Two friends making music

How cool is this? I love the expressions from the man who is standing, and hearing their laughter at the end.

New Rewards Program starting this fall

Through my work with Kindermusik International, I have learned a fun fact – Did you know that the marketing experts say it’s seven times easier to retain a current family than it is to recruit a new one? With that statistic in mind, I would like to let you know about my new “Seven Times Easier” Rewards Program – 7 incentives, rewards and reasons for you to become a loyal Kindermusik family semester after semester and to let your friends in on the fun as well!

1. New Referral Incentive! Refer a friend who enrolls in a Kindermusik class and receive a gift certificate for $25 off your next Kindermusik semester (no limit!)
2. New Baby Discount! Every new baby in a current Kindermusik family now receives 8 weeks of Village classes tuition free, just pay for materials! Must be used by the time your little one is 6 months old.
3. Early Bird Priority Registration! Register or re-enroll during the Priority Registration period and receive a special instrument, t-shirt or CD FREE.
4. Bring a Friend! You are invited to bring a friend to a free Kindermusik class (with a reservation) at any time during the semester.
5. December Holiday party! Family fun night – bring the whole family to a holiday class and enjoy all of the musical activities and fun! No charge to you. Just another way to say Thank You.
6. Open Make Up Policy! If you should miss your regularly scheduled class, you may make up a class at any time throughout the semester (please call for reservation).
7. Family Multiple Discounts! $20 discount for a second child enrolled in a DIFFERENT curricula, and HALF-OFF tuition discount for siblings enrolled in the SAME CLASS. Siblings must both be within specific age range if enrolled in same class. Sibling kit discount will also apply!

And don’t forget there are 7 more important Rewards – the joy, learning and growth you and your child can share through the first Seven, Magnificent, Musical Kindermusik years of your child’s life!

Added location to serve you better

I will be teaching at an added location in the fall. I will be offering Village and Our Time class on Thursdays only at The Turning Pointe Dance Studio in Bartonville, at the west entrance of Lantana on FM407, "out in the country". Amy Allen, the studio's owner, has been very cordial and invited Kindermusik to her beautiful studio. She is very enthusiastic about the program! I am too :-). If you live out that way and like to change your class day, please feel free, but let me know quickly!

Boundin'

El Sistema: Saving children in Venezuela through music

This is well worth your time to watch. It is 12 minutes in length.

El Sistema: Changing Lives Through Music

"Music produces an irreversible transformation in a child. It remains part of who they are. Forever.", says Gustavo Dudamel, conductor of "El Sistema".

I couldn't agree more.

You will be inspired.

Edible Flowers

This week in Village class we will be exploring flowers for the song Flowers Sweet. The focus of this lesson is on smell and sensory stimulation. We will feel the flower, smell it, look at it and describe all those things to develop language as well as a connection to the scent. I studied up on 'edible flowers' and actually have many on the list in my own yard! I think I'll try to embelish some salads this week and surprise my family! As you know, babies will mouth anything and everything. And, while I’m not going to encourage them to eat them in class, I do want something safe for them to explore with the numerous nerve endings and sensors around the mouth.

To prepare the flowers for class (and for eating if you choose), I give them a gentle bath in a very mild soap solution. I then rinse them thoroughly in a clear water solution by “swishing” them and I pat them very gently with a paper towels to dry them. This retains their freshness and scent, but removes any types of residue that might be on the flower. You should not eat flowers that you have sprayed or sprinkled with pesticides or any such thing.

There are many websites with information about edible flowers. I like this one because it gives you the pictures and explains what the flower tastes like. NOT ALL FLOWERS ARE EDIBLE!! Sometimes just parts are edible; like tulip petals are edible, but you should never eat the bulb.

Thanks to Christa for help with this post.

Thinking of summer

Call Heidi at 972.754.0853 or head to the website at www.msheidi.kindermusik.net Camps for birth to 7 year olds await you!

Victor Borge

Something to make you laugh

Patrick Henry Hughes

Inspirational father...inspirational son.

Do you have a 'date night with your husband?' You should!

Finding alone time....does this sound impossible for you and your mate? Something you "used to do", but now your children occupy all your time and you can't seem to enjoy the closeness you once shared? If only I'd known those spontaneous dinners out, those late-night movies, or mornings where I could sleep in as late as I wanted would be part of my dreams after I had children, I'd have appreciated them more!

I found a great article about this and please take it to heart :-). When my children were small, one of the things we did was to trade sitting with a couple next door who had a daughter. Every 2 weeks, we would take turns going out and the other couple would babysit the children. It did wonders for us! (and the kids loved it!). So, there ARE ways to make it happen. And it's more important than you think. It's critical to the long-term happiness of your marriage.

Not only academic, but big emotional benefits of music education

Check out this wonderful video from Better.tv.

Have a great weekend!

Having fun with a purpose

Hey Our Time families! Check out this really cool website for transportation fingerplays!

Have fun with these! And........

...........keep in mind that your child is also learning language and vocabulary skills, rhythm and steady beat competency and distinguishment between their singing and speaking voice. :-) Wow, all that in a fingerplay!

Have you checked Heidi's website for the summer schedule? Get out your summer calendar today! This is the last week of in-studio registration, so reserve your spot!