I’m so glad you have decided to enrich your child’s life with music!

WHY IS MUSIC IMPORTANT TO A YOUNG CHILD’S DEVELOPMENT?

As humans, we all speak, sing move and dance as a natural part of who we are. Yet music is often seen as only geared for those who are gifted. All of us want our children to develop sensitivity and leadership. We want them to have the tools for creativity, cooperation, and self-expression. Music, more than any other art form, is a perfect vehicle for teaching these essentials in life. . Just like language is developed during the first three years of life, now all the brain research that is coming out says musical intelligence is formed during this early period as well. Children exposed to music in their early years, can later learn more quickly and show more advanced verbal, cognitive and analytical skills . Early musical experiences help the young child in their development of language, gross motor , and social and listening skills as well, all of which are necessary before a child is ready to read music and study an instrument. A child’s experience of making music, however, is simply one of complete absorption and happiness.

WHY CHOOSE US?

• The most important ingredient in our classes is FUN! Your child will get their first introduction to music, and they will leave Musical Munchkins with a great ear for different rhythmic and melodic sounds and of course, they’ll be joyfully singing.
• Your child will learn how to keep a beat, enhance their sense of rhythm, pitch, meter and melody – thereby honing speech, language, listening and focusing skills!
• Our curriculum builds self-confidence and self-esteem!
  
• Your children will learn important social interaction skills such as sharing, taking turns & how to be part of a group.
• Our classes include a variety of musical experiences: such as singing, chanting, movement, dancing, song stories, books, plus high quality instruments, such as gathering drums, lollipop drums, shakers, triangles, woods, ethnic instruments, tambourines, xylophones , as well as movement props and puppets to encourage active participation.
• All of our teachers are educators and musicians and have many years experience working with young children.
• Musical activities are enhanced with the accompaniment of live music with guitar as well as a variety of recorded music selections: classical, jazz, world music and much more!
• Our classes are age appropriate: As music and early childhood teachers, we know that children learn best in an environment that nurtures and challenges them. This is best accomplished in a class that is geared specifically for their age level. As children mature from babies to Kindergarten age, the developmental changes are incredible, and our curriculum “grows” with them from semester to semester. Musical Munchkins students find it easy to stay focused for an entire class, 45 minutes to 1 hour in length, because our curriculum is 100% age-appropriate and fun. We at Musical Munchkins® strive to reach our goals of nurturing each child’s natural musicianship & building

OUR DIRECTOR

Andrea Soberman, early childhood educator, preschool specialist, and now Director of Musical Munchkins® of Orange County opened the first Musical Munchkins® school in Goshen, NY, in 1993. Andrea Soberman (“Miss Andrea”) Graduated from Brooklyn College with a degree in Early Childhood Education with graduate studies in music and art. She taught Pre-K through 2nd grade before joining the staff of Musical Munchkins of Westchester (where it all began). Andrea studied voice, guitar and piano in Philadelphia and New York, and has been a children’s entertainer, performer, storyteller and clown. Andrea has given workshops at local early childhood educational conferences throughout Ulster and Orange Counties, and has performed at many libraries, daycares and nursery school programs throughout the Hudson Valley.