It makes us excited to hear how excited you are for your little one to get started with music class. 😊 We hope that you find these general recommendations below helpful. Please do not hesitate to contact us if you have additional questions.
If children hear fine music from the day of their birth and learn to play it, they develop sensitivity, discipline and endurance. They get a beautiful heart.
Shinichi Suzuki
4 to 6 years old: As children’s coordination and communication skills develop (and as we witness another viral YouTube video of a child prodigy in this age range), parents may be tempted (or even convinced) to try private lessons at age 4 or 5. We do not recommend approaching music in an analytical, theoretical, or technical manner yet. Rather, we embrace the natural, unbiased curiosity and creativity of this special age through the sort of group play experienced in the “Rhythm Kids” program, or through lighthearted musical play at home, with the family.
We promise, from the bottom of our hearts, that another 6 months or year of “play” before formal education will not leave your child behind.
In fact, we have witnessed just the opposite.
🪘🎵 RHYTHM KIDS at MUSIC TIME 🎵🪘
45 min class for ages 4+
Thursdays at 4:30p / Thursdays at 5:30p
More Info/Register:
Music Together of Tracy (mttracy.com)
about rhythm kids:
try a rhythm kids class at music time:
Rhythm Kids is an exciting music, movement, and drumming class for children 4 yrs old and up! Rhythm KIDS classes lay the foundation for Basic Music Literacy, complementing in-school music instruction or instrument lessons and leading to a lifetime of joyful music-making. The curriculum includes solos and ensembles, folk dances, harmony singing, vocal development, and drumming. In a safe and fun environment, your child can experiment with new activities like game songs, story songs, conducting, improvisation, and composition.
Learn multicultural drumming patterns; develop new repertoire on various percussion instruments; explore movement and dance while singing songs; play games based on music and drumming; have fun with a host of rhythm activities.
As part of the Rhythm Kids experience, children and their grownups can enjoy drumming play and practice sessions at home with the help of online play-along videos featuring Rhythm Kids creator Tom Foote.
Class Tuition includes: 10 weekly, 45-minute classes; Animal Collection Songbook and professionally recorded CD each semester; Access to online video tutorials and play-along.
Course Materials: Students purchase their own hand drum (djembe) for use at home and in class. Music Together of Tracy will provide discounted sources for a beautiful instrument that will provide many years of rhythm fun for your child.
Under 4 years old*: For infants, toddlers & preschoolers, we highly recommend a group class over private lessons. In our decades of experience with thousands of students, we have found it to be ineffective & inefficient to force young children into the private lesson setting. As you already know, children connect with and learn best from a non-academic, play-based approach – and music is no exception. We suggest that children are lovingly invited to explore the wonders and diversity of sound and motion (before being instructed on musical rules, theories, and techniques). Parents can do this at home, or you can try a group music class.
*At this time, we do not have any classes for children under 3 years old at Music Time. We recommend Music Together classes. Click here for more info about current Music Together classes in Livermore. Please let them know Music Time referred you. 🙂