FREE Album Time!

Kindermusik International is in a giving mood! They're giving a way a free download of their Winter Wonderland album! If you haven't done so already, simply register here (for free!) and get access to the entire album or individual favorites. Merry Christmas!

We Have Expanded to Murphy!

www.murphytx.org

We are extremely excited to announce that we have expanded to the city of Murphy! We are now offering classes at the Murphy Community Center on Tuesdays beginning with our Spring semester! You can view our full list of classes on our website.

The Murphy community center is located at 205 N. Murphy Road in Murphy. Our newest instructor, Mrs. Jennifer Cleveland, will be instructing at this location and she has a strong fondness for Murphy's residents.  

Registration is now open! See you in class!

Get to Know Us - Mrs. Jennifer Cleveland

Mrs. Jennifer Cleveland is a licensed Kindermusik Educator, and has been teaching for the better part of a decade.  She is also a private piano instructor. For over 15 years she has taught music to young children in both schools and church. Prior to beginning her work with Kindermusik, she was a music specialist for the Richardson ISD.

Formally educated at Samford University, Mrs. Jennifer obtained her Bachelor's degree in Music Education.  Mrs. Jennifer has two sons, Dawson and Carson, with her husband Tracy. Her confidence in Kindermusik extends to her own children, having enrolled them both in infancy. She has seen the benefits of our program demonstrated in Dawson and Carson through their coordination, language skills, musical recognition and more.

Mrs. Jennifer will be teaching out of both our McKinney and Murphy locations. We are so excited to have her on our team!

Community Highlight: Allen Community Band

Our very own Studio Director, Cara Phillips, will be performing tomorrow night with the Allen Community Band as part of a Christmas concert series. Here are the details:

When: Refreshments served at 7:30, concert begins at 8 pm

Where: Christ the Servant Lutheran Church in Allen (821 S. Greenville Ave., Allen)

Cost: FREE

Who: Everyone is invited!

Community Highlight: Swim with Santa!

The city of Allen is hosting a unique event, Swim with Santa! You can register by visiting their site. Here is some info from their website:

Hang out with Santa as he takes a dip before his long night of delivering presents. Santa will be available for photos and will listen to children make their Christmas requests.

Children under seven must be accompanied by an adult in the water. Parents swim free with paid participant.

Date: December 20th

Cost: $10

Location: Don Rodenbaugh Natatorium (110 E. Rivercrest, Allen)

 

Registration is Now Open in Allen!

Registration opens today for Allen residents. Some of our more popular classes are already filling up, so to ensure you get your preferred class, register today! As an added benefit, you will receive a discount off Home Materials if you register before the end of this week! Click here to register through the city of Allen.

Quick Update on Class Closures

Some of you have been inquiring about class closures due to recent inclement weather and dangerous road conditions. We follow the McKinney ISD and Allen ISD regarding closures. Therefore, if the respective district calls off school, Kindermusik class will also be cancelled.  We will always post the most up-to-date info on our Facebook page. 

Community Highlight: Book Fair!

Books make a wonderful gift! Scholastic Books will host their annual warehouse sale on Wednesday, Dec. 4 from 10am -7pm and Thursday Dec 5 from 9am -6pm at the McKinney Community Center (2001 S. Central Expwy.) For more information please contact 972-547-2690.

Small Business Saturday

Today is Small Business Saturday. We are proud to serve the families of McKinney, Allen, Garland and surrounding areas. We sell gift certificates year-round, and they make a great gift. Contact us today for details!

Happy Photo Friday!

Happy Photo Friday! Hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving with family and friends!

Jingle Sticks Contest Winner

Congratulations to Heather Guinn, winner of our Facebook Jingle Sticks contest. Make sure to keep checking back because we've got another fun giveaway scheduled for December!

It's Contest Time!

'Tis the season to count our blessings. Visit us on Facebook and comment with what about your child(ren) you are thankful for! All participants will be entered into a drawing for a pair of jingle sticks. Contest is open to all families so share with your friends. All you have to do is post your comment before this Friday 5pm!

