Class Descriptions

Why Join a Music Class for Your Baby or 1-Year-Old?

Every baby is born ready for music. Just as infants naturally soak up spoken language, they absorb the sounds, rhythms, and patterns of music around them. Research shows that early musical experiences nurture your baby’s physical, emotional, and brain development—strengthening key cognitive and sensory connections.

In our classes, your baby is gently introduced to the "language" of music through simple, repeating patterns. These playful activities strengthen the ear–brain connection, laying the groundwork for pitch, rhythm, and musical expression. Before long, you’ll watch your little one begin to respond, imitate, and take their first joyful steps into music-making!

Who Is This Class For?

Designed for babies from birth to 18 months. Families are welcome to jump in at any time—some parents even register before their baby arrives!

What Happens in Class?

Each week is filled with warm, engaging musical play:

• Interactive Fun: Singing, gentle dancing, rocking, and steady-beat activities.

• Sensory Exploration: Simple instruments, colorful scarves, rhymes, fingerplays, and lullabies.

• Home-Ready Tools: Take-home ideas and songs to continue the fun in your daily routine.

Above all, these classes offer a quiet space to bond with your baby while connecting with a warm, supportive community of local parents.

New Friends is our featured unit for all toddler music classes this session!

We love celebrating the boundless energy of 2- and 3-year-olds. Together, we’ll bounce, rock, dance, and play instruments—laying a rich musical foundation that prepares your child for choir, band, piano, or whatever musical path they choose later in life!

Designed for Moving Toddlers

Young children learn best through movement. While learning to "sit still and listen" comes later, engaging toddlers in purposeful, active play now is the perfect way to build that focus naturally. Come join the fun and watch your little one grow!

Family Music for Toddlers (Ages 2–3)

Toddlers are full of energy, endlessly curious, and rapidly discovering their independence. Our Musikgarten Family Music for Toddlers program channels that vibrant energy into purposeful, fun-filled learning!

Through a natural blend of music and movement, this program lays the groundwork for essential life and learning skills:

• Core Skills: Active listening, following directions, impulse control, communication, and positive social interaction.

• Whole-Child Growth: Nurtures social, emotional, cognitive, and physical development while building a strong foundation for future musical proficiency.

What to Expect in Class

Each weekly lesson is packed with hands-on activities designed for parents and toddlers to share together:

• Movement & Physical Play: Games focused on coordination, spatial awareness, and body control.

• Instrument Exploration: Hands-on play with rhythm sticks, jingles, rattles, drums, and resonator bars.

• Shared Musical Fun: Singing, chanting, dancing, listening, and making music side-by-side.

Program Structure

• Duration: A 2-year sequence composed of four 15-week units: Sing with Me, Play with Me, Dance with Me, and Clap with Me.

• Who Can Join: Toddlers and their parents or caregivers (siblings welcome!).

This program is designed for children ages four and early fives.  Perfect for a child new to Musikgarten and entering a Pre K 4 year old program.  Also for children who have completed the Cycle of Seasons program but would benefit from an additional year before beginning the Music Makers At Home curriculum. For 

Throughout the first part of the year, we will use the Nimble and Quick and Twist and Turn curriculum, which is centered around beloved nursery rhymes. Children will continue to develop their musical skills through storytelling, ensemble activities, singing, dancing, and playing a variety of musical instruments.

Beginning in February, we will transition into the Music Makers curriculum with Our Neighborhood and Summer. This progression helps children build the confidence and skills they need to be fully prepared for Music Makers At Home in the World the following fall.

This music and movement program gives your child a solid music-making foundation in a fun music-filled environment. We focus on your child's fascination with cultures from around the world. 

We will be exploring the culture, stories and music from:

• The British Isles (session 1A)
• AmerIndians (session 1B)
• Germany, the Land of the Great Composers (session 2A)
• African American Heritage (session 2B)

We will also create music ensembles using a variety of instruments.  Also we will begin to introduce the piano, playing choreography games, learning a basic hand position and perhaps finding the pieces we love to sing in class at the piano.  There is no requirement to own a piano at home and there will be no "practice the piano" home work during this year.   

The program provides a developmentally sound approach to music literacy that builds symbolic thinking, concentration, memory, and self-expression, introduces orchestral instruments and ensemble play and focuses on building a child's aural (listening) foundation which leads to long-term success with voice, enhancement of self-discipline and social skills, first steps in reading music.


The next session of Music Makers starts September and continues for two sessions of 15 classes ending through May.   
All Students will receive the following home material for the September through January session.

Unit 1: The British Isles  (first half of session)

This unit includes:

1. The British Isles poster.
2. The British Isles  CD and downloadable song code
3. Game Pieces to develop Tonal and Rhythm skills
4. Song Pages related to the songs we are learning

1. Amerindian Poster (10" x 15") and game pieces
2. Amerindians CD and downloadable song Code
3. Game Pieces to develop Tonal and Rhythm skills
4. Song Pages related to the songs we are learning

The session material also includes a Parent Booklet covering both units.

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New students will need to purchase the Music Makers notebook, the Musikgarten Red Bag and the instruments for home play set.  The cost for this is $60 above the home material and tuition fee. 

Music Makers: At the Keyboard (Age 7+)

Music Makers: At the Keyboard is a comprehensive, group-based piano program designed to build true music literacy. Beyond basic note-reading, true musical literacy empowers children to "hear" written sheet music in their minds and play songs by ear—laying a lifelong foundation for musical success.

Why Choose a Group Aural Approach?

• Learn by Ear First: Children read notation best after establishing a strong ear for music. Keyboard skills are introduced at a comfortable pace so students build deep understanding.

• Rapid Progress: In their very first year, students learn over 25 songs across 10 major and minor keys, playing chords with both hands!

• Fun & Collaborative: Group learning incorporates singing games, dancing, and drumming—keeping music-making active, reducing performance anxiety, and building team confidence.

• Comprehensive Skill-Building: Class activities include tonal singing, rhythmic movement, pattern echoing, composition, and dictation to nurture complete, independent musicians.

Required Materials for Book 1:

• Book 1 Student Book & Weekly Assignment Notebook

• 2 Audio CDs (Listening CD & Practice CD)

• Parent Guide with tips for supporting success at home

• Musikgarten Tote Bag (Included for new Music Makers students)

"We all enjoyed your program so much! What is truly amazing is that they walked into class not knowing one thing about music—and look at them now! You did an amazing job!"

— Parent of a Book 4 Graduate