Transitional Ages and Stages
How do I know if my child is ready for the next class level?
The Kindermusik philosophy springs from genuine respect for each child's individual rate of development. Class activities and at-home materials are designed to honor, support and celebrate the wonderful uniqueness of each child. Classes have overlapping age ranges to help parents accommodate their child's own needs.
While a child should be at least the minimum age to enroll in any given class, there are three critical "transitional stages" when parents have an important choice to make about which class is most appropriate and beneficial for their child: at age 1 1/2, when approaching age 3 1/2 and at age 5.
If your child is near a transitional stage, the following guidelines may help your decision.
Moving from Baby Song, Baby Sign, Baby SMART! to Kindermusik Our Time
Children ready for Kindermusik Our Time show many of the following characteristics:
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- Improved walking skills, feet are together, knees flexible (vs. the "just walker" who has a wide-based, legs apart gate with locked knees)
- Beginning to imitate/explore a variety of traveling movements -- run, jump, leap
- Can walk upstairs holding onto rail or hand
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Emotional
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- Uses gestures and language to deal with frustration (as opposed to just crying or whining)
- Sustains interest and attention in activity for several minutes (Note: not wanting to give something up, such as bells or sticks, can be a sign of maturation)
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Language
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- Can express wants and needs symbolically (gestures, words)
- Has vocabulary of 20 words; receptive language is still stronger than expressive
- Reading with caregiver becomes cooperative. Child will select book, sit, relate to the story and interact
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Moving from Kindermusik Our Time to Kindermusik Imagine That!
Children ready for this next level show many of the following characteristics:
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Cognitive
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- Knows if they are a boy or girl
- Can do matching games
- Can name lots of animals
- Knows triangle, square, circle; red, yellow, blue
- Developing divergent thinking skills (“What animals do you like?”)
- Beginning transition from concrete to abstract thinking (humor aids this process)
- Sits and listens to stories for up to 10 minutes
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Language
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- Beginning to master rules of language; speaks in full sentences (4-5 words); asks questions
- Vocabulary growing from 300-1,000 words
- Can relate a series of activities; tells stories ("We went to the grocery store, then to grandma's and I played with the kittens.")
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Moving from Kindermusik Imagine That! to Kindermusik for the Young Child
Please note: The 2-year Young Child program was intended for kindergartners and first graders. Individual exceptions might be made for a child participating in a pre-K program who will turn 5 years old soon after school starts. A 4 year old preschooler would best be served, in most cases, by participating in Kindermusik Imagine That!
Children ready for this next level show many of the following characteristics:
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Physical
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- Can jump forward many times in a row, hops, gallops, is learning to skip
- Demonstrates control of pencil or marker
- Can reproduce many shapes and letters
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Cognitive
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- Eager to learn
- Has developed classification skills (i.e. can sort things that have a single common feature) and can sort by size, color and form
- Counts to 20; recognizes numerals 1-10
- Engages in dramatic play that is close to reality
- Beginning to relate time to events (can wait for, or anticipate events)
- Responds to simple 3-step directions
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Social
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- Enjoys friendships and group activities
- Shares, takes turns, plays cooperatively
- Is affectionate and caring
- Follows directions
- Has sense of humor
- Better self control, fewer dramatic swings of emotion
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When should my child begin piano lessons?
Most children are not ready for formal piano lessons before the age of 6 or 7. Before that they tend to lack the commitment to make lessons a pleasurable and successful experience. All children possess the ability to enjoy lifelong music making, and this ability can be greatly influenced by how we choose to approach their earliest experiences.
Kindermusik contains all of the needed elements to develop a child who is musically aware and who has a solid foundation to make formal lessons a natural and joyous next step. Children who grow up in Kindermusik have had chances to succeed, be nurtured and encouraged in their early creative explorations, and develop a core of musicianship through voice, body and mind. Music for them is a natural part of their environment, and children who graduate from Kindermusik for the Young Child have gained the language of note, rhythm and expression which will allow them accelerated progress when they begin piano lessons. Most importantly, they have been allowed to develop the whole child through music, in a supportive and reassuring atmosphere, which lays the groundwork for a lifetime of a positive outlook not only towards music learning, but towards learning in general. If your child is excited to learn piano and you are both ready to make practicing at home part of your lives, you will love the Mayron Cole group piano method!
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