There are significant milestones in a child's development when moving from one class age level to the next.  Below are some guidelines to help you with this decision.  You can also contact me to discuss, I'm happy to help.

  
From FOUNDATIONS to LEVEL 2: around 18-23 months
  • 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, singing

  
From LEVEL 2 to LEVEL 3: about 3 to 3 ½ years
  • 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 tamborine 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

 

From LEVEL 3 to LEVEL 4: around 5-6 years old
In levels 4 & 5 in Kindermusik for the Young Child, they begin to learn musical notation (note and rhythmic), and begin learning to play a melody on their own glockenspiel. We recommend that the step to Level 4 be made by children who are entering Kindergarten or 1st grade.

  • Exhibits self confidence and reliability in a classroom or group situation
  • Has basic prereading skills; 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 eager to learn, and is developing self-motivation- can work independently for short periods toward a set goal
  • Is ready to begin understanding concepts of practice, proper handling of an instrument, and playing a tune as opposed to exploring ways of creating sound on an instrument

 

When Should My Child Begin PRIVATE INSTRUMENTAL INSTRUCTION?

As a general rule, most children are not ready to begin formal instrumental training before the age of 6 or 7 for piano or string instruments, and most instructors will not accept students younger than 8 or 9 for other orchestral or band instruments. Before that, they tend to lack the size, stamina, and outcome-oriented commitment to make lessons a pleasurable and successful experience. Children are individuals, with a wide range of aptitude, but all children possess the ability to enjoy lifelong music making, and this ability can be greatly influenced by how we choose to approach their earliest experiences.

Children who graduate from Kindermusik for the Young Child have a strong basis in theory, musicianship, and instrumental technique. More importantly, they have been allowed to develop the whole child through music, in a supportive and reassuring atmosphere, which lays the groundwork for a lifetime of positive outlook not only towards music learning, but towards learning in general.