JO JINGLES CLASSES

Parents and carers are encouraged to participate in class by helping their children with the actions and movement and by joining in with the singing.
The more enthusiastic you are the more your child will benefit from, and enjoy the classes. As well as learning to play a range of musical instruments including bells, drums, maracas, tambourines, and claves we also use additional props, including toys, beanbags, wings and streamers.

Baby classes are from 6 months- walking and are a lovely gentle introduction to music, rhythm and gentle movement. Classes last 30 minutes and are informal and relaxing using specific baby instruments and listening to familiar nursery rhymes (perhaps learning the words again for the parent/carer!!), together with songs specifically written for Jo Jingles. The programme will include finger and toe rhymes, and clapping songs, with the babies sitting on laps. We get up and have a dance around with the little ones too - until they get too heavy!!In this class the class leader holds the Jo Jingles doll as her baby showing the parent/carer how to move and participate.

Walking - 2 years classes are 45 minutes of music and movement with two instrument sections. The children are encouraged to listen carefully and learn to stop and start with the music. We use lots of circle songs in our movement sections with familiar songs and special Jo Jingles ones too. With this age group we also have songs on laps, when the children can have a bounce and a cuddle. The routine becomes familiar to the children and the development of basic musical skills is wonderful to watch, helped by the constant guidance, encouragement and enthusiasm of the carer.

2 - 3 years classes are 45 minutes and often have a weekly theme such as colours, numbers, and the farm, which the children enjoy getting involved in. Visuals are used to help the children understand. The children are more confident with the playing of the instruments and more difficult ones such as triangles are introduced at this stage. We practise playing loud and soft and fast and slow and the children's listening skills develop enormously. Action and movement songs can be more varied. We love dancing, and practising our jumping! Social and language skills develop along with the music skills... All whilst having great fun!!

3 - 5 years classes are 45 minutes following the same format as the previous classes but children are now able to concentrate well, and a short section is included each week when we look at, for example, notation, rhythm, pitch and dynamics - in a fun way of course! Instrument playing is more advanced often introducing a second instrument for a section of a song. Each child has his/her own Jo Jingles folder with a homework colouring sheet each week reinforcing learning from that week's lesson.