I had the opportunity to enjoy a Songs and Signs class with my little guy, Drake, who is 18 months old. We had a great time signing, dancing and moving to the music!
Our Experience
Drake and I arrive a few minutes early to our first ever Songs and Signs class. We scope out the parking lot, seeing how many friends we might meet. Finally, we climb out of the vehicle and make our way through the rain to the front door. We are greeted by our teacher, Miss Denise. She is warm and welcoming and engages with each little one and his caretaker.
We sign in and find a place in the circle on the mat. These are all new faces for us, but this doesn’t phase Drake one bit! (I wish I could be as fearless.) There is a dad with his son, moms with their daughters and a nanny with her boy, a great mix of people. This class really is open to anyone.
Miss Denise chats up everyone before we start, and then she opens with a welcome song. Now, this is the second-to-last week of this session. All of these caretakers and their children have been attending for 6-7 weeks now, and you can tell they love it by the way their faces light up at the first hum of music. Miss Denise starts her welcome song and goes around the circle welcoming each child and adult. It’s sweet, it’s personal, it engages everyone.
As the class continues, it is very clear to me how much Miss Denise LOVES music! She loves to sing and she really loves to see music take hold inside a person.
The Importance of Music
DID YOU KNOW THAT ALL CHILDREN ARE MUSICAL?
Have you ever wondered what you can do to nurture the musical growth of your child, regardless of your own musical ability? Experience a Music Together® class, offered by Songs and Signs, LLC, and find out how important–and how fun–your role can be.
Music Together classes build on your child’s natural enthusiasm for music and movement. They’ll help you provide your child with the basic musical skills needed to enjoy school and social musical activities and to study an instrument should he or she choose to do so.
About Songs and Signs, LLC
Songs and Signs, LLC, is proud to be in their tenth year of offering programs and classes to families in the Des Moines area. They are the premier provider of Music Together® classes in central Iowa and will soon be launching infant sign language classes by Baby Signs® called Sign, Say & Play®. They currently have classes in West Des Moines, Ankeny and Clive and are adding a location near downtown Des Moines in January 2014 for their 9-week Music Together winter session.
Songs and Signs, LLC, provides Music Together classes that a child can attend from birth to age five through all nine song collections. This basic class follows the recommendations of child development researchers, grouping children of a variety of ages because this fosters natural, family-style learning. Younger children enjoy watching and imitating older ones; older children learn by leading younger ones; and adults are happy because the children in the family can go to class together.
Each child participates at his or her own level in singing, moving, chanting, listening, watching, or exploring musical instruments. Any caregivers—parents, grandparents, nannies—can bring the children. The whole family is welcome for this important family music experience.
Programs & Sessions
Songs and Signs, LLC, offers 9- to 10-week fall, winter and spring sessions, a short summer session, and also some themed seasonal sample classes such as “Fall Fun,” “Winter Wonderland,” “Teddy Bear Valentine Hugs,” and “Fiesta!” Music is learned in a playful, developmentally-appropriate setting through singing songs, playing rhythm instruments, and participating in chants, finger plays and movement activities all in a non-performance-oriented environment. Each family gets a new CD and songbook each semester to enjoy at home and in the car. Children fall in love with the Music Together songs and continue to listen to them long after they’ve graduated from class.
The other program offered through Songs and Signs, LLC, is called Sign, Say & Play and is a 6-week series of carefully crafted sequenced sessions developed especially for parents and babies. By embedding the learning of signs in activities that promote cognitive, social, language, literacy, and sensory-motor development more generally, they are able to teach parents specific ways to provide the support in these areas that all babies need to make the most of their critical first three years.
Each week will introduce a new theme. Within that theme you will learn 6-7 signs. The stimulating activities, songs, play, and information introduced will all support learning the signs. Parents will have the option of purchasing a Sign, Say & Play® Kit to take home. The books, songs on CD, and videos will help you continue to teach the signs to your baby at home. Each week you will receive a handout that explains that week’s Baby Signs® and Baby Minds® Tips given about language and cognitive development along with the signs learned and words to the songs taught.
Connect With Songs and Signs, LLC
Call Brian or Denise at Songs and Signs, LLC, at 515-457-8834 or email [email protected] to visit a class for free! Check out their website for full details.
They also do musical birthday parties for children ages 1 to 4 and can bring a 45-minute themed musical class to your playgroup or children’s organization. They hope to see you in a class soon!
Upcoming Play Dates with DMMB
Join us Friday, December 6th, and Saturday, December 7th, at Walnut Community Senior Center as we partner with Songs and Signs, LLC, to offer two amazing music classes, snacks, giveaways, and more!!
Friday’s classes will be Music Together classes for children ages Birth-5 and Saturday’s class is their amazing Sign, Say, and Play class geared for babies up to 20 months of age! Stay tuned for more details on this event and check the events page at our blog for details, as space is limited!
