Musical Me

One’s early childhood years are the foundation upon which all subsequent education rests. While there is growing recognition that children begin to learn at a very early age, this does not necessarily mean formal schooling. Your child starts to learn the moment he or she is born and continues to do so when he or she starts to attend playgroups and kindergartens. Babies and toddlers need positive early learning experiences to help their physical, mental, social and emotional development; parents and caregivers are a child’s very first teachers.

Research has revealed that 80 percent of the human brain develops within the first three years of childhood. One’s mental and physical abilities continue to progress at an astounding rate, indicating that a very high proportion of learning takes place from birth to age six. This is therefore a time when children need a great deal of care and particular emphasis on positive, age-appropriate learning experiences.
Early childhood education focuses on children learning through play, based on the research and developmental theories of Jean Piaget. The theory is centered on the “power of play”: children are likely to learn more efficiently when given the opportunity for play-based activities. These include dramatic play, art, music and social games. This theory utilizes children’s natural curiosity and imagination while incorporating educational lessons.

“Music Together” – an Early Childhood Music & Movement Enrichment Program offered by MusicalMe, Inc. throughout Santa Cruz & Santa Clara Counties – combines all these seemingly disparate aspects of growth and development by using activities that involve parent-child interaction to help a child’s early development through playing with music and movement. In Music Together classes, parents learn about their child while enjoying the simple pleasure of making music together.

Music Together® is the pioneer and worldwide leader of early childhood music and movement classes. Based on a blend of early childhood development theories and beautifully developed over the past 27 years combined with a quarter century of hands-on experience, Music Together centers offer a full range of developmentally-appropriate classes for children, newborn through six years old. Music Together began as a research project in Princeton, New Jersey and is now based in Hopewell, New Jersey; Music Together in both Santa Cruz and Santa Clara Counties is owned and operated by MusicalMe, Inc., led by Director Lizz Hodgin who is now in her 19^th year of  locally offering Music Together.

          Today Music Together is offered in 49 states and 41 countries across the globe, including China, India, Italy, the Philippines, Mexico, Ireland and Canada. The program’s main purpose is to help children develop through music, movement, art and other activities, as well as help parents understand how to participate in furthering their children’s mental and physical growth. Teachers work closely with parents to identify the best class for a child based on his or her age and stage of development. Activities are designed to help children develop balance, coordination and other sensory stimuli in a group play environment.

At the heart of the Music Together philosophy, as well as that of early childhood education, is the belief that parental support is key to a child’s healthy intellectual, social and emotional development, building trust between parent and child and helping children feel more confident to explore and learn.

MusicalMe, Inc. offers classes in Ben Lomond, Capitola, Santa Cruz, Scotts Valley and Watsonville, at the brand new Santa Cruz Children’s Museum of Discovery, and also over the hill in Campbell, Cupertino, Los Gatos and Saratoga.