Happy Photo Friday!

Happy Photo Friday! Be on the lookout for Fall sensory bin fun in the coming weeks!

Mrs. Sheri is Blogging!

Our senior instructor for Allen, Mrs. Sheri, has recently started a blog! As a mom to four kids and a professional musician, she has many interesting viewpoints.

In particular, Mrs. Sheri recently wrote an article about special needs, differently-abled and so-called "difficult" children participating in every day activities. We are sharing her article because it touches upon a basic core value of our studio: that every child is welcome, and that every child has value. On occasion a mom expresses to us that she is embarrassed over the way her child does or does not act in class, and we wish to reiterate that we love all of our families! It is our express desire to make music education available to every child!

You can view Mrs. Sheri's article here! Happy reading!

New Themes, New Digital Home Materials!

Today begins our final theme for the Fall semester. Accordingly, you will find all new Digital Home Materials in your Kindermusik account! We hope you're having a wonderful time in class this far and we look forward to all new fun this final month.

Photo Friday!

Happy Photo Friday! Just a reminder, we are still running our Facebook special for 4 classes for $40. If you'd like to join us for the final month of class, simply email us at kindermusikloveandgrow@gmail.com!

Community Highlight: McKinney Mother & Son Western Night

The city of McKinney is hosting a Mother & Son Western Night at the Community Center. You must register directly through the city for this event so contact them today! Here are the details:

Date: November 8th 

Time: 6:30-9 p.m.

Who: Moms and their boys!

Cost: $25 per couple for residents and $30 per couple for non-residents

Happy Photo Friday

Happy Photo Friday! We can't wait for Costume Week next week!

Recipe: The Easiest Chicken 'n' Dumplings Ever

Hi Friends, Studio Administrator Casey here! I am going to share with you the simplest recipe for chicken 'n' dumplings I have ever used! With the onset of cooler weather, my husband was craving soup. He loves my chicken 'n' dumplings but my tried-and-true recipe is very labor intensive and takes, on average, 8 hours. I make everything from scratch and it IS delicious, but this busy mommy needed a quicker alternative! The best part? This is a crock pot recipe so there is no actual cooking required on your part! ;)

Ingredients:

4 chicken breasts (I used 3 because mine were huge and there are only 3 of us)
2 cans cream of chicken soup
1 carton of chicken broth
Your favorite soup veggies (I used carrot "matchsticks" and mushrooms)
1 onion finely chopped
1 can of Junior Grands biscuits

Instructions:

1. Place chicken breasts in crock pot.
2. Cover with canned soup.
3. Pour in carton of chicken broth (if the liquid looks to low for soup you can either add more broth or cover with water...I used more broth.)
4. Put veggies and chopped onion on top.
5. Cook on high for 5-6 hours.
6. Shred chicken. 
7. During the final thirty minutes, cut the biscuits into fourths and lightly coat in flour. Place them on top of the soup, replace the lid and watch them cook. (I had my toddler help me with this last step and it got him very excited to eat what he had "made." My picky eater ate an entire bowl full!

Here is the finished product for your reference:

Can't say enough good things about crock pot liners! 

And here it is before I devoured it:

Very hearty, very inexpensive and very easy to make. My favorite kind of recipe!

Kindermusik Contest: Win FREE Tuition Or An iPad!

How do you make every day a Kindermusik day? Share a photo of your child doing their favorite Kindermusik activity at home for a chance to win one month free tuition! All entries will be entered into our Grand Prize Drawing at the end of the year for a new iPad!

Visit the Kindermusik website for all the details and to enter!

