[Hoopin' Mama]

Have you tried it?
If so what did you think?

Thanks!

 

[girlsmamma2]

LOVED IT!!!!!! We did it all this past year and are signing up again. When we started my one dd was 2 1/2 and other daughter 15 months. We did the almost big kids class and they got so much out of it. My older dd had a love for music so I wanted to jump on that and now both my girls love music. They sing together constantly and do all the movements. The times we had to miss class we'd sit together on the floor and do the whole cd together. They got an appreciation of many aspects of music and my older dd even knows the words to a couple of the songs they sang in spanish that even I can't understand!

I would highly recommend it. It also depends on the instructor but we had a wonderful one. We live in Michigan. My girls got so much out of it. We went for something we could all do together , as it's one of the very few things that will allow siblings together, because we decided not to send my dd to 3's preschool. Now this year we will all be going again along with their 2 newborn brother.

 

[rhiasmum]

Our last class is Monday for the summer session. My dd is 14 months and loves music. She enjoys the class. She follows the instructor around, making the sign for more and saying "more, more". She evens plucks the guitar strings when the instructor plays guitar.
We're considering doing the next class also since she enjoys it so much. I would also recommend it!

 

[boatbaby]

How is Music Together different than KinderMusic?

 

[Terabith]

I've done Music Together, Musikgarten, and Kindermusik, and I love all 3 of them, for different reasons. We love Music Together's curriculum, the fact that there are different ages together, and the recordings are awesome. I love them! My husband loves them! The classes are fun and the kids learn genuine musical skills. The curriculum really does a great job building aural and listening skills, teaching kids and parents rhythm patterns and tonal patterns. Kindermusik is nice bc of the sensory integration activities it does. Kindermusik's curriculum is divided by age, so there is a babies class, a toddlers class, preschoolers, and kinder/ first. Music Together is all ages, babies thru preschool or K together. Musikgarten is awesome too, great musical skills taught. But Music Together, I have to say, has been the most fun. And I'm a Musikgarten teacher myself!

 

[Shell]

We've done four "semesters" of Music Together - we're huge fans! I cannot say enough great things about the program. The classes are excellent, but it is the CD's that really round out the experience. We listen to them all the time at home and in the car, and every member of my family, including my dd who is 21 months, is singing the tunes all the time. The classes are really geared towards developing music appreciation in children, and not just killing an hour with the kids through "busy time."

Definitely worth it, in my opinion! But as a pp said, it also depends on the instructor.

 

[LittleYellow]

We've done two semesters of Music Together with two different teachers (we moved) and while each teacher has been different - it has been fantastic. It's great having the mixed ages in the class and it's so neat to see my dd's perk up in recognition of music in class from the CD and vice versa. My dd's sing (as much as a one year old can) and are doing some of the motions from class. They are always tapping thier legs just like we do in every class for the hello song.

 

[Hoopin' Mama]

Quote:

Originally Posted by boatbaby How is Music Together different than KinderMusic?

A big difference, here at least, is price. Kindermusic has a registration fee, a materials fee, and you have to pay for months in advance. MusicTogether has none of that.

I'm so happy to see all the positive responses! We do our free introductory class this week, and hopefully we will be doing the fall session!

 

[teachma]

Love the format of Music Together, and have formed a close relationssip with the one teacher we had for three years. I believe it definitely inspired my children to appreciate music in their lives. Both kids can't live without it!

My only negative comment would be...one or two songs each semester seem to focus on "the family," and the concept of family is always defined as Mommy and Daddy with the children. They do not acknowledge other possible family structures. But then, I guess that is true of most mainstream activities.

 

[Shell]

Quote:

Originally posted by Teachma: My only negative comment would be...one or two songs each semester seem to focus on "the family," and the concept of family is always defined as Mommy and Daddy with the children. They do not acknowledge other possible family structures. But then, I guess that is true of most mainstream activities.

That is true that there are Mommy/Daddy songs, but I've always been impressed that the closing song, "Goodbye, So Long, Farewell My Friends" has a line in it that says something to the effect of, "so how about a kiss for your mom or dad, or the one who takes care of you." My dd has often gone to this class with a nanny, and I really appreciated the inclusiveness of other important people in my daughter's life. It certainly makes our nanny feel welcome, as she should be. Also, the song says "mom OR dad" not "mom AND dad." But anyway... I do know what you mean.

 

[dinah]

One negative comment here. My son at 14 months was kind of overwhelmed. He likes music at home and always dances to it but at the classes he just hangs out in my dh lap and doesn't really participate in the activities.

 

[Llyra]

We did Music Together and had a great experience. I liked the multi-age environment. I think it was good for DD to have older kids to imitate and younger ones to "help." I also liked the relaxed atmosphere that existed in the particular class we went to-- I've been to parent/toddler programs before where if your kid doesn't want to sit still and do the activity, you got dirty looks. Never happened at Music Together! Also, I liked that the Music was good quality music, with talented artists on the recordings and a variety of musical styles. If I'm gonna listen to a kiddie CD a million times, I want it to be high quality music, and not just Twinkle Star all over again.

I can't recommend it enough!

 

[kalisis]

We have done it and plan to do it again. DS didn't participate much in class, but really got into the music at home. He still asks for us to do it even tho we went over 6 months ago.

I had signed up for the summer program, but we never made it b.c the timing was bad.

We'll do it again in the fall tho. If you can afford it, I'd say go for it.

 

[MamaSpruce]

Hige fans! We're on our fourth straight semester since January and I also can't say enough about it. I also love that it is focused on developing music appreciation and skills and the multi-age. DS loves it and begs for the CD at home all the time

: . He's really starting to participate more, especially at home.

Dinah, your sons reaction is really common and I would not think of it as negative. The parents' guide talks about how many children will not participate in class but are still getting so much out of it by watching you (parent participation is a big part of MT). Especially true if he is enjoying the music at home. If you keep with it I think you'll find he comes out of his shell. I've really noticed the older kids are really participating more, but it is still obvious to me how much my younger tot is enjoying it.

 

[Hoopin' Mama]

Quote:

Originally Posted by dinah One negative comment here. My son at 14 months was kind of overwhelmed. He likes music at home and always dances to it but at the classes he just hangs out in my dh lap and doesn't really participate in the activities.

Actually, I am kind of anticipating this behavior from ds, at least in the beginning. This is how he is in library circle times and stuff. But I think it will give me some good ideas for home music, and also it will be good for him to be around the other kids. And I really like having a planned place to go at least once a week.