Sing, Dance, and Play… at Home!

From our friends at Music Together of Portland

Music Together of Portland invites you to make music come alive for your family with Music Together® Online. Classes for babies, toddlers, preschoolers, and big kids (5-8 years old) begin September 28. Register today, and sing, dance, and play at home this fall!

As we continue to practice social distancing, we know parents are looking for fun online activities to engage their children and support their learning. Music Together’s interactive online music classes bring the same high-quality early childhood music and movement curriculum loved by millions of families and teachers around the world right into your home.

Music Learning Supports All Learning® Little ones are born ready to make music! Singing, dancing, and making music with your baby or toddler throughout the day supports their growth in many areas, including physical, socioemotional, language, and early brain development. The musical and imaginative play in Music Together Online classes naturally supports the skills your preschooler is actively developing, including math, language, pre-literacy, and executive functions. The high-energy, interactive activities in classes for your big kid (kindergarten through 2nd grade) support executive function, emerging math skills, creativity, leadership, and more!

In homes all over Portland, families are finding joy and connection through music-making! Music Together Online is a package of online music experiences and resources that create a comprehensive music learning program. Each week, during a live Zoom class, your teacher will lead activities for you and your family to sing, play, and jam along to. Your teacher will show you how to make everyday items like dish towels, pots, stuffies–even laundry baskets!–into musical props! Families receive a new song collection each session, including an illustrated songbook to accompany the recordings. Recreate activities from class or create your own music and movement ideas as you listen at home or on the go.

Five easy ways to make every day more musical… and more fun!

There’s nothing quite like music-making to build the connections we need now more than ever. Music gives us a way to express our emotions and naturally relieves stress. It makes us feel human. It is multi-sensory and supports children’s learning and development. Plus, it’s fun for the whole family!

Making music every day gives your child the opportunity to experience and play with music in many different ways. Show them that music is a natural, enjoyable, and important part of daily living!

#1 Sing with your little one. Sing a lullaby every night before bed. Sing a silly song while you change a diaper or prepare dinner. Use the tune of a familiar song, and change the words to sing about what you see as you walk around the neighborhood.

#2 Dance with your little one. Hold your baby close while you dance to your favorite music. Imitate your toddler’s dance moves to her favorite tune. Play a freeze dance game with your preschooler. Play follow the dance leader with your big kids.

#3 Keep a basket of instruments on hand, and play them while you sing or listen to music. It doesn’t have to be fancy–pots, pans, and kitchen utensils create a fantastic family band!

#4 Listen to a variety of music while you work and play. Exposure to all kinds of music is an excellent way to build your child’s music vocabulary and enrich their ability to think musically. Play is the work of early childhood, and children are play experts! The Music Together curriculum includes an award-winning mix of original songs and traditional tunes from a range of musical styles, including folk, blues, jazz, and world music–all to inspire informal, playful interaction with a variety of music.

#5 Enroll in an online music class, and let a dedicated, enthusiastic, expertly trained teacher guide the musical fun while you joyfully participate with your child. Your child will learn and grow musically as they interact with you, other children, and the adults in a joyful, virtual community of music-makers! You will come away with lots of ideas (that you didn’t have to come up with yourself!) for playing musically at home with your child.

Music Together of Portland’s Fall Session runs September 28 – December 12.
Registration opens September 8.
Try a free class, and join the musical fun today!