Recent studies have shown that music instruction, particularly piano lessons, stimulates and helps develop the same neural connections used in math and science.

• Children who study piano score higher on their SAT’s
• Preschoolers with musical intervention show nearly a 50% boost in spatial IQ!

If you are having difficulty deciding which class your child should attend, then the following guidelines are for you. All of our programs offer musical activities for children that are developmentally appropriate for the child.

Following are some suggestions for children whose birthdays place them on the borderline of two different classes.

* In general, there is nothing to be gained by pushing a child ahead of the correct developmental level. If in doubt, choose the lower level. It is quite easy for teachers to promote a student who is excelling.

1. My child is 3. Should he/she be in Toddler Tunes or Music and Me?
Children who are at least 3 and 3 months usually do fine in Music and Me. Children who have just turned 3 but have already been in Toddler Tunes or another early childhood music program also do well. However, a child who is barely 3 and has never been in music class before could have an equally happy experience with Toddler Tunes. Toddler Tunes explores music in a joyful way with few requirements of the child. Music in Me is more concept-based and expects that over the 16 weeks children acquire certain competencies with pitch and rhythm and keyboard geography. This decision is not one of the more crucial ones.

2. Is my child ready for Harmony Road?
This is a very important decision to make because children who are pressed into Harmony Road too soon may be so frustrated that the give up music classes altogether.

The main difference between Harmony Road and Muisc in Me is the way the keyboard portion of the lesson is handled. Music in Me children may explore the keyboard with a pointer finger or a cluster of fingers. Harmony Road children are introduced to a five finger position at the piano. In order for a child to be happy in this program, his fine motor skills must have developed to the point that he can touch, tap or wiggle any single finger at will. This is a developmental milestone like walking or potty-training that cannot be rushed. Some children may be 6 before they reach this stage. It has nothing to do with their musicality. Some signs of fine motor skill development are being able to write their name in fairly small print, coloring in the lines, and dexterity with buttons, laces or small building materials.

We recommend that children be five years old before they register for Harmony Road. However, children who are already in Music in Me or More Music in Me may be advanced at 4.5 on the recommendation of their teacher. If your child has already been in an early childhood music program and you think he/she is showing signs of early fine motor skill development, please ask to make an appointment with a teacher for assessment.

Music in Me and More Music in Me are wonderful classes in which your children can develop their musicality and creativity without requiring them to finger the keyboard correctly.

3. My child is 6. Should he/she be in Harmony Road or Young Musician?
The main difference between Harmony Road and Young Musician is the speed at which we expect children to acquire the ability to play hands together and the speed at which they will learn to ready music. A child who is six but has good coordination and fine motor skills (e.g. writes neatly, ties laces, handles small building materials) and reads well above grade level in school may be a candidate for Young Musician. This is more often the case with girls than boys at this age. Boys who are six seem to benefit from the more kinesthetic approach in Harmony Road.

4. My child is 8. Should he/she be in Young Musician or Keyboard Prep?
This is not a crucial decision as the programs are quite similar. Keyboard Prep moves a little faster, covering the same amount of material in 3 semesters that Young Musician covers in 4. It is more a question of socialization. Ask yourself whether your child would be happier as the youngest or the oldest in the class.

5. My child has a learning disability or developmental delay. Which class is appropriate?
Children with learning disabilities or developmental delays often do better in classes one level lower than they would normally choose for their chronological age.