LittleStars Music

1. What is LittleStars Music?
LittleStars Music is a music program for children up to the age of 6. It is a child-centred, colourful and fun way to introduce your child to music from a very young age, in an enjoyable and stimulating but structured way.

LittleStars Music is based on the Kodály philosophy: everything starts with singing to develop inner hearing. The children learn through singing, clapping, marching, and playing games, unaware that they are learning core musical concepts such as rhythm, pitch, dynamics and melody. In Finland this method has been a core part of the state music education for more than thirty years and is now an internationally respected way of teaching music to children. Colourstrings has been taught in the UK for almost 20 years and is fast becoming the most popular early years music program taught there.

2. How long are the classes and how do parents participate?
LittleStars Music classes are 30 minutes for babies and children up to 2, and 40 minutes for older children. Parents will be very involved with babies and younger children and enjoy the class almost as much as their little ones! When children get to 3/4 years they can participate on their own.

3. What happens at LittleStars Music classes?
Children will be learning all about key concepts of music through singing, clapping, tapping, marching to the beat, movement, rhymes, playing games and using simple percussion instruments. There's lots of fun and frolics and of course winding down time with teddy at the end!

4. When & Where are the classes?
Classes run Tuesdays or Thursdays all year round in the studios upstairs in Castletroy Shopping centre Limerick. Saturdays classes take place from January to March and at various times during the year. More up-to-date information is posted regularly on the Facebook main page.
Times for Tues & Thurs 2017 are:
AM
10.45-11.15 1-2 years
11.30-12.10 2-3 years
PM
3.00-3.40 3-4 Years
3.50-4.30pm 4-6 Years (Thurs only)

Times for SATURDAYS 2017 in Drumroe student village hall UL, starting Sept 30th:
10.45-11.20am 1-2 years
11.30-12.10pm 2-3 years
12.20-1pm 3-4 years
1.10-1.50pm 4-6 years

5. Is my child learning something different each term?
Yes, each term has a different set of songs, games and skills for children to learn. There are also 3 sets of Colourstrings books and cd's available for each term, which we reuse each year.

6. Who is your teacher?
Sarah O'Kennedy, B.A., H.dip.Ed., ATCL, is a singer and voice coach based in Annacotty. She trained in Colourstrings Kindergarten level in London and is the first in Limerick to teach using the ColourStrings approach.

7. How does LittleStars Music benefit my child?
LittleStars is different in that children will not just be enjoying but also learning all about the key elements of music through a fun and playful environment. Classes involve using most of the senses and ultimately lead to an intrinsic understanding and love of music. Little Stars Music also boosts confidence, aids motor skills and stimulates creativity and imagination. It is an ideal pre-cursor to learning an instrument.

Advance booking essential. Please contact Sarah to make a booking. Family rates available.

Contact: 085-7170729 or sarahokennedy3@gmail.com for more details.

Review: "I attended the Little Stars Music class with my daughter who is 3 years old. The classes were fabulous, as an Occupational Therapist who works with children, I just fell in love with them. Sarah brings so much fun to her music and dance classes and they are packed with cognitive, social, emotional and physical developmental skills for kids. I love the way Sarah’s friend “ickity tickity” sings to welcome each child. Over the weeks my daughter engaged in lovely simple dance activities that were all paired with a simple beat. The dance was great to help with developing physical skills for coordination, spatial awareness and rhythm. Each week Sarah introduces the kids a new short song that often involves an animal like “Frances Drake”. During the songs the children get a chance to learn to clap, use shakers, a drum, and a range of other unique and interesting instruments, and of course to sing. Everything is completed to a simple musical beat such as, 1-2- 3 so that the child regulates their own actions and voice. Sarah’s ability to involve each child at their own level is brilliant. As an OT, I couldn’t help but watch how she promoted active listening and attention skills so naturally. Over the weeks you could see the children’s attention skills developing. In addition to all this, Sarah uses props such as scarves and a giant scrunchy.. of course this is all great fun and paired with beautiful pieces of music suitable for kids. My favourite piece of the class was the closing activity, each week the kids were instructed to choose a lovely big cushion to lie upon, and a little animal teddy to snuggle. Then Sarah played a piece of music while the children lay on their cushion, I watched how she naturally promoted self-regulation, calming and listening skills. Little stars is a fantastic music class and it is great fun for the parents too."
Áine O’Dea
Occupational Therapist MSc. BSc. (hons) OT

*"The contribution that Colourstrings makes to early years' education has been invaluable… The part that Colourstrings will play in the future is of vital importance"
Nicolas Chisholm, former Headmaster, The Yehudi Menuhin School

"Colourstrings is an exceptional method in the training of young musicians and I have yet to experience a more successful approach to developing musicianship, aural awareness and solid musical principles in the very young"
Derek Aviss, Trinity College of Music