Music Together vs Kindermusik: how to choose a class

Music Together and Kindermusik are two early childhood music programs offered in many towns across North America. Both offer weekly classes of about 45 minutes with singing, movement, and small instruments, led by a trained teacher. The main difference is grouping. Music Together’s main class mixes all ages from birth to five. Kindermusik sorts most classes by age, with different activities at each level. The teacher matters more than the brand, so try a class at each.

At a glance

	Music Together	Kindermusik
Began	1987, near Princeton, New Jersey	In Germany in the 1960s, and in North America in the 1970s
Main class	Mixed ages, birth to 5	Levels by age, birth to 7
Class length	About 45 minutes, weekly	About 45 minutes, weekly
Adult in class	Yes, in every family class	Yes for babies and toddlers. From about age 3, the adult joins for the last part.
Songs	Nine song collections, one each term	A themed unit for each level
Goes home	Recordings and a songbook	Music, stories, and activities in an app
Older children	Rhythm Kids, ages 4 to 8	Kindermusik Musicians, ages 5 to 7

Each center sets its own schedule and prices. Check the local listing.

How Music Together works

Mixed ages. A baby, a toddler, and a four-year-old from one family can attend the same class with one parent. The program’s view is that children learn music the way they learn speech at home, among people of all ages.

Nine song collections. Each term has its own collection of songs and chants. A family can attend for three years without repeating one.

Adults make the music. The teacher leads, and the adults sing and move. Children join in when and how they like. No child is asked to perform. A child who watches for a whole term is still learning.

Variety in the music. The songs use many scales and rhythms beyond the usual major key and beats in twos. The founders, Kenneth Guilmartin and Lili Levinowitz, drew on the research of Edwin Gordon. See Music Learning Theory and audiation explained.

Other classes. Babies classes are for infants under nine months. Rhythm Kids classes add drumming for ages four to eight.

How Kindermusik works

Levels by age. Kindermusik lists these classes.

• Foundations, from birth to 12 months
• Level 1, from 12 to 24 months
• Level 2, ages 2 to 3
• Level 3, ages 3 to 5
• Kindermusik Musicians, ages 5 to 7
• Mixed-age classes for families, where a studio offers them

Activities fit the age. A baby class has rocking, bouncing, and gentle sounds. A toddler class has stop-and-go games. A preschool class adds pretend play and stories. The oldest classes bring in written music and instruments such as the glockenspiel and the recorder.

The adult’s part changes. A caregiver stays for the whole class with babies and toddlers. From about age three, children take part on their own, and the adults return for the last ten minutes.

Themes. Each unit has a theme, such as animals or weather, with its own songs, a story, and home activities.

The main differences

One class or several. With two or three young children, a mixed-age class means one trip. With one child, a class of children the same age may suit you.

Free or structured. Music Together classes are loose, and children wander, watch, and join in. Kindermusik classes follow a plan made for one age, with more direction from the teacher.

What comes next. Kindermusik has a longer ladder. Its classes for five-to-seven-year-olds teach note reading and simple instruments, as a bridge to lessons. Music Together stays with singing, movement, and drumming.

The adult’s role. If you want to take part in the whole class through age five, choose Music Together. If you want your preschooler to practice being in a class without you, Kindermusik builds that in.

What they share

• A trained and licensed teacher
• Singing, chanting, dancing, and playing shakers, sticks, drums, and scarves
• Music to use at home between classes
• No pressure on a child to perform
• A view that all children are musical

Neither program teaches an instrument such as piano or violin.

How to choose

1. Find which programs run near you, and at what times.
2. Ask each for a trial class.
3. Watch the teacher. Does the teacher sing in tune, keep the class moving, and welcome a child who hangs back?
4. Watch your child during the class and in the days after. Does your child sing the songs at home?
5. Look at the class size and the room.
6. Compare the cost for the term, with the home materials.

A warm, skilled teacher in either program is a better choice than a weak teacher in the other.

Other programs to look at

Suzuki Early Childhood Education, Music for Young Children, Yamaha, and Musikgarten also run classes for young children. See early childhood music classes compared, Suzuki Early Childhood classes, Music for Young Children explained, and Yamaha music classes for kids.

Sources

Checked in November 2026.

• Music Together. What is Music Together? One-page summary and research page.
• Kindermusik. Class options.
• Kindermusik of College Station. Class descriptions.

Next steps

For music to play at home between classes, see classical music for toddlers and classical music for preschoolers. For all the approaches side by side, read music teaching methods for kids compared.