Kindermusik helps your preschooler distinguish between sounds, instruments, and language.

Musical Parenting Tip:  Notice & classify sounds with your preschooler.

Why?

• Listening to different timbres while playing various musical instruments allows children to learn to attend to relevant sounds and match these sounds to a specific instrument. 
• Preschoolers can then begin to code, sort, and categorize sounds according to timbre.  Activities in which children identify, compare and analyze sound qualities of instruments help children to develop auditory discrimination skills. 

How?

• Log into your Kindermusik @ Home account, and take your child on a trip to Grandpa's Farm!  Be sure to include some vocal play, as you imitate each of the animals you see :) 
• Cue up  On the Farm (from the ‘All Around the Farm’ CD).  Choose sounds from around your house to represent each animal (could be traditional musical instruments, or just some stuff from the kitchen that makes sound when you tap/shake it).  Have fun listening for the identifying timbre of each animal sound, and play along with the corresponding instrument! 
• Have a family dance party to the songs There Ain't Nobody Here But Us Chickens, and I am Rooster.  Be sure to talk to your chicken & rooster friends, while you dance.
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Want to Learn More?

• To learn the ways that musical instruments are classified by professional musicians and music scholars, check out this slideshare, featuring traditional ‘families of the orchestra,’ as well as the more current ‘Hornbostel/Sachs’ classifications.
• On our blog, read how our Kindermusik games dealing with timbre & auditory discrimination can help your child's readiness for school!