Introducing Susan Geffen!

We are very pleased to introduce to you the newest Member of the Kindermusik Love and Grow family, Susan Geffen!

Ms. Susan is a licensed Kindermusik educator who has been teaching arts education to children since she was in high school. Music is her calling, and she is active as an educator, a pianist, a speaker, a piano adjudicator, and even as a managing editor of Clavier Companion, a magazine devoted to the piano and piano pedagogy. Her M.A. (under the tutelage of composer Robert Rodríguez) is from the University of Texas at Dallas, and she has a Permanent Professional Certification from the Music Teachers National Association. She is also a member of the Music Critics Association of North America.

Whether her students are three or seventy-three, Ms. Susan believes that music enriches every life and that Kindermusik classes are an exciting, joyful, and meaningful way for children to begin their musical journeys. 

Look for Ms. Susan to be teaching the following classes: Village in Allen (Wednesdays), Young Child 2 in Allen (Fridays),  as well as Village and Our Time in Firewheel (Tuesdays). 

Make Your Own Snowflake!

As a former chemistry teacher, this craft is right up my alley! Aside from being incredibly easy, all of the supplies for this project can be found at home! For those that don't know, Borax is a naturally-occurring mineral that is used for cleaning; you can buy it for super cheap at stores like Walmart. You can find the original "recipe" here. I recommend you use gloves when handling the Borax. Adult supervision is always required and you can also make a snowflake using sugar or salt!

Source: www.ask.com

1.            The first step of making borax crystal snowflakes is to make the snowflake shape. Cut a pipe cleaner into three equal sections.

2.            Twist the sections together at their centers to form a six-sided snowflake shape. Don't worry if an end isn't even, just trim to get the desired shape. The snowflake should fit inside the jar.

3.            Tie the string to the end of one of the snowflake arms. Tie the other end of the string to the pencil. You want the length to be such that the pencil hangs the snowflake into the jar.

4.            Fill the widemouthed pint jar with boiling water.

5.            Add borax one tablespoon at a time to the boiling water, stirring to dissolve after each addition. The amount used is 3 tablespoons borax per cup of water. It is okay if some undissolved borax settles to the bottom of the jar.

6.            If desired, you may tint the mixture with food color.

7.            Hang the pipe cleaner snowflake into the jar so that the pencil rests on top of the jar and the snowflake is completely covered with liquid and hangs freely (not touching the bottom of the jar).

8.            Allow the jar to sit in an undisturbed location overnight.

9.            Look at the pretty crystals!!! You can hang your snowflake as a decoration or in a window to catch the sunlight :-)

Tips:

1.            Borax is available at grocery stores in the laundry soap section, such as 20 Mule Team Borax Laundry Booster. Do not use Boraxo soap.

2.            Because boiling water is used and because borax isn't intended for eating, adult supervision is recommended for this project.

3.            If you can't find borax, you can use sugar or salt (may take longer to grow the crystals, so be patient). Add sugar or salt to the boiling water until it stops dissolving. Ideally you want no crystals at the bottom of the jar.

What You Need

•               string

•               wide mouth jar (pint)

•               white pipe cleaners

•               borax (see tips)

•               pencil

•               boiling water

•               food coloring (opt.)

•               scissors

Give the Gift of Music!

Looking for a last minute gift for your niece or nephew? Does your mother in-law need a gift idea? We have the perfect gift for your little ones!  Kindermusik Gift Certificates!  Kindermusik is a gift that your child can enjoy throughout the year, with memories and lessons that will last a lifetime. Email KindermusikLoveAndGrow@gmail.com to order your gift card, in any denomination!

Jingle Jangle Playdate

Jingle Jangle Holiday Playdate!

When: Saturday, Dec. 15, 10:15-11:00a.m.
Where: Joe Farmer Recreation Center in Allen (1201 E. Bethany)
Who: Ages newborn-4years

Bring the entire Family!

