FAQ
Cost and Enrolment
Our program caters for 5 different age groups: 0-15 months, 1-2 years, 2-3 years, 3-4 years and 4-5 years. The most appropriate age group for your child is determined by their age on the 30th of April of the current year. For example, a child who is 2 on the 30th of April should be enrolled in the 2-3 years class and a child who is 3 should be enrolled in the 3-4 years class. The ages of children in each class will spread over up to 12 months, just like at school. Children stay in the same age group for the full year, just like in school, i.e. they move to the next age group in the following year, not on their birthdays. It is important that children remain with their peer group so that they are at a similar developmental stage.
Our term dates generally follow the school calendar in your state. The term dates for a class of your choice will be specified when you Find a Class. Enrolment is possible at any time during a term and students quickly fit into the rhythm of our classes.
Pricing depends on age group. Enrol from $235 per student for the first 10 week term including a Starter Pack. Less if part way through the term. Subsequent terms from $208 for 10 weeks. The total price includes:
- all equipment (our required learning aids are few but highly relevant to class participation and enjoyment) (some items are used over 2 or more years and do not need to be repurchased each year)
- our Online Course for the term of 10 weekly lessons that can be enjoyed at home in addition to the in-person classes and acts as a back-up in case of missed classes
- an age specific, structured and sequential educational program developed by early childhood education experts and presented in a welcoming and diverse environment
- class delivery by carefully selected and accredited teachers who undergo training over at least 15 months and are subject to ongoing assessment
- class size limited to 10 regular students to ensure every child receives individual attention
- class duration of 30 to 40 minutes depending on age group.
Trials in-person classes are offered subject to availability. We recommend a 3 week trial (as do other quality children’s programs) as it generally takes more than 1 week for a young child to familiarise themselves with new surroundings and feel comfortable before actively participating in class. 3 week trial prices generally start at $69, including components of the Starter Pack.
We regularly offer “Come & Try” free demonstrations at particular locations and times in order to demonstrate our class activities and explain class methodology and outcomes. You can find details of upcoming “Come & Try” free demonstrations on the Events Page. You can also make an enquiry with your local teacher regarding any introductory offers using the Contact Us button next to a class in your local area found on the Find a Class Page.
Sign up for one free lesson from our Online Courses here.
You can read our enrolment terms here.
If you are unable to attend a class for any reason or if we are unable to present a class due to the teacher being unwell, we will endeavour to arrange a make-up class for you. If a suitable make-up class is unavailable, then the relevant lesson in your Online Course will take the place of that class for full enrolment students. If you are a trial student and we cancel your class, we will extend your trial by one week.
Once a term has commenced refunds are not given if you decide to not attend any classes, or having attended some you no longer wish to attend.
If you cancel your enrolment prior to the commencement of the term, you will receive a full refund less a cancellation fee of $47.00 where Album Download links have been provided, or $30.00 where an Album is not part of the enrolment package. Refunds will not be given for cancellations after term has commenced.
Enrol for the whole term and you will have access to the Online Course for the Classes you miss when you are away. Your child can participate in the Online Course at any time; while you are away and on your return. Your child’s place in the class will be kept, ensuring continuity and familiarity for your child.
Refunds are not available for classes missed during the term as make-up classes and the online course are available instead.
Sometimes emails from our server, minimaestros.com.au, may be treated as spam by a customer’s email account. This can happen if one of our emails is inadvertently put into junk. To stop this from occurring please whitelist our domain name, minimaestros.com.au, in your email account. The process to do this will be slightly different according to which email account you have. We suggest you Google “how do I whitelist an email in gmail” (or whatever type of account you use) to find out how to do this.
In Class
Our classes are generally held in community facilities and we always ensure that the facilities have good parking, toilets and cooling and heating. There’s space to park prams and seats in class for those who are unable to sit on the floor.
The social element of our classes, for parents and carers as well as the children, is very important. Our classes are an opportunity for you to meet other families with similar-aged children in your local area. Many of our classes are held near parks and cafes which provide great opportunities for a play or catch-up after the lesson. Also, sharing the developmental experience with other parents and carers is a wonderful way of marking your child’s progress and understanding how children can have different learning styles.
We aim to have no more than 10 regular enrolments in each class so that every child receives individual attention.
Babies love the sound of their parents’ voices. Even if you are not a singer, your voice is your child’s favourite voice in the whole world. By coming to Mini Maestros with your baby or young toddler we will support you to develop your confidence to share a love of music with the young child in your care. Songs and activities in classes can be integrated into your child’s daily routine so that musical experiences and musical play are a part of everyday life.
