For Parents and Caregivers
At CMS, we believe...
Every child is musical.
Every person benefits from music interaction, music play, and music learning.
Children are master learners, and teachers should follow their lead.
Making music is an important life skill because it fosters engagement, personal growth, and enjoyment throughout the lifespan.
On-Site Early Childhood Music Classes
At each CMS, Early Childhood Music Classes serve children ages birth-7 in the following groupings:
- Infant (Birth-18 months) (attend with a caregiver)
- Toddler (18 months-3 years) (attend with a caregiver)
- Preschool (3-5 years) (attend with a caregiver)
- Early Elementary (5-7 years)
The Detroit CMS also offers play-based Music Moves for Piano classes starting at age 5.
Click here to register for classes at CMS East Lansing.
Click here to register for classes at CMS Detroit.
Classes consist of musical play interactions—singing, chanting, and moving—led by a teacher with specific training in early childhood music.
Parents and Caregivers
…are active participants in music classes.
…do not need to have any particular abilities – only a willingness to learn and try.
…also learn and grow musically through their interactions with their children in class.
…can take what they learn in class to add to musical play at home.
Centers-Based Early Childhood Music Classes
We also partner with area organizations to offer music play classes in daycares, preschools, community centers, and other settings. For more information on our partners and these programs, please contact the MSU Early Childhood Music Play Laboratory Director Karen Salvador at ksal@msu.edu.
Playful Audiations
Carin McEvoy, an early childhood music pedagogy expert who teaches in the Music Play Lab, has created a podcast where caregivers and teachers can learn songs that she’s written for her classrooms. In each episode, she sings a song and explains how to use it to sing and play with kids. Click on the image to access this great resource.