Enroll at www.AllenParks.org or call 214-509-4750

Free Music Download - Winter Wonderland

Courtesy: kindermusik.com

Kindermusik is offering a free download of Winter Wonderland. Singing is a wonderful way to make family memories! The entire album is also available on the Kindermusik website.

Snowman In A Bag!

'Tis the season for crafts! One of our favorite blogs, I Can Teach My Child, is featuring a tutorial on how to make this cute snowman in a bag:

Courtesy: www.icanteachmychild.com

This craft is perfect for playdates or snow days! This craft would also be cute hung on a wall or on a Christmas tree. Happy crafting!

Raffle Winners

Thank you so much to all of the families who attended our Cocoa & Cookies event last week. We had so much fun! Here are the winners of our raffle drawings:

Jewel's The Merry Goes 'Round CD - Julia Gravley, grandmother to Kaylee

4 FREE Baby Boot Camp Classes (McKinney, Fairview and Prosper locations) - Jennifer Podowski, mom to Jake

FREE Family Photo Session with Emily Megan Photography - Natalia Wells, mom to Sophia

Thank you to our sponsors, too! We are so proud of these prizes!

Spring 2013 Registration

Courtesy: KIndermusik.com

Our 2013 calendar is now available!  We are very excited about the upcoming curriculum.  For detailed instructions on how to register, please visit our website.

Community Highlight: Santa's Village in Richardson

Courtesy: www.cor.net

Fun for all ages!  Your family will enjoy a stroll through the cascade of twinkling lights, illuminating Santa’s Village.  The Village includes miniature versions of a fire department, post office, bank, bakery, hospital, and more, all lit up and just the right size for your child to explore.  Each stop in the Village has a theme and child’s activity. 

This is a free family event, open from 6:00-9:00pm.  Santa arrives on a fire truck at 6:00p.m. to kick off the fun!  Each night on the stage are performances from school and community groups.  Hot chocolate and other treats are available to keep you warm and cozy as you stroll through the Village.

Santa’s Village is open December 1 and 2, December 6-9, and December 13-16, 2012, near the Richardson Public Library, on the lawn at the City Hall/Civic Center Complex, 411 W. Arapaho in Richardson, TX.  Mrs. Cara has taken her children to Santa's Village the past 2 years, and loves the new family tradition!  It can get crowded, so plan to arrive early.

FREE Family Event: Cookies & Cocoa

We are pleased to be hosting a FREE holiday event in McKinney on December 7th. Join us at Towne Lake Park for a festive treat and lots of wonderful memory-making. Bring your entire family and lots of friends because we will be raffling door prizes. We hope to see our families and kids of all ages from Allen, North Garland and McKinney!

Kindermusik As A Resource for Special Needs Children

Source: American Music Therapy Association

Music as a therapy tool can be amazing!  Music is valuable in providing an outlet of self expression, which is particularly beneficial with speech and anxiety disorders.  Kindermusik International shared a blog about the impact of music on children with special education needs.  Kindermusik is valuable for ALL children!

To view the article and learn more about the various advantages for differently-abled children, click HERE.

We Support Small Business!

Thankful for YOU!

Image courtesy: www.zazzle.com

Dear Friends, 

We are so very thankful to you all for allowing us to enrich your child’s life with music.  We value the joy you bring every week to our classes.  Thank you for being a part of Kindermusik so we can experience the boundless benefits of music on a child’s development, while making friends and having fun!  Our lives are richer because we share special moments with you and your family each week.  Thank you!

With Gratitude, 

Cara Phillips

Spring Registration & Discounts

Image Courtesy: www.melbournemodernquiltguild.com 

We thank you for a fantastic Fall! We've enjoyed getting to know your families and sharing music with you! We truly hope that you will join us in the Spring. If you've never taken a Kindermusik class, we'd love to share music education with you!

Click here to view the 2013 Spring schedule. We proudly serve Garland, Allen and McKinney, Texas!

Enroll early, before December 20th and save $5 off Home Materials. If you are currently enrolled, you will also save an additional $5 for re-enrolling!

If you have any questions, please email us.

