Early Childhood Music

The Laurier Academy of Music and Arts is proud to offer a large and diverse ECM program. 

Children are grouped in classes according to age and follow a custom curriculum that produces the natural starting point for a lifetime of musical accomplishment and enjoyment. Our ECM teachers work to ensure your child will develop a love and understanding of music through immersion in singing, playing, listening and movement activities.

Check out the weekly class schedule for a full view of our available programming.

Jump to:

• Kodaly and Orff Based:
  • Music with Your Baby/Toddler
  • Music with Your Child
• Mandarin Classes 
• Dalcroze Classes:
  • Merry Music and Movement (18-36 months)
  • Steps to Music Through Movement
  • Musicianship and Movement

Because of small class sizes, please contact LAMA@wlu.ca to register.

Babies/Toddlers

This year Laurier Academy of Music And Arts is pleased to be partnering with a long-term care home to offer a 8-week Intergenerational Jamboree.

The Intergenerational Jamboree is a music program in which young children (ages 0-3) and their accompanying adults take part in weekly music sessions along with residents living in a retirement or LTC home.  We sing, play instruments, and move to nursery rhymes, lullabies and favourite songs.   

Led by a certified music therapist and early childhood music specialist, the Jamboree provides opportunities to experience the benefits of connecting through music and fostering intergenerational relationships.

Because of small class sizes, please contact LAMA@wlu.ca to register.

• Format: 30-minute classes for 8 weeks
• Cost: Free, pay-what-you-can as a donation for snacks

Session 1 (Winston Park LTC):

• Start date: Sept. 11, 2024
• Day and time: Wednesdays at 10:30 a.m.
• Class limit: Six children

Session 2 (Luther Village Sunshine Centre):

• Start date: Sept. 13, 2024
• Day and time: Fridays at 10 a.m.
• Class limit: Six children

Because of small class sizes, please contact LAMA@wlu.ca to register.

Music with Your Child

Music with your Child classes are based in the Orff/Kodaly methods and are taught by Early Childhood Music Specialist  Jennifer Stacey.  The goal of the classes is to encourage students to explore the elements of music through singing, playing pitched (e.g., xylophones, glockenspiels) and non- pitched percussion instruments, moving and creating their own music.  This exploration, creativity and problem solving helps to build a solid music foundation and the literacy skills needed for future individual lessons when they are older.

Family participation is a vital component of this program. Grown-ups and/or siblings are asked to join the class to help facilitate music activities (e.g. clapping games).

Because of small class sizes, please contact LAMA@wlu.ca to register.

Mandarin Classes

Little Performer (0-3years) (Mandarin-speaking)

This class is built for kids from birth to 3 years old and their caregivers, based on the Orff Approach, incorporating elements of traditional Chinese culture, unique linguistic characteristics, and Chinese culture into the curriculum. The class will include fun action songs, beautiful lullabies, props and instruments, silly songs with simple rhythms and more. Also, the class will support your child's growth and development while you have fun making music and making friends.

• Ages: 0-3 years
• Start date: Sept. 7, 2024 (10-week session)
• Day and time: Saturdays, 10:45 a.m. (45-minute class)
• Cost: $200
• Capacity: Six students plus parents
  
  

Little Performer Ensemble (4-7years) (Mandarin-speaking)

This program is a set of music group courses that help your child (aged 5-7) develop their essential musical competence ability, such as keeping steady beats and participating with confidence and pleasure in the music, including instrumental study. The program will use a variety of enjoyable music theory lessons and games to introduce concepts such as music notes, values, time signatures, etc. It's a perfect way for beginners to learn music.

Through music stories, rhythm/tonal pattern play, instruments/props play, and ostinato, your child will learn rhythm, melody and harmony in fun ways and have a first idea about an ensemble. It will help them listen, share, cooperate, teamwork, and build self-confidence through music.

A sequentially organized class structure encourages children to develop performance and literacy skills that lay the foundation for future individual lessons. Our structure allows them to progress at a quicker pace and with greater confidence. Parent participation is not required. 

