# MusicTogether or Kindermusik? Have to decide!



## Ophelia (Feb 16, 2005)

I looked at both websites, and the classes themselves look similar, and Kindermusik sends a few things home.

If they have openings, I could do the MusicTogether for the summer session and Kindermusik for the fall session and see which we like better to continue with.

If you have attended one or both, do you have pros/cons you can relay that would help me decide? I think I need to decide this week. DS has started singing along to some things (disney shows he watches) and was starting to participate in the ECFE singalongs they had. Thanks!


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## ryansma (Sep 6, 2006)

I am subbing because I recently asked the same question and am wondering if you will get any fresh responses


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## yukookoo (Sep 23, 2007)

ive done both. It probably depends on the teacher and your area but i would shell out the bucks for music together.

Kindermusic is cute. Yeah you get a little book and a cd and even a toy musical instrument and its cute. The ages are split which is that matters to you is good i guess. That is why i did kinder after music together. DD was not even 1 yet andi was told at music together after doing the baby class i have to move on to the 0 -4 class. She is tiny only 15 lbs now at almost a year and ijust couldnt see her getting along with big 4 year olds running around crazy.

I am doing music together for the summer. Its much less of an investment cause its only 4 classes.

In our kindermusic, the teacher was great, had a great voice etc. But she did not play an instrument, almost all the music was recorded and she did basically the same thingi n the same order each class. Also not a whole lot of actual musical learning going on.

At music together the teachers are required to play an instrument and sing live and they teach a lot mostly to the parents but the kids pick up on it. The materials used where more natural if that matter to you as well, to me it does. Like the silks used at music together are made of silk like sarah's silks and at kinder they are made of polyester as an example.

It really depends on the particular teacher i thinka nd also students in the class.

If I were you I would do music together for the summer, since it's cheaper foronly 4 classes then do kindermusic for the fall and decide which you like better.


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## prettypixels (Apr 13, 2006)

I personally did not care for kindermusik, but I have to tell you... my daughter ADORED it. I am not sure how I feel about a mixed age room; my daughter was the oldest/biggest in the baby class and I think that was actually good for her and gave her a lot of confidence. So I think it really depends.

For a while the only way I could get her to sleep was by playing the Kindermusik CD in the car! Uggghhh! "Hello, hello, let's sing together..."

My kindermusik teacher sang and played recorded music also, I wonder if they all do?


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## freeflykami (Mar 16, 2008)

We took 3 kindermusik classes and with one of the teachers we loved it! but with the other, I wasn't impressed. DD loved the take home cds and still signs all the songs and Pretends to play the music on the piano.

But after reading some of the other posts I'm wondering if they have that class near me...


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## Mary-Beth (Nov 20, 2001)

If you have a Musik Garten class in your area that was our favorite.
www.musikgarten.org

Over the years we have taken Kindermusic, MusicTogether, and Musikgarten and by far our favorite was the later. It greatly depends on the teacher. However, aside from finding a great teacher we found the Musik Garten CD's to be fun and the games/class activities to be fun and the CD didn't get old like some kids songs can...
The instruments were wooden and not plastic (in the other classes there was a lot of plastic.)


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## kibba (Oct 11, 2005)

Almost all those toddler things offer a free trial class, I would try both and see what you prefer. We took a kindermusic class, I didn't like it at all. It just seemed cheezy and more for the parents, none of the toddlers were into it.


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## Ophelia (Feb 16, 2005)

Thanks, the comments are great and helping me to decide. the www.musikgarten.org looks interesting also and there are actually a few near my home. I'm going to call and see what is available and how it works.
Thanks!


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## kiwiva (Apr 17, 2006)

Definitely do a trial class if you can. I think it will depend on the teacher. I've done music together with DD since 11 mos and we enjoy it. Really it is teaching the adults to play musically with our kids, rather than teaching music to the kids. That's my understanding of it anyway. We do the class really and they just see us acting goofy until they are old enough to want to participate. You do get a CD (2 copies, actually-one for home and one for car) so you can do all the songs at home too. I find that the cost varies greatly depending on venue even with the same teacher, so check around and check out more than one teacher if that is an option.


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## Mere (Oct 1, 2002)

I took my dd and ds to one Kindermusic class each, and I couldn't stand it. The content (which I am sure is standardized curriculum) was so canned I could barely make it through the one class, and the fact that every single thing was recorded really bugged me.