Mrs. Jennifer's Gluten-free Pumpkin Bread Recipe

With the arrival of Fall it is the perfect time for soups, breads and all-things PUMPKIN! Eating nutritiously is very important, but this bread is so good your kids won't realize it's healthy! The best part? It's gluten-free! Thank you for sharing, Mrs. Jennifer!

Adapted from Food.com. Recipe can be found here.

Photo courtesy of LoveMyRyley

1/2 cup butter
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 (15 ounce) can pumpkin
2 cups gluten-free flour, blend (recipe below)
1 1/2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
Directions:

1. Pre-heat oven to 325 degrees, and lightly grease a bread pan.
2. Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs, mixing well after each one. Add Vanilla and pumpkin and mix until well-blended.
3. In a separate bowl, mix remaining dry ingredients. Gradually add flour mixture to the pumpkin mixture and stir until combined. Do not over-mix.
4. Pour into prepared bread pan and bake one hour to one hour and ten minutes.
5. Gluten Free Flour Mix for Quick Bread: 1.5 cups white rice flour,1.5 cups sorghum flour, .5 cups tapioca starch, 4 tsp baking powder, 2 tsp xanthan gum.

The Importance of Sensory Bins

In Our Time classes last week we explored Fall-themed sensory bins. Children learn about their world by using all of their senses!  Babies and toddlers touch everything and put things in their mouths.  They make funny noises and experiment with how the world sounds with their finger stuck in their ear.  They laugh at the feeling of spinning or swinging. 

As a parent, providing your child with sensory stimulating opportunities allows them to learn how to use all of their senses and make sense of and organize various stimuli.

Other areas of brain development are stimulated during sensory play, including:

-Labeling the consistencies/tastes/sounds with new words to develop language

-Sorting and separating strengthens fine motor skills

-Sensory play provides a calming experience for a child

-New textures and sounds allow opportunity for imaginative play

Sensory play is a key component of Kindermusik classes at each age level.  A few of the regular sensory activities woven into the Kindermusik curriculum include:

-Village- Intentional touch, Hammocking

-Our Time- Rocking, Fingerplays, Active Listening and Lots of Movement!

-Imagine That! & Young Child- We identify and explore musical concepts using a variety of sensory experiences. 

Even at a young age, your child will show preferences for certain sensory activities over others.  For instance, while some toddlers are constantly squirming and moving about, others are more content to sit and quietly observe from mom’s lap.  Take some time to explore different sensory activities with your child, and discover what his or her preferences are!  From finger-painting and exploring “sensory bins” to swinging and rocking, to lifting and pushing heavy objects, there are a myriad of ways to expose your child to sensory experiences.  And these experiences make for stronger and healthier brain development in multiple areas.

In the bin:

Corn Feed
Fall colored leaves
Small gourds
Jewels
Foam animal shapes

We explored the bins using our hands, cups, shovels, scoops and sifters. Implementing this learning technique at home is easy: take items you already have on hand such as rice, oats or beans. Then, simply hide some small toys for your child to discover using measuring cups and spoons! You can also try hiding marbles or M&Ms to develop fine motor skills.

For a great resource to learn more about incorporating this type of learning into your home routine, check out Growing an In-Sync Child. 

Community Highlight - Cloth Diapering with Allen Birthing Center

Are you interested in learning more about cloth diapering?  Here’s a local class where you can learn about the different kinds of cloth diapering systems.  And, how cool: it’s FREE! The class is this Saturday, Nov. 10, 2012, at 4:30p.m. at Allen Birthing Center. Here’s a link to RSVP and learn more details!

Halloween Happenings

As a professional educator, but more importantly, a mom, I know how precious and fleeting childhood is. It is my goal to create as many positive memories for you and your child as I can! In that spirit, I planned a couple of special surprises for your classes this week, and I know where you can get a FREE spooky treat, too!

Classes this week were invited to wear their costumes. Next week I will showcase more of the great ensembles but here is a sneak peek:

In today's class, students will also be receiving a free gift - a pumpkin maraca! The better to dance with on Halloween!

