CHEK Preschool Music and Movement Class
2025-2026 (28 55-minute classes, $10/class, payable for the full year)
Who is your teacher?
Gena Mayo is a homeschooling mom of 8 (ages 24 down to 12), and has a Bachelors degree in Music Education and a Masters degree in Vocal Pedagogy (voice/singing lessons). She is a certified early childhood music and movement instructor through Musikgarten and has taught in-person early childhood classes since 1998.
Who is this class for?
Any preschooler (3, 4, or 5 years old) enrolled at CHEK (Christian Home Educators of Kenosha).
Parent may join the class, but it’s optional. I do need one helper each week, though.
Minimum 5 students, maximum 15 students.
When will it be taught?
It’s a long-running class, so we’ll meet every Friday. There will be 28 class sessions in all for the 2025-2026 co-op year.
The class will be 55 minutes long at 9 a.m., 10 a.m., or 11 a.m. (Scheduling will be finalized during the summer of 2025.)
What will my child do in the class?
In an early childhood music and movement class for preschoolers, the focus is on nurturing a child’s natural musical ability through play, movement, and exploration. The classes are designed to be joyful and engaging while laying a strong foundation for future musical learning. Here’s what a typical class might include:
1. Welcome and Gathering Time
- The class starts with a welcome song to create a sense of routine and community.
- Children greet each other by name through singing, which helps build social skills and musical listening.
2. Movement Activities
- Creative movement using scarves or hoops to explore different ways of moving to music.
- Structured movement games like walking, skipping, jumping, or tiptoeing to different tempos, dynamics (loud/soft), or rhythms.
- Circle dances (often with a parachute) that encourage coordination and cooperation.
3. Rhythm Instrument Exploration
- Hands-on time with simple percussion instruments such as:
- Drums
- Shakers
- Tambourines
- Rhythm sticks
- Children learn to play to different beats, mimic rhythms, and explore sound dynamics.
4. Singing and Vocal Play
- Engaging in simple songs with repetitive patterns to encourage singing along.
- Echo singing and call-and-response games help develop pitch-matching and listening skills.
- Vocal exploration exercises, like making animal sounds, help children discover different vocal ranges.
5. Listening Activities
- Listening to short pieces of classical or folk music.
- Identifying sounds (e.g., high vs. low, fast vs. slow).
- Incorporating storytelling with sound effects to develop auditory discrimination.
6. Musical Storytime
- Using music-themed picture books or stories with songs and sound effects.
- Encourages imagination and connects music to literacy skills.
7. Focused Listening and Relaxation
- Quiet time with soothing music encourages relaxation and mindfulness.
- Helps children learn how to listen attentively and wind down after active play.
8. Pretend Play with Music
- Using music to inspire imaginative role-play (e.g., pretending to be animals or different characters).
- Helps children connect movement and music creatively.
What Skills Are Developed?
- Language Development: Vocabulary growth through songs and stories.
- Musical Skills: Beat, rhythm, pitch matching, and musical memory.
- Motor Skills: Coordination, balance, and gross motor development.
- Cognitive Skills: Listening, memory, and pattern recognition.
- Social-Emotional Skills: Cooperation, sharing, and self-expression.
