AW Spotlight
Miami Kids Music – Breaking Down Barriers with Music
By Krista Martinelli
How do you fully engage babies, two-year-olds, moms and dads in one activity? At Miami Kids Music, now offering their “Music Together” classes at Temple Beth Torah and Fame Dance Studio in Wellington, the answer is easy – music! When you look at a class in action, all you see is fun. But according to Director Missy K. Smith, there’s a lot of learning and development going on – and it’s all research-based.
Music Together relies upon its lab school in Princeton, New Jersey, where musical activities are taught to over 300 children, to continue the high quality of research and development expected of their musical program. Before each 10-week session, the Music Visit this page for a short Music Together video clip.
Now serving 2000 communities in over 25 countries, Music Together’s early childhood music program supports the natural bonding experience between parents and children, connecting families and communities across the globe as they express and explore the basic human instinct for making music.
In the 45-minute class that I enjoyed sitting in on at Temple Beth
Torah in Wellington, they incorporated songs from all over the world, giving an international flavor to the rhythms introduced and a sense of world culture, even to the students as young as two months old. Hey parents – for a fun game with your young children, visit this songbook page at Music Together’s site and have your kids guess the main instrument playing.
“It’s all about family music-making,” says Smith. “We are a non-performance oriented program, focused on the special bonds that music creates within a family.” The Music Together classes, available for babies through 4-year-olds, teach skills that translate well into many other areas. Their students tend to excel in dance, language, musical instruments and many other arts.
“We are teaching families not to be consumers of music, but participants,” explains Smith. “Parents are encouraged to take out the pots and pans and make some “music” with their kids. Too often parents make the mistake of turning on the TV at home, when they could be interacting with their children. The Music Together families take their music with them throughout their daily routine, or even when riding on a long car trip. Parents are encouraged create a lullaby time with their children. There’s something so special about having your child sit in your lap, as you’re singing a lullaby – something that cannot be replaced by listening to CDs or watching a TV program.
The young students love the fact that their parents are with them, connecting during the class and vice versa. Cell phones are off, and parents are on the floor, eye to eye with their children.
Speech therapists are quite fond of the Music Together program and they recommend their young clients who are struggling with speech issues. Smith explains that she has had a number of parents tell her that their child has “sung sounds which they have never before been able to speak.” The music has the power to override the barriers in language. By singing words first, even before being able to say them, kids progress toward language skills. It’s always exciting when a young student begins talking, as a result of singing songs together in class.
The class is a total immersion in music where even the instructions
are sung, not spoken. According to Smith, “During the class, the greatest gift parents give their kids is to sing, play and let down their walls.” Parents really see a difference in their children at the end of a ten-week class. The final class is more of a celebration than a performance, where they sing their favorite songs and add in every child’s favorite thing… bubbles!
For students, parents and the teacher, the experience looks like pure joy. The feeling of moving to the music – dancing, clapping, using instruments and singing along with kids becomes effortless after a while, and the room is filled with smiles. It’s 45-minutes of fun that everyone looks forward to. Miami Kids Music always offers a FREE trial class. Just email or call Missy Smith ahead of time (miamikidsmusic@aol.com or 561-747-3637) to arrange for the class, and don’t forget to mention AroundWellington.com! See the brief video below or click on our “Videos” page for another video of the class in action.
About the Instructor
Melissa K. Smith has a musical theatre performance background with a Bachelor of Fine Arts from the University of Florida. She has been singing and studying music, theatre, and voice since the age of nine. She laughs, “I was the middle sister in a family of an older brother and then three younger sisters. So naturally I was starved for attention. I was always the one posing dramatically for a photo…musical theatre came naturally.” After spending four years working and studying as an actress and singer in New York City, “Missy” moved back to Florida and in 1993 received Certification from Barry University in Early Childhood Education. After spending eight years in Miami developing and teaching the Music Together program there, Missy returned to Palm Beach County and is happy to be offering Music Together to her families in BOTH the Miami and Palm Beach County areas! Missy is a Certified Level I Music Together Teacher. She is the mother of a twelve-year-old girl and an eighteen-year-old boy. She looks forward to sharing her experience with a new generation of those who can appreciate the power and beauty of music – together!
About the Classes at Temple Beth Torah and Fame Dance Studio
Thanks to a great connection with Temple Beth Torah, Smith was invited to teach the Music Together classes in their library, where many kids’ activities are held. “It’s a wonderful relationship with the Temple,” says Smith. FAME Dance & Performing Arts Studios, located at 3080 Fairlane Farms Rd, Suite 4 in Wellington, has proven to be another terrific venue for the music classes. See the schedule of local classes on their website- (scroll down).
Musical Birthday Parties
If you think the classes are fun, just wait until you experience a Music Together birthday party! Miami Kids Music/ Music Together 
comes right to you for a fun, musical celebration! They combine singing, dancing, instrument and prop play and a rousing “Happy Birthday” finale. Your child, friends, and family will play, laugh, sing and help honor this special day in a very special way! (Music Together® is a mommy and me-type class, therefore, please let your guests know that Moms, Dads, Grandmas, Grandpas and anyone else who loves your child, will be expected to participate, as well.) INDOOR parties only (unfortunately, it is too difficult vocally and distraction-wise if the party is held outdoors). “All we need is a rug and a plug….we bring our instruments.” Shaker eggs are provided as a party favor from Miami Kids Music! For more information, call (561) 747-3637.
Miami Kids Music
Offering Music Together Classes
Serving Palm Beach County and Dade County
With Two Locations in Wellington, FL
(561) 747-3637
