Transitional Ages and Stages
How do I know if my child is ready for the next class level?
The Kindermusik philosophy springs from genuine respect for each child's individual rate of development. Class activities and at-home materials are designed to honor, support and celebrate the wonderful uniqueness of each child. Classes have overlapping age ranges to help parents accommodate their child's own needs.
If your child is near a transitional stage, the following guidelines may help your decision.
Moving from Village to Our Time - Children ready for this next level show many of the following characteristics:
Physical
- Improved walking skills, feet are together, knees flexible (vs. the "just walker" who has a wide-based, legs apart gate with locked knees)
- Beginning to imitate/explore a variety of traveling movements -- run, jump, leap
- Improved walking skills, feet are together, knees flexible (vs. the "just walker" who has a wide-based, legs apart gate with locked knees)
- Beginning to imitate/explore a variety of traveling movements -- run, jump, leap
Cognitive
- Reliably point to correctly identified body parts
- Can follow two-step direction
- Understands what "one" means (vs. a handful)
- Learning to use toys and objects in symbolic ways (moving beyond just enjoyment of sensory properties)
- Can interact in a directed activity
- Able to shift attention with transition
- Connects to an activity; initiates a play sequence
- Reliably responds to own name (refers to self by name in secure environments)
- Reliably point to correctly identified body parts
- Can follow two-step direction
- Understands what "one" means (vs. a handful)
- Learning to use toys and objects in symbolic ways (moving beyond just enjoyment of sensory properties)
- Can interact in a directed activity
- Able to shift attention with transition
- Connects to an activity; initiates a play sequence
- Reliably responds to own name (refers to self by name in secure environments)
Emotional
- Uses gestures and language to deal with frustration (as opposed to just crying or whining)
- Sustains interest and attention in activity for several minutes (Note: not wanting to give something up, such as bells or sticks, can be a sign of maturation)
Language
- Can express wants and needs symbolically (gestures, words)
- Has vocabulary of 20 words; receptive language is still stronger than expressive
- Reading with caregiver becomes cooperative. Child will select book, sit, relate to the story and interact
Social
- Interested in what other children are doing
- Capable of distal communication (i.e. following verbal instructions from farther away)
- Interested in what other children are doing
- Capable of distal communication (i.e. following verbal instructions from farther away)
Musical
- Moves to music, perhaps to steady beat
- Moves to music, perhaps to steady beat
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