Fun Stuff!

A Favorite Show

“Kindness Counts”

In this new era of smart phone technology, it is more important than ever to teach our little ones how to make good choices, how to be a good friend, read body language, and identify emotions using their words.  This fun and interactive program is lively, funny and full of surprises!


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Cole the Stinky Dog

 

 © Caryn B. Davis Photography


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Teacher

Music with Margie ™ is a “joy-based” early childhood music & movement program rooted in the knowledge that children learn best through play, in an environment of safety, humor, and love. By using music as a tool, information learned is also retained longer. (Do you sing your ABC’s when filing paperwork alphabetically?) With parents, caregivers, or teachers acting as role models, we sing & dance our way through “the stuff of life”. This multi-sensory program begins in September with a “getting to know you” class, and then begins to build skills on a weekly or bi-weekly basis, in order for children to reach developmental goals they need to enter kindergarten. Every month the “Margie Bag” is filled with “hands-on” items for the children to play with, such as beanbags, scarves, puppets, or instruments. Since I believe we are born “wired” to learn musically, it’s no surprise that, by June, their attention to task has increased, and they have learned the concepts of calendar, seasons, numbers, colors, shapes, phonics, spatial orientation, as well as improvements in fine & gross motor and communication skills. Literacy skyrockets! And we had FUN! Because music reduces stress and is non-judgmental, it allows children of all personalities to learn at their own pace in a mixed-age environment and no “forced participation”, which is especially helpful with shy children. Even the grown-ups find it freeing! 

 ...So, I laugh when people ask if I teach music. The simple answer is “no”. It is so much more. 

For more about developmental music, please click on the following link entitled, “The Importance of Developmental Music for Young Children

Through a multi-sensory approach - the singing of songs, the telling of stories, the reciting of rhymes, finger plays and gestures, body movements, and the playing of instruments - Margie engages the Even Start children and parents in enjoyable activities that support the children's early language and literacy development.  --Maureen, Dir. Even Start Program in New London


I have always been fascinated by bugs, insects, and all things in nature. Kids have a natural curiosity that needs to be encouraged early on. I grew up near a pond, so every spring we would be busy collecting tadpoles to watch them turn into frogs, caterpillars turning to butterflies, and jars of lightening bugs to brighten our evening cookouts. My mom would take great joy in our dirty knees and faces, and our laughter proved her priorities were in order if there were dirty dishes in the sink and happy children finger-painting in the dining room. She was always suspicious of housewives with immaculate homes! -Margie


Tips for a Successful Circle Time!

  • Do include mixed ages. Older children provide a behavior model for younger ones, and shy 5-year-olds feel more comfortable with 4-year-olds.
  • Do sit on the floor "criss-cross applesauce" in a big circle so that everyone can see, and no one gets a "front row" seat or special treatment.
  • Do have the children wear nametags. The program is highly interactive and calling on them by name helps me get them really involved!
  • Do remove a child who is having a temper tantrum – it is upsetting to the other students. (However, I do not consider enthusiastic laughter and dance disruptive!)
  • Do participate on the floor with us – it shows the children what to do and it's more fun than you think! You also serve as “home-base” for a distracted child.
  • Do stick to the routine-children love it: Hello, What are we going to do today? Then do exactly that, making sure circle includes a finger play, a stretch & dance half way through, and wind down to a story-song, follow-up/review, and a good-bye song!

See Calendar for complete school listings and details!

About Fees: Each venue is different, so I like to talk with each client individually to come up with a fee that makes sense within their budget. Fees for residencies can range from $100.00-$200.00 per session, depending on frequency, distance and class size. Please call the office to discuss. (860) 526-5794. Thank you!