In younger age groups, carers are encouraged to sit on the floor with their child and join in with all the activities. Their role is to assist their child’s learning by modelling how to confidently play the instruments and sing the songs. Every lesson includes dances and action songs that parents will do with their child and the rest of the group.
As children get older and are able to do more for themselves, carers will gradually take a back seat for some activities while the children learn to participate more independently.
Carers will be encouraged to sing along to songs as they are taught in class. Children learn best from their carer, and if the children can see the adults in the room joining in and singing with confidence, it will inspire them to sing confidently also. A parent’s singing voice is the most beautiful thing in the world to a child. Our Mini Maestros teachers don’t mind if carers sing out of tune, it’s more about having a go and joining in the fun with the group. Carers will never be put on the spot to have to sing on their own. It will only ever be as part of a group or to encourage their own child to sing too.
Our babies’ classes are geared towards helping carers learn a repertoire of songs, rhymes and movement activities to follow up at home with their babies. All our activities will support various aspects of your baby’s development such as language acquisition, auditory processing, gross motor skills, focusing and socialisation. By participating in our classes you will learn and practise activities to make music part of daily life for you and your baby, and you will learn to notice small but important progress in your baby’s development.
The social element of our classes, for parents and carers as well as the children, cannot be underestimated. Our classes are an opportunity for you to meet other families with similar-aged children in your local area. Many of our classes are held near parks and cafes which provide great opportunities for a play or catch-up after the lesson. Also, sharing the developmental experience with other parents and carers is a wonderful way of marking your child’s progress and understanding how children can have different learning styles.
Our class timetable is based on our years of experience knowing what fits best with sleep times and attention spans. We’ll work with you to find out what best suits your circumstances.
It is very common for children to be shy when introduced to a new situation. There are many new things for children to absorb and become familiar with – the venue, other children, the teacher, sights, sounds and routines. Most children will take small steps over their first 3 weeks until they are participating more fully in classes by Week 3 or 4. Some children can be reluctant to join in until they feel confident they won’t make a mistake in front of others. Some children are ‘onlooker learners’ which means they will seem to be passively observing activities in class, but will happily perform what they have absorbed when they are in their own familiar environment such as at home or in the car. Mini Maestros teachers recognise that children learn in different ways and we are very used to accommodating all types of learners.
This is a normal reaction for many children. They may become clingy and ask to be picked up or carried for all of the movement activities. This is quite all right for the first few weeks, and then you can gently start to encourage your child to join in on their own. Generally it takes a few weeks for a new child to settle into the program. Whilst the older children will develop independence in class, the role of carers in the 5-15 months and 1-2 year old groups remains very hands on as the very young children work with their carers throughout each lesson.
Children need time to settle into a new environment and situation. Each lesson begins with the same welcome song so that children know what to expect when they arrive each week. Activities are repeated for a number of lessons across each term so that sessions always include some familiar material, helping children feel confident in the classes.
Mini Maestros aims to ensure everyone can fully participate in and enjoy their class in an appropriate learning environment. Please switch off your mobile phone before the class commences and please refrain from chatting to other adults during the class. Children find it difficult to know what to listen to and tune into if there are multiple conversations going on at once. It is also difficult for the teacher to talk over adults’ conversations in class.
While the class is underway we aim for the most supportive learning environment and ask that parents and carers do not talk between themselves. Before and after class is a very different situation and parents and carers enjoy catching up! Our teachers see that just by coming each week parents and carers get to know each other and relationships build. As the children make new friends, so do the adults. It’s great for new parents and carers to come to class and meet other like-minded people who see the value in music.
This is very common and entirely normal in the first few classes, particularly for children who have recently started walking. Your child is not being a nuisance and other parents who have been coming for longer will understand that all children need a couple of weeks to settle in. Young children need to be able to explore the room and check things out so that they become familiar with their surroundings. They will soon realise that all the fun is happening in the circle with the props and instruments, and will join in more each week. All children need to be allowed time and space to wander. There will be no need to chase your child and try and bring them back to the activity – this will only turn it into a game – instead, we use gentle encouragement for children to come back into the circle to engage in the activities.
If your child cries in class and is not easily comforted, try sitting and watching the session from the side of the room. Sometimes it will be necessary to take your child outside for a minute or two to recover. If your child is not settling after a few weeks, please discuss this with the teacher so that you can work out a strategy together.
As many children have extreme food allergies, food and drinks are strictly not permitted in class or in the classroom.
Getting to classes with young children on time can sometimes be challenging. If you are ever running late for class it’s best to remain calm and not let your child know that there is an issue. Your child will simply enter the class and participate as normal if they believe that nothing is out of the ordinary.