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## Sadie Lake (Apr 26, 2006)

I don't have personal experience with Kindermusik but I have some friends who go and really like it.

However, we have attended 3 sessions of MusicTogether now and love it. From what I've heard, the philosophy is a little different in each. In Kindermusik, I guess its a little more goal oriented. The kids prepare and perform songs. Music together is more organic and just a general celebration of music instead of having the intention that the kids "learn" certain things.

I guess it depends on your personal ideas of how you want your kids to learn. Are you more a public school type of parent with goals for your kids education, or are you a more "unschooling" type who wants your kids learning to be more child-led and less "measured".

Hope that gives a little more direction to your decision! I think either way, music is great for kids and they're going to love them both!

Sadie


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## thaler_19 (Jan 19, 2007)

I think it depends on the teacher, I have had the same dilemma and chose Kindermusik because the teacher was way better with the kids than the music together teacher. Probably best to trial class each to know for sure which is the best fit. Good luck!


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## CawMama (Nov 4, 2005)

I've only done KM...we are enrolled for our third class this fall. I thought KM would be too "mainstream" for my tastes, but was super happy with it once we started going. The music is really pleasant and fun to listen to on a daily basis.


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## sara_m (Jul 12, 2004)

I just posted a big 'ol long post on this topic on another thread...link below. Good luck with whatever program you decide to participate in. Obviously, I feel strongly about Music Together, but the most important thing is just to sing, move and play!
http://www.mothering.com/discussions...1&postcount=24


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## Ophelia (Feb 16, 2005)

Thanks Sara! I ended up not doing anything for now, because i'm leaning toward Music Together and the times didn't work out, it would have been a lot of rushing around to get there after work. I'm hoping the next sessions will work better (fall/winter).


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## Enudely (Jul 2, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *sara_m* 
I just posted a big 'ol long post on this topic on another thread...link below. Good luck with whatever program you decide to participate in. Obviously, I feel strongly about Music Together, but the most important thing is just to sing, move and play!
http://www.mothering.com/discussions...1&postcount=24









that:
I am also a musician and a MT teacher and the program is AWESOME! To me, the best thing is that it's based on research on how kids learn music. There is a "why" to every "what" that we do. The main thing to know about it is that it is totally indirect instruction. We don't try to get the kids to do anything, we try to get the adults to participate. The fact is though, that's how they learn! They learn music (just like language) from being around adults that are making music. So, aside from the weekly class, parents are taught how to "do" music at home, so their kids will pick it up. There is no "teaching" directed at the kids. I have seen it to be very very effective over and over (4 years of teaching).
Don't be discouraged if your child doesn't participate at first, that is often how they learn best. just jump in yourself, have fun, and your kid WILL soak it up!
hope that helps! Keep singing!


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## doublesnap (Sep 11, 2006)

We just had our first KM class last week and it was ok. DS wasn't too interested; the teacher sang but used pre-recorded music. The class was small at only 6 kids so each kid had plenty of interaction with toys, teacher, and each other.

I'd definitely be interested in looking at other classes though.


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## MommytoHHH (Sep 12, 2006)

We do KM with our DD. I should say that we don't have a MT class nearby, so I don't have any experience with it. My DH is a classical singer with a doctorate from a major conservatory so obviously music is a big part of our lives. We've really enjoyed Kindermusik. I like that they teach basic musical concepts but that it is also an fun and active experience for my DD. DD is a very very energetic child and she really has fun at Kindermusik. Our KM classes are very open about how children participate and send out a reminder e-mail before classes start that different children participate in different ways. I don't mind that the music isn't played on an instrument during class - DH and I play it for DD on the piano at home. One of us plays and the other sings/dances/interacts with her. I think that the older KM classes incorporate more use of instruments.


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## PiePie (Oct 2, 2006)

MY sends stuff home too.

they are both good programs, imo.

we have done mt because it is closer geographically.

i think the most important factor is the teacher and how her personality gels with your lo's. our mt teacher didn't really know what to do with dd, who is super exuberant and extroverted. we went to a makeup class with a different teacher and that woman adored dd and the class was a much better experience.

most let you do a free trial class. i would do that to check out the teach.


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