As a parent, what is my role in class?

Sing, dance, and have fun! You might be surprised to hear that you are your child's most important music teacher right now—and it doesn't matter whether you think of yourself as a great singer or dancer. Young children develop dispositions for certain behaviors, including learning to love music, by observing and imitating their loved ones. Simply by participating enthusiastically during class and playing with the ideas at home, you'll give your children the modeling they need to learn to love to make music. Please wait to socialize or use your cell phone until after class and instead help us create a music-only environment.

What's expected of my child in class?

At Music Together^®, children are never required to sit in the circle or expected to conform to an adult's idea of participation. We know that children learn differently from adults. They learn instinctively and constantly, through observation, interactions with adults and older children, and through imitation, play, and, especially, movement. One hallmark of Music Together is that children will naturally develop music ability simply when they are immersed in a community of families all making music.

Children's responses depend on their most dominant learning style and temperament as well as their age and developmental level. Some might follow the teacher right away. Many will simply want to watch and absorb, particularly in the first few weeks of class. Some might crawl or toddle around; others are stimulated by the music and respond more actively, running, jumping, or dancing. All are perfectly natural responses to the new, musically rich environment. Throughout the semester, your teacher will help you tune in to how your child learns best so you can support their music development in class and at home. Feel free to ask if you have questions!

How should we use the Music Together^® materials?

Play your songs frequently, especially during the first few weeks of class. Make the music available for your child to listen to while she is playing or before nap or bedtime. Create your Music Together account and download the Music Together app for the complete collection of songs and more activity ideas to try! 

Use the songbook to help you learn the songs and get new musical activities to use at home. If you play an instrument and want to play along, the music notation is available in the Family Zone or try using the songbook at storytime!

What is the class size?

Each class has between 6 and 12 registered children, plus their caregiver(s).

What if I miss a class during the semester?

We offer unlimited makeup classes during each semester. Please visit our Make Up Classes page to learn more.

Can I switch to a different class?

Requests for class changes must be initiated within the first three weeks of the semester. Depending on class availability, changes are made at the discretion of the center director and teachers involved. Changes are not made after the third week of the semester.

What if I start classes after the semester begins?

Waterfront Music Center welcomes families at any point during the semester! Contact us here to join class now!

Can we eat in class?

Please feel comfortable to nurse or bottle-feed your child in class, but we ask that you not bring food or drink into classrooms. We also provide an area to nurse privately if desired.

Is my child too young for music class?
All children are musical. The same way that a child has the innate ability to speak and understand his native language, children also have the ability to do the same with the language of music. Do you wait to talk to your child until you are sure that he/she can answer you back? Children talk when they are ready, because they have been immersed in a language from birth. They walk when they are ready because they have felt your movement while in yours arms. Giving a child this same kind of immersion in musical experiences will provide him/her with opportunities to not only learn to sing in tune and keep a steady beat, but to develop his/her own special way of expressing music through movement.

May I bring my 3-year-old as well as my 10-month old to the same class?
Not only may you, but we encourage it! Research shows that preschoolers learn best in a mixed-age environment. The little ones learn by watching and imitating the older children. The older children love being the “big kids” and showing the little ones how it is done. This family-style learning environment facilitates participation and involvement in the music for every child, at whatever developmental stage they may be.

Is it OK for more than one adult to come to class?

Yes, parents, grandparents, or caregivers are welcome to attend class at any time—no need to ask!

What happens after we complete a semester?
There are nine song collections. A different song collection is used each semester, so when you register for your next semester, you can look forward to new songs and chants, taught with the same kinds of activities. Because your child will be at a different place developmentally, an activity will be exciting to him/her whether it is because of its familiarity or because he/she can grasp it in a new way.

What if I didn’t start in the Fall? Has my child missed something?
Because the semesters are non-sequential and the activities are designed to be accessible to a child at his/her own developmental stage, a child can enter the Music Together program at the beginning of any semester, and at any age.

Why aren't there classes for specific age groups?

Classes with children of different ages have intellectual and social benefits for both younger and older children. In fact, it's the learning environment recommended by many early childhood researchers. Older children learn empathy and awareness of others, while developing leadership qualities and gaining self-confidence. Younger children learn by imitating the older ones and often show more complex behaviors earlier than usual. Even babies benefit by being in an environment that gives them lots of opportunities to observe the behavior of children of varying ages. Plus, it allows everyone—siblings, parents, grandparents, caregivers—to share in the musical experience together!

Do you offer gift certificates?

Gift certificates toward classes can be purchased at any time. They make fabulous baby shower, birthday, or holiday gifts. Please contact us if you’re interested in purchasing one.