Early Years

Catering for children from birth to 4 years of age, these fun classes for families are a wonderful way for your child to begin their musical journey.

The classes include songs, rhymes, movement activities (such as rocking, bouncing and dancing) and a range of age-appropriate props and percussion instruments.

Each term is carefully planned to ensure variety, progression and adequate repetition. In addition to this, the toddler classes have different themes each term such as the weather, teddy bears, food, jungle animals.

Families are encouraged to continue the fun activities with their children at home in order to provide the repetition needed at this stage of their child’s development. To facilitate this, we provide the lyrics for the songs and rhymes as well as audio tracks to sing and dance along to at home.

Mini Musician classes are designed to contribute to all areas of your child’s development:

• Communication and language: age-appropriate songs and rhymes
• Personal, social and emotional development: interacting with other children and adults and exploring emotions through music
• Physical development: a range of movement activities using props and instruments which help develop coordination, fine and gross motor skills and balance.
• Literacy: developing the ability to copy rhythmic and melodic patterns aurally which will then lead to reading music notation in Music Kindergarten.
• Mathematics: counting songs, rhymes and movement activities
• Understanding the world: each term has a few different themes with props and pictures helping create context and develop understanding
  expressive arts and design – responding to music and encouraging creativity

Mini Musician classes are capped at 16 families per class in order that your child can focus and receive the attention they deserve. With different songs and activities each term, there is always something new and fun!

Age:  Birth to 4 years (pre-school)

When and Where:

Mondays (morning session) – Wanstead Library

• 9:15am – 10:00am Babies (0 – 18 months)
• 10:10am – 10:55am Toddlers (18 months – 4 years)
• 11:00am – 11:45am Toddlers (18 months – 4 years)

Wednesdays – John Savage Centre, Hainault

• 2:00pm – 2:45pm Toddlers (18 months – 4 years)

Classes for 5 to 7 year olds have been running for a number of years at the John Savage Centre, and due to popular demand they are now available on both Wednesday and Thursday evenings. Children learn through singing, moving, listening and playing a variety of tuned and un-tuned percussion instruments. These classes provide an excellent musical foundation where children can develop their singing voice, inner ear and the fine motor skills required to play a musical instrument. In the second year of the programme, children also learn to read music, equipping them to begin the recorder the following year. In Music Kindergarten and Music Makers, children develop:

• Their ability to play music with awareness of others
• A sense of beat through pulse/rhythmic activities
• A sense of pitch through singing and playing pitched percussion
• Self-confidence through “turn taking” activities and performing
• Their ability to listen and respond to recorded and live music
• Their ability to make musical choices/decisions
• An understanding of simple music notation
• A positive attitude to music and music making

Please be aware that parents/carers are expected to attend the class with their child and take an active part in supporting their child’s learning.

When and Where:

Wednesdays – John Savage Centre, Hainault

• 4:00pm – 4:45pm Music Kindergarten (Reception)
• 5:00pm – 5:45pm Young Music Makers (Yr.1)

Thursdays – John Savage Centre, Hainault

• 4:00pm – 4:45pm Music Kindergarten (Reception)
• 5:00pm – 5:45pm Young Music Makers (Yr.1)

More Music Makers is a class for children in Years 2, 3 or 4 who may have missed out on the opportunity to attend Music Kindergarten or Music Makers. They learn aural skills, musical literacy, transcription, composition, improvisation, ensemble skills and listening with understanding. These classes will enhance the musical learning of those children who are already learning an instrument while also being suitable for children who have had little formal music training

Classes use a range of percussion instruments, particularly xylophones and glockenspiels (which serve as a good introduction or accompaniment to learning the piano).

When and Where:

Thursdays – John Savage Centre, Hainault

• 6:00pm – 6:45pm More Music Makers (Yr.2-Yr.4)