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Wednesday, April 6, 2011

TOS Review Kinderbach

It has always been a struggle in our home to get the kids to learn an instrument or even just learn music.  We are a fairly musical family and have music playing almost constantly; but we haven't done a good job of learning to read music and play instruments.  :(  So, if there is anything that can make that job easier I am all for it!
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Our review for The Crew this time was for KinderBach, a music program geared for ages 3-7.  From the website:

The KinderBach curriculum is a proven teaching method which gives children a solid music foundation, aligned with the MENC National Standards for Pre-K, that can translate to any instrument.  Basics are basics and KinderBach covers them using language children understand.  Youngsters will learn music vocabulary, note reading, rhythm, physical technique, ‘do, re mi’ singing, listening skills and music composition plus the joy in making music.

 The KinderBach program is divided into Six Levels that are further divided into four sessions each.  The segments are around 5 minutes a piece and are easily watched alone or all together.  Some days we watched only one to review a new concept and other days we watched them all at once.  It is easily adaptable to what works best for your family!
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KinderBach is full of cute characters and catchy music.  There are videos, puppets, coloring pages, piano playing, and using household items as instruments.  It's a little something for everyone.  I have caught several of the girls singing the tunes throughout the day! 

At first my kids were a little put off that they didn't learn to 'play the piano' right away.  I had to convince them that learning Music Theory was very important and would help them later in learning to play any instrument.  That's what this program does.  It teaches Music Theory in a way that is understandable to kids and fun to boot!  
 
What will my child know at the end of this program? Will my child be able to learn another instrument?
At the end of the KinderBach program your child will have a strong musical foundation that he/she will be able to use as a springboard to any music instrument.  Your child will:
  1. Know all the notes on the piano by location and letter name
  2. Be familiar with the grand staff,
  3. Read some individual notes on staff and all notes by pattern on staff,
  4. Understand and read rhythms from eighth to whole notes,
  5. Have improved listening skills so that he/she can interpret rhythms, intervals and patterns heard.
  6. Play familiar melodies,
  7. Play hands together or separately,
  8. Have a working music vocabulary,
  9. Understand basic composition methods 
That's a whole lot of musical knowledge, isn't it?  We haven't made it all the way through this program yet, but we are going to try to get there before our review time is over. 

If you want to check out KinderBach for yourself, head on over to their website and look around for a while.  Better yet, sign up for a FREE two-week trial and try it out!  To sign up for this online membership it is $95.88 for a year long membership.  That works out to be $7.99 a month.  Or you can do the monthly membership for $19.99.  Or you can buy a CD package that starts at $40.45.  Check out their website for more details and options on packages.  Don't forget to check out the extra materials they offer to go along with this program.


If you want to see what other Crew members thought, head on over to The Crew Blog and check them out.



**We received a three month subscription from KinderBach through The TOS Crew in exchange for my honest review.