Mini Maestros in childcare centres
Mini Maestros in childcare centres
Mini Maestros at your Centre
A Mini Maestros teacher can come each week and deliver the programme at your Centre. We are also available to present one–off sessions.
Our teachers provide all of the equipment including the instruments, puppets and props that we use in our private groups.
We can provide sessions in the morning or the afternoon at a time that suits your routine.
In the babies' room we usually suggest a 15 minute session, depending on the age of the babies in the room.
In the 2 year old room we suggest a 20-30 minute session.
The 3 and 4 year olds can participate in a session lasting 30-45 minutes.
We prefer that group numbers be limited to 15 children. This allows the Mini Maestros teacher to provide individual attention to each child. In Centres where there are larger numbers we are able to offer strategies to deal with this.
We ask that a Carer participates in each group with the Mini Maestros teacher so that the activities can be followed up with the children during the week.
Babies' Room
The babies are involved in a variety of action songs which help with their vocabulary development and gross motor skills. Our teachers lead créche staff in bouncing the children on their laps and moving with the babies so that they develop an unconscious feeling for the beat and also for changes in tempo and metre. Teachers use puppets and props in activities to encourage the babies to develop their concentration and focusing skills. We provide babies with opportunities to explore a variety of percussion instruments in each lesson.
Two Year Old Room
Two year olds participate in a range of activities to reinforce elements of music such as beat, pitch and form. Children are given opportunities to physically experience these elements through dances, moving up and down according to the pitch of the music and playing percussion instruments. Props and puppets are used in these classes to stimulate children's imaginations.
Three Year Old Room
The learning process continues for 3 year olds and elements such as beat, tempo and dynamics are made conscious in lessons. Children learn special musical terms such as lento and presto, and piano and forte. They are encouraged to draw upon their musical knowledge to share ideas for how activities will be performed. Children practise new skills such as one-to-one correspondence and left-to-right reading which help prepare them for kinder and school. They learn to read simple graphic notation and to recognise a crotchet rest and the music staff.
Four Year Old Room
In our 4 year old classes children's awareness of musical elements becomes more evident and they are encouraged to contribute their ideas to all activities. Musical games offer opportunities to practise new skills and also help build children's confidence and independence. They begin to learn how to read simple musical notation and practise transferring it onto percussion instruments. Elements such as beat, rhythm, pitch, form and dynamics are all made conscious in this age group and are practised through singing, dancing, games and instrumental activities.
