Music Together and Chase

 
image source: Picture Book

Hi girls!

I'm so happy!  A few months ago Chase's day care center introduced the Music Together program, which is an internationally recognized early childhood music program for toddlers, preschoolers, and kindergartners.  The program was created in 1987 and pioneered the concept of a music curriculum based on the recognition that all children are musical, and can learn to sing in tune, keep a beat, and participate with confidence in the music of our culture, provided that their early environment supports such learning.

So at day care Chase is in the Red Room, which is babies to pre-walking tots.  The Music Together program wasn't extended to the Red Room.  You see, the curriculum consists of sharing songs, instrument play, rhythm chants, and movement activities and (for budgeting reasons) it was determined that the Red Room wouldn't be enrolled in the program.  Apparently the program is way expensive, and the center directors preferred to wait until the babies are old enough to fully engage and participate in an active way.  So the program was instead introduced to the Purple Room, Yellow Room, and Green Room. 

I actually wasn't even aware that the Music Together program had come to the center, as Red Room parents weren't formally notified (I guess they figured it wouldn't be relevant to us until our babies transitioned to the Purple Room). I only found out about the Music Together program when I was informed by the director of the program that Chase had been selected from the baby room to participate.  Apparently, his interest in music caught the attention of folks in the center and they began to realize just how much he loves it!  So they now pull Chase from his class room Fridays at 9:30 am and he attends Music Together in the Purple Room!

Derek and I were freaking thrilled to hear this!  I mean, we both knew that our baby loves music.  His favorite toy is his Learn and Groove Musical Table, which has 15 musical activities and more than 40 songs and melodies.  The kids' programs he sweats are the music-based ones, ie, "The Fresh Beat Band" and "Yo Gabba Gabba!" along with "Blues Clues" and "Ni Hao Kai Lan."  However, we had no idea that his passion for music was so great that he stood out amongst his peers.  Wow!  This actually became topic of discussion at the last meeting for the Board of Directors, where I recently became a parent member.  I just sat quietly, beaming with pride, as the director read her report and updated members on how the Music Together program is going, and how they selected one baby from the Red Room to participate.

It's hard to capture his love of music into words.  So above is a little video I made the other day of Chase grooving to his musical table – dancing mad hard and playing different tunes.  I wish it was taken from the front, but it was a very impromptu little web cam flick I made in the middle of his dancing.  If you'll notice, toward the end, he starts sampling different tunes (like a little d.j.), then glances back at me to make sure I'm enjoying myself.  He does that with me and Derek – he really loves to play music for us, and he'll check to make sure we're both happy and dancing before he allows himself to dance and let go.  lol. It's super cute.

Anyway, just had to tell you guys how proud and overjoyed I am that Chase is being stimulated musically both at home and school.  That is important to us, as we really want to nurture his interest in various forms of music and encourage him to develop this aptitude.  I'm just so pleased that his day care is supporting us in these efforts – they rock!