And now for details on a FREE Spooky Treat: Today only (Halloween) head on over to Frost It Cafe in Frisco while your child is in costume and receive a free mini cupcake! Frost It Cafe is one of our local favorites and they even have a line of gluten-free goodies, too.

Kindermusik Playdate ~ November 3, 2012

Gertie Ball Winner!

Congratulations to the winner of our Gertie ball contest: Heather Guinn,  mom of Emma! We can't wait to share our next contest with you. Stay tuned...it's a good one!

Pease Porridge

What do peas have to do with our Milk & Cookies class? Let me tell you! Next week we will be learning the "Pease and Porridge" song that has been sung for many generations, and is thought to be adapted from John Newbery's Mother Goose's Melody.

Since peas are so nutritious and delicious, I would like to share a recipe for "Pease and Porridge with you; this hearty meal will serve 8-12 people so it's perfect for sharing! As adapted from the New York Times:

INGREDIENTS

• 1 pound whole dried peas (split dried green peas may be substituted)
• 1/3 pound slab bacon, cut in 1/2-inch cubes
• 2 medium-size carrots, scraped and diced
• 2 medium-size onions, peeled and chopped
• 2 small white turnips, peeled and diced
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage, mint or summer savory, or 1 teaspoon dried sage
• 1 tablespoon butter or oil
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
• 1/2 cup light cream or half-and-half, optional
• Minced fresh mint or savory for garnish

PREPARATION

1.

Place peas in a bowl and cover with water to a depth of 2 inches above the peas. Set aside to steep six hours or overnight. Drain peas and place in a soup kettle.

2.

Add bacon, carrots, onions and turnips and stir to mix well. Cover with water to a depth of 1 inch above the mixture. Add sage.

3.

Place over medium-low heat and bring to a boil. Reduce heat until soup is barely simmering, cover and simmer 2 to 3 hours or until peas lose their shape and start to become creamy. Add a little boiling water from time to time if necessary. You should have a thick soup, but not what we think of today as porridge.

4.

When soup is done, remove bacon chunks. Saute bacon in butter until brown on all sides.

5.

Add salt and pepper. Soup may be put through a sieve and cream may be added if desired to make it a bit richer.

6.

Serve garnished with the fried bacon chunks, sippets (triangles of thin crustless bread lightly fried in butter or bacon fat) and a little minced mint.

Image Courtesy: www.voluptuousvegetarian.blogspot.com

Happy Birthday, Mrs. Sheri!

Last week was Mrs. Sheri's birthday and her sweet family had not one, but two awesome surprises for her! Mrs. Sheri's children baked a cake for her and to complete the treat they built a custom cake topper.

Mrs. Sheri with her kids

Happy birthday Mrs. Sheri! So glad you're part of the Love & Grow family!

Gertie Ball Giveaway

****************************CONTEST CLOSED************************************


We are thrilled to announce the launch of our new website! To celebrate, we are giving away a Gertie Ball! A class favorite, Gertie Balls are colorful, tactile and perfect for kids of any age!

Gertie: squishy but strong!

Entering the contest is simple: "Like" us on Facebook for one entry. For a second entry,  leave a comment on this post telling us why you love Gertie! If you're already our friend on Facebook you can leave a comment on our update about this fun contest. But hurry, this contest ends October 26, 2012.

Thank you again for sharing in our excitement over our new site! Can't wait to see you in class and on the web!

Community Highlight: Plano Symphony

As educators, we understand that learning should extend past the classroom and your Kindermusik class. Families play a vital roll in a child's development, and from time to time we'd like to highlight a local event that can enrich your child's education while promoting family togetherness.

Our local Plano Symphony will be showcasing Disney In Concert: Magic From the Movies, on October 20, 2012. This is a wonderful musical event the entire family can enjoy together! From the Plano Symphony website: 

The 2012 – 2013 Season brings the smash hit, "DISNEY IN CONCERT - Magical Music from the Movies" to the Eisemann Center featuring four soloists, Disney produced visuals, including rare original storyboard artwork and videos, narratives and some of the best known film music of our time...