Community Highlight: Arbor Day in Allen

Courtesy: www.cityofallen.org

Date: October 26, 2013

Time: 9-12

Where: Bethany Lakes Park (745 S. Allen Heights Drive, Allen TX)

In celebration of Arbor Day, the city of Allen will be hosting an event. Here are some details from the City of Allen website: 

This year's Arbor Day activities include a short performance by the Allen Community Band as they play the National Anthem and few other songs. The girls scouts will have booths set up for children’s face painting and craft tables and “Oaky, the Talking Tree” will make an appearance. There will also be a live DJ, free tree saplings, a tree climbing demonstration by the Forestry staff, a Natural Wonders Exhibit, and, of course, lots of trees to plant!

Keep Allen Beautiful is sponsoring a tree sale and an Arbor Day tree dedication, with the tree being donated by Montgomery Farm Gardens.

Photo Friday

Happy Photo Friday! This throwback of a McKinney family enjoying our Summer sensory bins gets us excited for our Fall bins, debuting soon!

Contest: Name That Island!

In celebration of their 30th anniversary, Reading Rainbow has partnered with Kindermusik to host a fun contest called "Name That Island!" Win a $100 Amazon gift card, 6 months of Reading Rainbow FREE and a Kindermusik prize package!

Entering is easy:

1. Visit the Reading Rainbow Facebook page, "like" their page and enter your submission.

2. Tweet: Name the #Kindermusik and @ReadingRainbow music island & WIN a $100 gift card & prize packages!

Submissions are being accepted through October 31, 2013!

Colombus Would've Loved Kindermusik

Our studio will be open on Monday, October 14th. If you have an older child who will be out of school you are free to bring them along to class. See you Monday!

Mrs. Cara On the Band Wagon!

Source: www.allenimage.com

Mrs. Cara was recently featured on the cover of Allen Image magazine. Mrs. Cara will be playing the French horn for the Allen Community Band under her father, celebrated Director Craig Logan. To read all about the Allen Community Band, visit Allen Image for the full article.

Community Highight: Cathy's Critters-Open Farm Day!

With the onset of Fall comes lots of trips to the farm! Pumpkin patches, apple picking, etc. This coming Saturday, October 12th, Cathy's Critters will open their farm to the public for "Open Farm Day"! Cathy's Critters has all the details on their Facebook. Here are the details:

October 12th

10:00 a.m.

7422 County Road 466, Princeton, Texas

Preschool Tuition Special!

As promised, we have a tuition special just for our preschoolers! Register with us by October 6th and get 5 classes for only $50! We currently have preschool classes in both Allen (Joe Farmer Recreation Center) and McKinney (McKinney Community Center). To register and reserve your spot, email us at kindermusikloveandgrow@gmail.com. 

Join Us Tomorrow for a FREE Preschool Preview Class!

Tomorrow is the beginning of our FREE preview week for our preschool program. It is not too late to RSVP to join us in Allen. Simply email us at kindermusikloveandgrow@gmail.com to reserve your spot!

Free Preschool Trial Class!

 

Join us next week for a Free Preview of our Preschool Music Class!

Monday, Sept. 30, 2013  Joe Farmer Recreation Center, Allen, TX

(1201 E. Bethany)

Wednesday, Oct. 2, 2013 McKinney Community Center, McKinney, TX

(2001 S. Central Expressway)

Impressive curriculum, taught by highly trained educators, designed to allow your child to flourish, developing not only a strong music foundation, but also confidence, listening skills, self expression through movement, pre-literacy skills, and it’s a lot of fun!

The class includes activities, books, and music so you can continue the learning all week long!

This semester themes include:  Make Believe, Wild Animal Park, and Let’s Play!

Photo Friday

Less than 2 weeks till the fun starts! We are still enrolling and have room for more new friends! In particular, we are looking for 3-4.5 year olds to Laugh & Learn with us! See you in class!

Now Accepting Monthly Payments

Our studio is committed to making music education accessible to all children. Music education is our passion! To that end, we are now accepting lowered monthly payments. We always endeavor to make enrollment easy on families, so please visit our website or email us with any questions! Our Fall semester is currently enrolling for McKinney, Allen and Garland!

