It’s enrollment time for many activities for families – dance, soccer, gymnaastics, Scouting, music lessons, art lessons and - yes – especially Kindermusik. All of these activities place demands on parents – time, money, energy and stress about making the right decisions because, though many of us try, our children (and we) cannot possibly do it all.
I remember when I first enrolled Hannah in Kindermusik. I did it because I knew her teacher, I didn’t know a lot of other moms with toddlers, and, as an educator, I valued the social interaction she was going to get. I was confident that I was more than qualified to give her a good beginning in music education and language, but we needed to get out of the house. BUT, when we saw the cost we started to wonder if we should really spend the money. We went to the first session as a free trial class. She had a ball and came home already mimicking what we did in class. We paid for it and both of us fell in love. We still felt it was stretching the budget, so we began to ask my mom and Greg’s parents to help us pay for it.
In the meantime, our older daughter was getting involved in Girl Scouting and basketball. WOW, those activities LOOKED less expensive than Kindermusik until we got involved. You see, with Kindermusik it was one price for the entire semester. All her materials and the class were rolled into the total cost. She didn’t need any special shoes or clothing, there weren’t extra field trips, meals out, or travel. Kindermusik began to be the best value we had.
Now our children are a senior in high school and a sixth grader in middle school. Through the years, I have come to realize that Kindermusik was the BEST value we were ever going to get. Soccer, dance, Girl Scouts, 4H and band all appeared to be less expensive initially, but the hidden costs added up quickly and we invest large sums of money each year = even though we limit the girls to one or two activities each.
Not only that, but Kindermusik is the only activity that we have ever invested in that included us completely and targeted so many different areas of development, not just one or two. Talk about value – Hannah learned to play well with others, clean up her toys, sing on pitch, keep a steady beat, move her body and have self-control in stopping, rhyming, reading, counting etc in her Kindermusik class. No other activity has enhanced her development as much (though many of them -especially 4H – have taught her great skills).
In addition to financial investment, activities require the investment of time. We thought one class a week seemed like a lot when Hannah was a toddler and it became more difficult to schedule when she became a preschooler and went to Kindergarten. But, we continued to do it because she loved it. When she began to play soccer that was 2-3 times a week (We were only playing recreationally. I know families who go much more than that), 4H is once every couple weeks but there are extra events that have to be worked in and the projects have to be finished involving hours at home, band is at least 3 days a week – often more, private music lessons require practice every day, etc etc etc. Kindermusik was easy – once a week, 45 minutes and I got to spend that time with her.
I encourage parents everywhere. When looking for activities and choosing for your children, please consider what they will get out of the experience, what they will enjoy and what are the hidden costs. If you have rejected Kindermusik in the past because it was so expensive. Please call your local educator to find out what the value of being enrolled includes. And, what ever you choose, have fun and enjoy the experience. The children grow up too fast.
Here are some cost comparisons for the northern Indianapolis area:
Soccer – Fall session (basically late August through early October, 7 weeks) @$100. Does not include shoes, shinguards, travel. 2 – 3 times a week. Information about refunds unavailable.
Dance – Comparing 4 months like a KM session @ $250 (can be broken into $50 per month). Extra fees of $75 in the fall. Does not include practice dancewear, tights, shoes. (based on a Noblesville dance studio Website). Class once a week for 45 minutes. No information about refunds available.
Gymnastics – Comparing 4 months or 15 weeks of classes which is the same as Kindermusik sessions. $225 tuition. Does not include any special clothing or fees for meets, etc. (Based on a Fishes Gymnastic Studio website). Class once a week for 45 minutes. No information about refunds available.
Kindermusik – 4 month commitment @$52 to $70 per month (depending on the level). Total is an average of $215 per semester. Cost inclusive – 15 classes, 2 CDs, 2 books, Family Activity Guide, 1 or 2 instruments and/or manipulatives, weekly newsletter. 45 minutes per week. 100% satisfaction guarantee!
WHY ?
While other popular activities like dance, gymnastics and soccer do provide certain benefits, only participation in Kindermusik promises more life-impacting growth in all areas of your child’s development – including cognitive, physical, emotional, language and social development – for now and for life!
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Activity Benefits |
Kindermusik |
Dance / Gymnastics
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Organized Sports
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| Helps develop social skills through group interaction |
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| Provides for physical development |
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| Gives parents a chance to socialize |
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| Builds self-esteem |
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| Prepares Child for possible future as an athlete |
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| Prepares Child for a future dance career |
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| Leads a child toward a lifetime of joyful music-making |
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| Provides a flexible, but structured routine |
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| Enhances brain development for other skills like spatial and complex reasoning, listening, and reading |
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| Allows a child to creatively express and explore individual strengths with art, vocal, dance, and instrumental activities |
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| Improves memory and the ability to learn new information |
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| Develops a child’s language and auditory skills |
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| Is process, not performance, based |
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| Supports the home as the most important environment for learning |
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| At Home Materials make the weekly experience live at home again and again |
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