This enchanting, multimedia evening includes beloved music from Beauty and the Beast, The Lion King, Pirates of the Caribbean, Mary Poppins and more. 

This is a limited engagement event, stopping by for only one night. You can buy your tickets here.

This is not a paid endorsement. Kindermusik by Love & Grow Music Studio is in no way affiliated with the Plano Symphony or Disney, and this post is purely opinion. 

Kindermusik Day

“Is today Kindermusik Day?”  Have you heard these words ring through your home?  What’s so great about Kindermusik Day?  Is it your child anticipating the singing and dancing in class with his friends?  Or is it that you enjoy seeing your mom-friends and engaging in adult conversations?

Kindermusik brings a joy to your daily routine and a fun experience for your children to look forward to.  But, that’s just the start of what Kindermusik provides.  Together, we are laying a strong educational foundation for your child through:

            -building relationships

-developing listening skills

-participating in group routines

-experiencing collaborative play

            -nourishing self-expression through movement with music

-increasing coordination and basic timing skills

-and much more.

Together we are learning about your children and starting off on a great and wonderful journey.  What do you love about Kindermusik? Kindermusik is just one of many successful steps to keeping children in love with learning about the world around them.

We thank you for allowing us to be a part of your weekly schedule of activities to enhance your child’s development and enrich their childhood.

Meet Our Teachers

Cara Phillips

Cara grew up in a musical family, as the daughter of two music educators.  She plays Piano and French Horn, playing both in college on a grant.  For several years she was a French Horn player for the Rockwall Community Band and a brass quintet called Rockwall Brass.

After earning a Bachelor of Science degree in Biology from Missouri State University, Cara taught High School Chemistry for five years. She continued her education to add a Masters in Counseling, focusing on children and adolescents.

Cara has two young children and found Kindermusik as a parent, when she took her children to classes. As a Kindermusik mom she loved the bonding time she had with her kids during class and the developmental benefits they were receiving.  Cara loves to share her passion for music with families in her own Kindermusik classroom.

Sheri Dacon

Sheri Dacon is a licensed Kindermusik educator with over 20 years of music teaching experience.  Before teaching Kindermusik, Sheri was an elementary music teacher for 9 years, most recently with Garland I.S.D.  She has served at her church for many years as children's choir director, and as a vocalist and pianist.  She is active as a piano accompanist for local student choral groups and soloists.  Sheri earned her Bachelor of Music degree from Hardin-Simmons University with a double major in vocal performance and music education.  She is also a trained Orff-Schulwerk specialist and has led early childhood music workshops for schools and church groups.  

Sheri is married and is a mother of four young children, all of whom have been Kindermusik students.  She believes that music is a gift for every child, and her desire as a Kindermusik educator is to inspire families to create homes where music is made and enjoyed.

Jennifer Nation

Miss Jennifer grew up traveling all over the world with her dad as an Air Force Pilot. Her traveling gave her a deep love for other cultures and ways of life. She took piano lessons and voice lessons from age 5. She taught children’s choir in her church and also has taught piano lessons over the years.

Miss Jennifer currently helps lead worship at her church. She recently left her job as a nanny to pursue a career in Kindermusik. She is looking forward to combining her love for kids and her passion for music.

Newly married, Miss Jennifer moved to the Dallas area a little over a year ago.  She is so excited to be here to share her love of music with others! She invites you to come join her at Kindermusik for a wonderful time of making new friends, learning new skills, and delighting in the joy of music.

About Us

In a Kindermusik class, educators lead a group of parents and their children through joyful activities, using music and movement. Parents learn more about their child's unique developmental process, and the shared learning experience creates a unique bond as the child associates learning with fun, musical play. The learning process continues at home, guided by specially designed books, CDs, and games.

Kindermusik's philosophy is founded upon rigorous research and our fundamental beliefs that every parent is the child's most important teacher; every child is musical; the home is the most important learning environment; music nurtures a child's cognitive, emotional, social, language, and physical development; and every child should experience the joy, fun, and learning which music brings to life.