Young children don’t yet have the language skills or the emotional maturity to articulate their feelings. Sometimes if things don’t go their way or if they are having a bad day, they will express themselves physically and may take things out on their carer or even other children. Any incident of physical aggression in Mini Maestros classes is unacceptable and needs to be addressed immediately by the child’s carer. We request that the carer of a child that is physically aggressive towards another child take their child out of the room for a few minutes to explain that their behaviour is not acceptable. Bring them back into the classroom when they have calmed down and have agreed to be kind to their Mini Maestros friends.
If your enrolled child or any other person who comes with your child to class has, or you have, a temperature, runny nose, productive cough, conjunctivitis, diarrhoea, or unexplained rash, please do not bring them to class.
The Government legislation that requires children to be immunised before they can enrol in early childhood services does not apply to Mini Maestros. Nevertheless, for the safety of our students, carers (some of whom may be pregnant) and young babies present in class, we recommend that students be immunised in accordance with Health Department guidelines.
The occasional photo or video may be taken in class provided the privacy of all other persons in class is respected. If your photo or video inadvertently includes the image of another child please do not share the photo or image without the consent of the carer of that other child. Taking more than the occasional photo or video is not permitted as it is an intrusion and contrary to an effective learning environment. Videos or recordings of more than one or two items in class are not permitted and constitute a breach of copyright.
Mini Maestros classes allow very young children to learn in a social setting. Babies and toddlers will learn by watching others and will join in when they are developmentally ready. Our classes include traditional songs and rhymes as well as lesser known repertoire and songs that have been specifically written for the program with particular developmental outcomes in mind. There are many reasons why the traditional songs and rhymes still hold up today including that they help develop children’s speech, listening and language. Even if you already know a song or rhyme, it is the way that the song or rhyme is presented that delivers the necessary developmental outcomes. The social setting also helps prepare children for childcare, kinder and school. Children and parents or carers make new friends with whom they may attend Mini Maestros classes for a number of years.
Music Album Downloads
The Mini Maestros ‘Rock and Rhyme’ Music Album Download is purchased as part of a full enrolment in the 6-15 (or 6-24) months age group, the Mini Maestros ‘Jiggle and Giggle’ Music Album Download is purchased as part of a full enrolment in the 1-2 years age group, the Mini Maestros ‘Walk and Talk’ Music Album Download is purchased as part of a full enrolment in the 2-3 (or 2-4) years age group, and the Mini Maestros ‘Sing and Swing’ Music Album Download is purchased as part of a full enrolment in the 3-4 years age group. Each of these Music Album Downloads is also available to purchase from the Mini Maestros online shop on minim-new.wearebuilding.net
A link to your Music Album Download is emailed to you as soon as payment for a full enrolment has been entered on your child’s file in our system.
Please carefully follow the instructions in the Music Album Download email.
As downloading music tracks to a computer and then copying them to a mobile phone or other device is now common-place, we suggest you Google your query, including in your search the kind of device or devices you want to play the tracks on.
As downloading music tracks and copying them to a mobile phone or other device is now common-place, we suggest you Google your query, including in your search the kind of device or devices you want to play the tracks on.
We do not recommend this unless you are familiar with downloading and opening zipped music files directly to your mobile device (eg using WinZip).
You can download the music album from the link in your download email twice.
Yes. Please contact your local owner/operator (whose details are in all the enrolment emails you will have received from us) to request that the link be resent to you.
The same as if you had purchased a CD and then lost it, you will need to purchase another. Music Album Downloads can be purchased from the Mini Maestros online shop at minim-new.wearebuilding.net
Ask your teacher to check your child’s file to confirm:
- that a download was purchased;
- that you have made payment;
- that the email has been sent; and
- whether or not a download has been made from the email.
If the email has been sent then please contact the owner/operator of your classes (details in all enrolment emails that you have received from us) or Head Office so that we can check:
- that your email address on file is correct; and
- that you have not unsubscribed to our emails.
Please also check your junk folder. We suggest you whitelist minimaestros.com.au, ie. you add the domain “minimaestros.com.au” to your safe senders list.
Please make sure you have whitelisted the domain name minim-new.wearebuilding.net in your email account (see below). Once this has been done we will resend the download email to you.
If you purchase a CD in addition to the Download, the CD costs $4.
Please contact your local owner/operator (whose details are in all the enrolment emails you will have received from us) to check your file details if a Music Album Download email has not been received or if you would like to purchase a CD in addition to the Download.
