Candy Mountain Music Classes

So, my son is not very good at sitting still. At all. He hates it in fact. He is also not the best at following along with classes that involve sitting still. We have had to leave many a music class, or art class, or storytime. But, I heard about these great classes run by a local mom. So, I tried them out last winter. And, boy am I glad I did!

The classes are held at Baby Moon, which is off of Richmond Road in a brown wooden building that screams 70s. The room where the classes are held is a large open room. Which is great because there isn't too much that they can get into. It is also great because the kids can move around a bit during class. My son often walks around during class, especially if he is getting a bit overwhelmed. Sometimes he stands by the bathroom. Sometimes he stands next to the air conditioner. And, both are a-okay. There is a bathroom in the back of the classroom, but it does not have a changing table.

The classes run 45 minutes and you sign up on the Baby Moon website for a month long session ($45 for 4 sessions). They also have special one time classes you can do to see if you like it ($12-$14 per class). And, these classes are so worth the money. Each month has a different theme and every class is different. Last winter, we listened to jazz and classical music, had book-themed classes, had a huge indoor "snowball" fight, and played with drums and guitars. There are portions of each class that are more structured and some parts that the kids are free to move as they please, which is awesome for my dude. Even though the structured parts are not his favorite, he gets better at focusing and sitting still for those parts as the classes go on. Of course, he loves the free time part. And, each class ends with free play of instruments and bubbles.

Miss Sarah is really amazing at reading the class and adjusting for the kids. Teaching a room of 10-12 children under 4 is not easy. At all. But, she does so with such ease. You can tell that she puts a lot of time into coming up with a class that is engaging and interesting. She also really plans how the energy changes through the class. She never gets the kids all crazy from dancing and then expects them to sit still. In fact, she explains when she is shifting down a notch in energy and plans the last few activities to calm the kids before leaving. But, my favorite part of Miss Sarah is that she goes with the flow. As, I mentioned, my son is often walking around the room or standing around the corners. He isn't the kid sitting quietly listening. But, this doesn't mean that he isn't paying attention or getting anything from her. And, she understands this. She allows kids to be who they are. She understands that sometimes you cannot tell how much they take in until later, when you go home and find them dancing to similar music or asking for certain songs to be sung again. She really just understands kids. And, that is really hard to find. And, really special.

So, please support a local mom and attend some Candy Mountain Classes. They are a really special time to bond with your kiddo and try some new things. And, maybe we will get to see you there. We will be the ones standing near the air conditioner taking it all in.