• Ages: 4-7 years
• Start date: Sept. 7, 2024 (8-week session, bi-weekly)
• Day and time: Saturdays, 2:30 p.m. (45-minute class)
• Cost: $160 
• Capacity: Six students 
  
  

Little Performer: Pop-up Classes! (Mandarin-speaking)

These one-off classes will follow the same curriculum as above in a drop-in format. Parent participation is not required. 

• Ages: 4-8 years
• Dates: Last Sunday of each month starting Sept. 29
• Day and time: Sundays, 4 p.m. (45-minute class)
• Cost: $20 per class

Because of small class sizes, please contact LAMA@wlu.ca to register.

Dalcroze Classes 

The Dalcroze Eurhythmics Approach

Using the Dalcroze approach, students experience and express sound, pulse and rhythm in their bodies. Aural and muscle memory help to create a deeper understanding of music before the students begin to name concepts or analyze what they hear. This wholistic approach to learning music is beneficial for their physical, emotional, social, creative, and intellectual development.

The teacher uses songs as well as improvised and composed music, and a watchful eye and ear for any necessary adaptations or flexibility to the content. This allows for a wide variety of responses from the children and continued alertness in themselves and to their surroundings. Children slowly develop relationships between space, time, and energy in this rhythmic and musical environment. Instructor Carol Bauman's goal is to create an atmosphere of joy, discovery and creativity as the children move through these sequential classes.

Merry Music and Movement

Parents and children will love the songs and musical games in this class that introduces the joy of music making. Children will happily engage in imagining, moving, singing, and playing instruments with their parents as partners, while learning to listen, share and begin some independence. Both upbeat and quieter musical moments will be a wonderful way to celebrate the end of a busy day of work and play. Small musical instruments and props will be provided in class.

Dress comfortably to allow for freedom of movement. Bare feet are recommended.

• Format: 30-minute classes for 10 weeks
• Age: 18-36 months 
• Cost: $150 

• Start date: Monday, Sept. 16, 2024 (no class October 14)
• Day and time: Mondays, 4-4:30 p.m.
• Class limit: Six children and their adult caregiver/parent

Term Two:

• Start date: Monday, Jan. 13, 2025 (no class Feb. 17, March 10)
• Day and time: Mondays, 4-4:30 p.m.
• Class limit: Six children and their adult caregiver/parent

Because of small class sizes, please contact LAMA@wlu.ca to register.

Steps to Music Through Movement

These classes are for children who are comfortable being in a class on their own. Dalcroze-inspired games and exercises are used to engage students’ ears, eyes, and bodies; to help children discover their natural motor movements and begin to develop their singing voice.

The above games, songs and exercises will help children discover and feel tempo and beat, pitch and melody, dynamics and nuance, and will prepare them for the Musicianship program. Small instruments and props are used as well as their own musical bodies.

Dress comfortably to allow for freedom of movement. Bare feet are recommended.

• Format: 30-minute classes for 11 weeks
• Age: 4-year-olds
• Cost: $175

Term One

• Start date: Monday, Sept. 16, 2024 (no class October 14)
• Day and time: Mondays, 4:45-5:15 p.m.
• Class limit: Six students (independent from parents)

• Start date:Monday, Jan. 13, 2025 (no class Feb 17, Mar 10)
• Day and time: Mondays, 4:45-5:15 p.m.
• Class limit: Six students (independent from parents)

Because of small class sizes, please contact LAMA@wlu.ca to register.

Musicianship and Movement

This is the first of two classes that help children develop readiness for instrument or singing lessons. Dalcroze-inspired musical movement exercises and games help develop body awareness and control, more focused listening, singing in tune, and will begin to stimulate a creative artistic sense.

There is continued work on basic musical concepts such as tempo and beat, pitch and melody, dynamics and nuance and an initial introduction to rhythmic notation is explored.

Dress comfortably to allow for freedom of movement. Bare feet are recommended.

• Format: 45-minute classes for 12 weeks
• Age: 5 years
• Cost: $190

Term Two:

• Start date: Wednesday, Jan. 15, 2025 (no class Feb 19, Mar 12)
• Day and time: Wednesdays, 5:00 - 5:45 p.m.
• Class limit: Six students (independent from parents)

Because of small class sizes, please contact LAMA@wlu.ca to register.