Photo Friday

Fall registration is currently open! We are pleased to announce we are also offering our first evening Family Time class with our new instructor Mrs. Bonnie. Visit our website for a complete list of classes in McKinney, Allen and Garland!

Photo Friday

Happy Photo Friday! Daddies love Kindermusik, too!

Photo Friday

Happy Photo Friday! We have perfect weather today for sensory bin fun!

Allen Registration is Open!

Registration is finally open for our Allen classes! Yay! If you are a resident of Allen you can register today. If you are a non-resident, you can register on the 14th (Wednesday.)

You can register in Allen one of three ways:

1. In person. 
2. Over the phone by calling 214-509-4750
3. Online at www.allenparks.org ($3 JFRC computer fee per class enrollment.) 

You can view a list of our Allen classes here. Our classes will only be at Joe Farmer Recreation Center, which is located at 1201 E. Bethany in Allen. As always, let us know if you have any questions or we can be of service!

Photo Friday

We adore this mother-daughter duo!

Confetti Days in McKinney, TX

Introducing: Laugh & Learn

For 3 through 4.5 year olds
Each week in class we combine your preschooler’s natural love of music, storytelling, and imaginative play with age-appropriate activities that introduce early music concepts and foster independence, social and emotional skills, language growth, and self-control. We also connect you with other parents who share in the wonder of parenting a preschooler. Parents join class for the final activities. The Kindermusik@Home digital home materials bring the music, activities, and each month’s story everywhere you go. The repetition enhances the learning—and the fun!

Our Fall semester will debut the following Laugh & Learn classes:

• Monday at 11:30a.m. in Allen
• Tuesday at 11:30a.m. in Allen
• Wednesday at 11:30a.m. in McKinney

Here is a sample activity featuring the new Digital Home Materials:

Let's Make a Hand Craft  

Introducing: Wiggle & Grow

For 2 year olds
This music-filled class celebrates the unique joys of your growing child. Each week your child will love singing, dancing, and playing instruments with you and her new friends and you’ll love helping her practice a wide variety of abilities such as gross and fine motor skills, turn-taking, social skills, and active listening. In class, we’ll also share tips and ideas for using music throughout the week. Plus, the fun (and learning!) continue with the Kindermusik@Home digital home materials, including music from class, musical activities, and each month’s story.

Our Fall semester will debut the following Wiggle and Grow classes:

• Monday at 10:30a.m. in Allen
• Tuesday at 10:30a.m. in Allen
• Wednesday at 9:30a.m. in Allen
• Wednesday at 10:30a.m. in McKinney
• Thursday at 10:00a.m. in McKinney

Here is a sample activity featuring the new Digital Home Materials: 

Find the Matching Rhyme

Introducing: Sing & Play

For 1 year olds.
Get ready to sing, play, and move with your little one in this high-energy music class designed to be just right for children under two years of age. This new Kindermusik curriculum focuses on your child's beginning movement, helping to build the muscles your baby needs to walk, and vocal development, helping to nurture your child’s speaking and singing voice. With a mix of both parent-child joint activities and child-focused activities, you’ll be able to join right in on all the singing and dancing while also getting the chance to observe how your older baby or toddler learns on her own. Embark on Kindermusik’s fun new exploration of singing, swaying, laughing, and playing through Sing & Play, a just-right mix of early-childhood vocal play and language development, together time, and music and movement activities!

Our Fall semester will debut the following Sing & Play classes:

• Monday at 9:30a.m. in Allen
• Tuesday at 12:30p.m. in Allen
• Wednesday at 9:30a.m. in McKinney
• Thursday at 11:00a.m. in McKinney
• Thursday at 12:30p.m. in Firewheel

Introducing: Cuddle & Bounce

Ages Newborn - 12 months
Cuddle, bounce, and bop with your baby in Kindermusik's newest curriculum. Whether your baby is five weeks or five months, this class will be perfect for you! With age-appropriate activities for newborns, infants and crawlers, this parent-child music and movement class will help you strengthen those early parent-child bonds, understand your baby’s development, and heavily focus on child development and communication with your baby. You and your baby will enjoy instrument play, dance, exploration time, and together time—and you’ll get expert advice and parenting resources based on the most recent research in baby development.

