learn in groups at keyboards, with a parent in the room, and the program is known for its classes for four- and five-year-olds.
Suzuki Early Childhood Education. These are baby and toddler classes with a parent, developed by the Canadian teacher Dorothy Jones with the support of Shinichi Suzuki. A small set of songs and rhymes is repeated each week, so that children master them.
Classes built on a teaching approach
Many community music schools run their own classes without a brand name. They are often built on one of three approaches.
Kodály classes are centered on singing and folk songs. Orff classes use speech, movement, and instruments such as xylophones. Dalcroze classes teach music through movement.
How they differ
Mixed ages or one age. A mixed class suits a family with two or more young children. A single-age class is planned for one stage of growth.
Keyboard or no keyboard. Music for Young Children and Yamaha put children at a keyboard. The others stay with voices, movement, and small percussion in the early years.
What goes home. Some programs send recordings and books. Some send short tasks for the week. Ask what is expected between classes.
The parent’s part. In baby and toddler classes, the parent does everything with the child. In classes for older children, the parent may watch, or join for the last few minutes.
What to look for in any class
- The teacher sings in tune and with ease
- Children are moving and making sound for most of the class
- The pace changes often: loud then soft, fast then slow, sitting then moving
- No child is pushed to perform
- Parents are shown what to do at home
- The group is small enough that the teacher knows each child
Questions to ask
- What training does the teacher have in this program?
- How many children are in a class?
- Can we try one class before we sign up?
- What do we take home?
- What comes after this level?
Do these classes lead to lessons?
They can. A child who has spent two or three years singing, moving, and keeping a beat can arrive at a first piano or violin lesson with a head start. They are also worth doing for their own sake. A weekly half hour of singing with a parent is a good thing whether or not lessons follow.
When your child is ready for an instrument, read the parent’s guide to music lessons. To sort out which approach suits your family, try the method quiz and the guide to teaching methods.
Music at home between classes
Sing the class songs in the car. Dance in the kitchen. Play short pieces from classical music for toddlers. Ages, schedules, and fees differ by location, so check each program’s own site for classes near you.
More from this guide
This article is part of Music teaching methods for kids compared: Suzuki, Kodály, Orff, Dalcroze, and traditional lessons.
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Use it with your kids
Print a listening page, a practice chart, or a composer fact sheet. Or try a tool, such as the composer timeline or the piece picker.