Lessons On-Demand (Online Courses)
Lessons On-Demand are very similar to our in-person classes except that you are in the comfort of your own home. Provided you have assembled the home-sourced instruments we suggest for each lesson, each parent or carer and child will be able to participate in the activities just as they normally would. Just like our normal classes, our Lessons On-Demand create an education time and space for parent or carer and child. Like our regular classes and unlike TV programs, our Lessons On-Demand are designed for a parent or carer and child to participate in together and they will give both parent or carer and child the knowledge and confidence to extend and enjoy the activities beyond the screen.
New customers, including those living outside Australia, can purchase Lessons On-Demand directly from our Online School.
We recommend existing customers who have attended local classes contact their local Maestro to purchase Lessons On-Demand and keep up to date with local events or you can purchase directly from our Online School.
The email address you enter upon purchase will be used to create your account. You will be prompted to create a password for your account and will be sent an email asking you to confirm your account. Once confirmed you’ll be able to log into our school with your new account and access your new course and the lessons as they are made available week by week. If you already have an account with teachable.com, you’ll have to enter your email address and click Continue.
You will be emailed a link to log in to our Online School. Log in requires the email address associated with your enrolment and a password which we will provide. All lessons can be accessed in our Online School using that log on and are made available week by week during the teaching term.
There is a course of 10 Lessons On-Demand for each of 4 teaching terms for each of our 5 age groups. If you have received Lessons On-Demand as part of your enrolment in an in-person class, then you will receive the appropriate course of 10 Lessons On-Demand.
If you are purchasing Lessons On-Demand directly from our Online School, you will be guided on which course of 10 lessons you should start with.
The lessons can be watched at any time that suits after they have been released at the beginning of each week during the teaching term.
All age groups will require:
- A shaking instrument (DIY examples include a jar or container filled with rice or buttons)
- A tapping instrument (DIY examples include two wooden spoons to tap together (claves substitute) or an upside down pot or plastic container that you can tap with a wooden spoon (drum substitute))
- A small floaty piece of material for children to shake, wave and play peekaboo with.
Looking for inspiration for homemade instruments? Click here. Or buy some instruments from our shop ahead of time.
Additional props and materials for each lesson will be listed in our online school and will always be based on common items that can be found in the home.
As many times as you like. Your child may need time and repetition to adjust to the online lesson environment. You don’t need to do the whole lesson start to finish in one go. You can do a little bit, pause and then go back to it. The lessons contain fantastic material for you as carer to learn at home so you may prefer to watch some of the activities yourself and then do them with your child separately, away from the screen. You can also enjoy the lesson as a whole family, with siblings (and grandparents!) participating alongside your child.
You can watch your Lessons On-Demand on any device that has internet access, eg mobile phone, tablet or computer. See below for what you need to be able to watch it on your TV.
Our online school can be accessed on a computer, tablet or phone.
Want to step it up and have it on your TV? It’s really simple. All you need is an adapter cable from your phone to your TV.
For iPhones or iPads: get a Lightning to HDMI adapter. These can be purchased from electronics retailers such as JB Hi-FI or online (eg eBay and Kogan). Simply plug it into your phone, plug an HDMI cable from your TV into the adaptor and away you go. It’s best to have your charger plugged into the adapter too. Using this method also means you won’t have image delays (as can happen with mirroring) or the need to type in a long URL. These cables are fantastic; basically, whatever is on your phone screen appears on your TV. As well as watching our online classes you can look at all your personal photos and videos on your phone directly on your TV. Even your Facebook feed – amazing!
For Android phones – the various Android brand phones are all different, but an adaptor from phone to HDMI, and thus to your TV, is available for all and the most robust option. Just ask your retailer which is appropriate for your phone. You can also use Smart View and mirror your screen, but this can create image delays depending on modems and internet speed, so the recommendation is to use an HDMI phone adaptor and HDMI cable.
For laptop/computer – connect it directly to your TV with a HDMI cable. If it is an older device you may need an adapter specific for your device. For this, you will need to do your own research as devices vary.
There are other ways to stream from devices to TV’s but they are complicated and potentially frustrating if you are not familiar with Chromecast, Apple Play etc. The simplest approach is to get an HDMI adaptor for your phone and you’ll never look back. It’s quite amazing to have all the content on your phone available on your TV screen!
Other Resources
On enrolling for the first time in Mini Maestros you will receive our At Home Educational Activities E-Pack. This bonus pack of music-based activities, insights and digital files will allow you to try out some of our learning activities at home (explaining how to do the activity at home, how we do it in class and the developmental benefits of the activity) and find out what to expect in class (including learning milestones to look out for and issues around adapting to the classroom environment).
You can also download the Mini Maestros app from your app store. Our customer app is a complimentary app for parents or carers with children enrolled in Mini Maestros classes. It contains useful links and information and facilitates interaction with the Mini Maestros community.