Our Fall semester will debut the following Cuddle & Bounce classes:

• Monday at 12:30p.m. in Allen
• Tuesday at 9:30a.m. in Allen
• Thursday at 12:00p.m. in McKinney

New Themes for Fall!

We are so excited about the upcoming Fall curriculum! In addition to new age groupings, we will have new class themes, too! Here is what you have to look forward to:

Cuddle & Bounce:

1. Little Red Caboose
2. Bluebird, Bluebird
3. Peas & Carrots

 Sing & Play: 

1. Family All Around Me
2. Around the House 
3. Big Red Barn

Wiggle & Grow:

1. How Do You Feel
2. Rhymes Around Town
3. Time for Lunch

Laugh & Learn:

1. Make Believe
2. Wild Animal Park 
3. Let's Play        

Exciting New Changes to Curriculum!

We are very excited to announce some new changes to our curriculum! Beginning with our Fall semester, we will be introducing four new classes to our rotation at our McKinney and Allen locations: Cuddle & Bounce, Sing & Play, Wiggle & Grow and Laugh & Learn. Sing & Play will debut at Firewheel in Garland.

Why the change? What will this all mean for your child? The purpose of these changes is to advance the curriculum in a way that allows it to be more focused on smaller, specific age groups. For example, the Village curriculum spanned children aged newborn-18 month. As any mom will attest, babies change a lot during their first 18 months! A 2 month-old is working with different motor skills than an 18 month-old who is probably walking. Under the new curriculum, babies will be grouped together under Cuddle & Bounce, and toddlers 1-2 will attend Sing & Play.

You can count on the same quality curriculum that Kindermusik always delivers!   Each activity, poem, book, song, etc. is based on over 30 years of research and carefully selected with your child’s development in mind.

Each of these new curriculums are custom-tailored to provide the most education for your child's developmental stage. Over the next two weeks we will highlight the specifics of each new class. Check back often for the latest on Cuddle & Bounce, Sing & Play, Wiggle & Grow and Laugh & Learn. As always, you can email us any time with questions!

Zoo Train Fun!

Here is a sneak peek of some sensory bin fun waiting for riders of the Zoo Train....

Photo Friday

Happy Photo Friday! Today we are so thankful for our Kindermusik Family!

Photo Friday

This adorable family is from our McKinney, TX location!

We're loving these flashbacks from Costume Week! Fall semester is quickly approaching and we're getting excited!

Everybody Loves Apps!

We know you lead a busy lifestyle, but we want you to enjoy the benefits of Kindermusik while on the go! Here is a link to mobile applications that can be downloaded on Itunes for your listening pleasure!

Babies! Babies! Babies!

Feel the joy!

We have been privileged to watch the babies of our program grow and advance through the curriculum. It would be our pleasure to introduce Kindermusik to your friends and family. Our current theme is Peek-a-Boo, I Love You! Contact us today about a FREE preview! We currently have openings in the following classes for infants aged newborn - 18 months:

• Tuesdays at 9:30 in Allen (1201 E. Bethany Road, Allen)
• Wednesdays at 9:30 in McKinney (2001 S. Central Expressway, McKinney) 
• Thursdays at 12 in McKinney   (2001 S. Central Expressway, McKinney) 

These cuties have been friends since meeting in class at 2 and 4 months!

The squeals of delight are music to a mommy's ears!

Parachute time is a class favorite!

Fun at Home: Ice Chalk

We are always scouring the internet for inspirational home activities. Today I'd like to share a blog from Lorie at Reading Confetti! She shares lots of fun ideas to incorporate reading and education for her preschoolers at home. Lorie has a terrific post up about different ways to make "Ice Chalk." Here is a photo of the finished product from her blog:

Source: www.readingconfetti.com

Her recipe to make the chalk only uses four simple ingredients you already have in your pantry:

1. Water
2. Cornstarch or flour
3. Food coloring or washable paint
4. Dish soap

Visit her blog today to see the various uses and fun surprises you can incorporate!

