Frequently Asked Questions About Harmony Garden Sprouts & Early Childhood Music:
Q: Is my child too young for music classes?
A: NEVER! Infancy and early childhood are prime times to capitalize on children’s innate musical spontaneity, and to encourage their natural inclinations to sing, move, and play with sound!
Q: Is my child too old for music classes?
A: NEVER! Although, our Mommy and Me style classes are for little ones birth-5yrs old. We do have a Blossoms Music Therapy Group that is an inclusive group for children with special needs and their peers. A PERFECT class for children to continue using music to build social skills and music skills at the same time!
Q: I have no musical skills, will my child be the same way?
A: They don’t have to be! The earlier you immerse them in a rich musical environment, the more they will understand and be able to communicate competently with music.
Q: My child isn’t talking yet, would music be good to help with this?
A: YES! Music and language use different sides of the brain. If a child is having difficulty with spoken language, humming, vocalizing and singing can help create new pathways in the brain to link spoken language communication! It’s amazing to see!
Q: My child does NOTHING in class, but sings at home, is this normal?
A: YES! Some children have no problem taking chances in public, singing and dancing as if they are at home. Other children soak up the music in class, participating VERY LITTLE, but if you watch them at home, they will start to mimic the music classes and sing where they feel safest. This is ok. A child will only take a chance in front of a group if they think they are right. For some children, this takes time.
Q: My child has special needs, are these classes ok for him/her?
A: YES! YES! YES! We are fully inclusive for our early childhood classes. Children are all learning basic skills when they are little, special needs or not. These classes are run by board certified music therapists who know how to prescriptively use music to help children of ALL ability levels be successful!
Q: My child is all over the music room, not paying attention, should I not enroll them anymore?
A: Don’t stop, keep trying! They are little sponges as infants/toddlers/little children. Even if you think they are not paying attention, they are. They are learning by being immersed in the music. When they are ready, they will join the class format. The teachers and parents in the class do not mind a wandering and curious child!
Q: Will this help with socialization for my little one?
A: Absolutely! Many children are home during the day and not always around other children. Music classes will help them learn the expectations of circle time, sharing, and how to interact with other children. They aren’t supposed to know these things yet, they are little! But, through the class process, they will find ways to express themselves, make friends, and prepare themselves for preschool circle-time at the same time!
Q: Can I stay with my child or bring other siblings with us to class?
A: We welcome families to participate together! Often, getting grandparents who want to come check out class too! As far as the siblings go, we do need them to be enrolled in the class along with them, if they are going to participate in any way. For younger siblings who will be sleeping during class in their carseats – no need to enroll them! For siblings over 5yrs, they are welcome to come once to see class, but are too old to actively participate every week. There is a drop-in rate of $15 for siblings who want to attend occasionally. Ask if you have any questions about this!
Q: We have to miss a class or two during the session, can we make these up?
A: YES! We allow families enrolled in a class to hop around to other classes to make up missed classes (due to illness, appointments, vacations, etc). The class options for make-up will be posted in the office on the bulletin board!
Q: How do the Drop-In classes work?
A: Any classes that are NOT at capacity (10 children) with full time enrollments, will be available for use as a Drop-In. We are unable to control which classes fill and which do not, so the availibility to Drop-In changes each session. Check the website for available options after the class session has started (September 18th).
Q: Are there any class discounts?
A: We post occasional coupon codes on FB or in email. You can join our e-newsletter list for these opportunities. We also have hidden 13 #JacksonCoRocks #JaxonRocks around town that are worth $10 if you find one!
Q: What if my child doesn’t like the class after we enroll?
A: It hasn’t happened yet, and we have been open for 11 years! Try it. You will have fun!
Other questions? Reply to this blog post and we will add them!!
