The Power of Music

This video really intrigued me. Many people claim that music is a gift for only the "chosen few", yet here is a room full of people who are not musicians producing a cohesive tune based on the body movements of jazz musician Bobby McFerrin. No instruments or music to follow-just expectation. It really shows how instinctual music can be. I use the word instinct, because I believe we are born with this ability. It grows as we experience music throughout our lifetime. Even a new baby will respond to a familiar tune. I hope you enjoy singing along with the video!

World Science Festival 2009: Bobby McFerrin Demonstrates the Power of the Pentatonic Scale from World Science Festival on Vimeo.

Holiday Events

As the end of the year approaches, we have a lot of fun music events coming up at Delightful Sounds for your families. I wanted to be sure any local blog readers would be able to keep up with them all, so here's a list.

• November 23 - Online enrollment begins for the Spring 2010 Kindermusik classes. The Spring semester is set to begin on January 4.


• November 30 - 7:00 PM - Mom's Night Out - Just in time for Christmas, this jewelry making party costs $15 and includes the materials for making three pairs of earrings. Please RSVP to attend.


• December 4 - 10:00 AM - Military Kindermusik Playdate - This free music event is open to families of active military personnel and takes place at the MacDill Family Resource Center in Brandon.


• December 21-22 - Jingle Jangle Christmas Event - This annual event will feature an hour of Christmas music, dancing, and fun for the whole family. Day and evening class times are available for this popular event, so be sure to reserve your spot today! Cost is $10 per child.

Building critical thinking skills

I heard a great story yesterday about one of our preschool Kindermusik students. Her mother had asked her what she wanted to dress up as for Halloween. "I want to be an green alien with antennas!" Puzzled by this unusual response, her mother inquired, "Don't you want to be a princess, like all the other girls?" The child's confident response was, "But I'm NOT all the other girls!"

I loved this story! I think it speaks of the creativity, individuality, and confidence that we try to nurture and grow in our Kindermusik classrooms. You may be working on academic facts with your child, but equally important are the creativity and critical thinking skills that will go beyond just academic facts. You can help your child with these types of skills by allowing them to guide your play time or explorations. Ask leading questions, such as, "What do you think will happen next?" or "How do you think that object would look if it could move?". Have fun with these types of questions. There really is no right or wrong answer. As your child grows more confident with this type of thinking, they will easily be able to apply it to more critical thought processes in the future. Whether it be in the area of music, pretend play, calculus, or Halloween costumes, don't miss the chance to encourage your child's creativity.