Photo Friday

The bond between mother and child is so precious! Hope you have a wonderful weekend with your kids!

Second Summer Session in Full Swing!

Our second summer session is in full swing! It is not too late to join one of our classes. We can even pro-rate you if you're taking a Summer vacation, or can't start this week. Visit our website for our complete class schedule and instructions for registering.

Community Highlight: Fire Safety Family Night

We've always got our eyes on the lookout for FREE family events. Our local Frisco Fire Department is offering a free event every Friday through August 23rd. Education + family time = WIN!

Friday, June 14 - Fire Safety Family Night

Learn the principles of fire safety at this family night led by firefighters. Located inside the Central Fire Station. 

• Where: Frisco Fire Safety Town (8601 Gary Burns Drive, Frisco 75034) 

• When: 5:00 PM - 8:00 PM

• Who: All Families

• More info at: friscotexas.gov/safetytown 

Photo Friday

Toddlers, toddlers, everywhere! We love how captivated children are by reading!

New Classes Start Next Week!

Our second Summer session starts Monday. You can view our entire course catalog here. We still have room in classes in McKinney, Allen and Garland. If you have any questions, please email us.  We can't wait to see you in class next week!

Photo Friday

Here are some of our favorite twins, beating the drum in unison!

Community Highlight: Jammin in June

The city of McKinney is putting on a summer concert series called "Jammin in June." This is a wonderful opportunity for families to enjoy music together in the evenings when it is has cooled off. All the concerts will be held at picturesque Towne Lake Park. The best part: it's FREE!

Courtesy: www.cityofmckinney.org

Here is more about the concert and the bands that will be playing from the city:

The Bodarks - June 13 The Inspiration Band - June 20 The King Rocks, a tribute to Elvis - June 27

Join us for this popular music series at Towne Lake Park. The free outdoor concert series runs three consecutive Thursday evenings inJune from 7:30-9pm. Groups will perform on McKinney's portable stage, which will sit in the clearing near the volleyball court, providing plenty of lawn seating. Concert attendees are encouraged to bring blankets, chairs or a picnic basket, but alcohol is not allowed in city parks. The Jammin' in June series is a collaborative effort of the McKinney Parks, Recreation and Open Space Department.

Introducing: Ms. Casey

Kindermusik Mom Casey is joining our team as Studio Administrator. She will be working behind the scenes to allow me more time to teach and perfect our curriculum. You can contact her any time, with any question. She can help you re-schedule a make up class, refer a friend, or answer general questions.

Casey with her son Lincoln during Costume Week

Belated Photo Friday

Whoops! We forgot to share our Photo Friday memory with you! Nothing warms the heart like seeing children dancing and playing with one another!

Community Highlight: Hope Park

There is a new park making headlines in nearby Frisco, TX. Hope Park opened in May and it is in the news for good reason: it is a park unlike any other in our area: it is specially designed for children who are differently-abled or who have special needs. We are so excited to visit!

Courtesy: www.hopeparkfrisco.org

Here is more about the park from its website:

About Hope Park

Imagine a playground built to suit the needs of all children, at any age, with a focused consideration for children with special needs – an inclusive play adventure that brings children together and helps them build self-confidence, make friends and play as equals.

Hope Park’s design will be interactive, evoking a sensory play experience that engages children at many developmental levels.

Why Hope Park Frisco

As of October 2012, Frisco ISD had a student population of 42,650 and more than 3,855 (9.04%)* of the students are in some type of special education program.   This includes children with sensory issues, speech, developmental and physical delays.

*These numbers do not include children from birth to age three or the private school population.

Our Mission

We want to bring the community together to give hope to children of all abilities, to provide a place where they can play side by side in a peaceful atmosphere built for them by a community that values the foundation of family.