Growing with Music Together teacher Kay Barlow (R). (Photo courtesy of Growing with Music Together)

FREDONIA, NY - Now that school vacation has begun we think of long summer days and more time with our children. We think of trips to the beach, family vacations and doing lots of activities together. In this mix of activities, music plays an important role because music strengthens children’s minds. Kids who grow up hearing music, singing songs, and moving to the beat are enjoying what experts call “a rich sensory environment.” When kids hear music, their brain automatically tries to identify familiar melodies and rhymes, just as early readers look for words that sound alike, have patterns or rhyme.

There are classes offered this summer for children with their parent or caregiver that help families create rich sensory environments. Growing with Music Together offers six weeks of music classes filled with activities that stimulate learning while providing lots of hands-on fun. Each class is a flow of songs and rhymes, movement and dancing and lots of rhythm instrument playing.

Children learn about music by actually making music. Activities are such that all can participate, each at their own skill level, and are especially geared to young children, babies through kindergartners. Classes are about the experience of making music rather than performance or perfection. They are participatory and provide joyful, experiential learning where there are no wrong notes. Take-home materials included in the tuition cost are from Music Together®, the highly acclaimed early childhood music curriculum.

Growing with Music Together classes are held at Barlow’s Mill, 369 West Main Street in Fredonia where there is both an indoor and outdoor classroom. The outdoor play yard is the location for most classes except on rainy days.

Classes are taught by Kay Barlow who holds degrees in music from The College of Wooster and SUNY Fredonia. She is a Level I Certified Music Together teacher and a certified Orff instructor. Ms. Barlow has maintained a private piano studio for many years and has directed Growing with Music Together since 2000.

There are still opening in Growing with Music Together classes that begin very soon. For detailed information, call 673-9020, visit barlowsmill.com or go to facebook.com/GrowingwithMusic.