Will my toddler be upset if there are babies in the room?

No.

• We've worked with 100s of toddlers, and they behave like big brothers and sisters in the presence of babies.  
• Toddlers alternate between ignoring and engaging with the babies (like at home!) 
• Toddlers still look to their grown-ups for instruction
• The research shows that all children learn best in a MIXED AGE environment
• In a class of just big kids, a child might perform in class earlier, but our focus is on LEARNING not on PERFORMING.  Your child should be interested in exploring and experimenting on his/her own time in his/her own way.  By having children of different ages/stages in the room together, your child will do what makes sense for him/her when it is appropriate.  There is NO PERFORMANCE pressure in a Music Together^® class
• Some younger children are more advanced musically than their older friends... especially if they began taking Music Together classes as young infants and the toddlers in the room just started.  A toddler who is more advanced socially or physically will not be threatened by a younger child who might be doing some musical things that are more advanced. 

Do I want my toddler in a music class with infants? 

Yes!

• Humans aren't generally born in litters.  Instead, children have evolved to learn best in a MIXED AGE environment.
• Your child is learning in a developmentally appropriate way- he/she is watching and perhaps participating, while the babies are watching your child (as well as the grown-ups.) 
• Your child is alternating between being delighted by the babies and ignoring them.  That's what bigger kids do when their with babies.  It's the natural order.
• The grown ups are modeling how to sing and dance and follow directions- your child is watching and maybe also  modeling for the babies! Your child is alternating between being a baby him/herself and taking a leadership role.
• Rest assured, your child is learning.  There's a lot going on in class musically, and whether or not babies are there is probably weighing heavily on your mind, not your child's!

Is this a Mommy and Me Music class?  Or can I sit back and watch?

You've got to participate! Music Together is an “Adult and Me” activity where participation from the grown-ups is a must.

• children learn best from having the adults with whom they have a bond model the music making for them.  That’s why our Music Together classes rely on the adults to sing and dance.  The children learn by watching and soon enough by experimenting themselves.
• Music Together is an INFORMAL learning environment.  For the CHILDREN, activities are FREELY CHOSEN- but in order for them to understand what is going on, they have to see YOU DOING IT!
• Music Together is a NON-PERFORMANCE oriented program.  We don't make the children do anything!  But you have to copy the teacher :-) to model the behavior.  When your child does something musical or reaches a musical milestone, we celebrate it! 
• Your child may choose not to participate in class- and surprise you by doing everything at home!  Wonderful!  But if you don't model the behavior in class, your child may wrongly learn that only teacher sings and dances.  He/she may not be inspired to try to do it him/herself!

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