You Are Welcome Here

Here at Song of the Heart Studios it is our mission to be the place where hearts sing and children flourish. We hold values that guide everything we do as we bring an exemplary Kindermusik experience to you and your children. Those values are Joy, Connection, Growth, Heart, and Family. As we focus on our values, strive towards our mission, and deliver our curriculum, we hope that each and every one of you feels seen, valued, appreciated, and wanted.

Our world is a diverse place, but our society has never been fully inclusive of that diversity.  As our broader society is going through growing pains in trying to build a more inclusive culture, we are joining that journey. Song of the Heart Studios and our JOY Team are committed to welcoming the diversity of families that come to experience the gift of Kindermusik.

As we commit to being an inclusive studio and work towards that goal we hope that YOU and YOUR family will feel welcome here.

Come, come, whoever you are-

You are welcome here!

No matter your age, your size,

the color of your eyes,

your hair, your skin –

you are welcome here!

No matter how you came here,

if you came alone, or with others –

you are welcome here!

No matter whom you love,

how you speak,

or whatever your abilities –

you are welcome here!

Whether you come with laughter in your heart,

or tears in your eyes –

you are welcome here!

~Melanie Morel-Ensminger

 

The Urgency of Embracing Diversity in Early Childhood

By Sarah Farzam

The first seven years of childhood development are the most critical, and set so many things in motion for the future. However, development extends far beyond literacy and motor skills. Early cognitive strides include some pretty deep revelations like diversity recognition and cultural acceptance.

So, how can we jumpstart those social-emotional skills and help our little ones celebrate diversity?

Recognize the shift towards Bilingualism

Both the 2020 Super Bowl and the Oscars were proof that the future is bilingual. The Super Bowl halftime performance resulted in mixed feelings among viewers, which may have overshadowed that the majority of the show was in Spanish. At the Oscars, the winning film for best picture was entirely in Korean.

In fact, in the next 25 years, the United States will be a “majority-minority” country, fueling the need to know more than one language to compete in a global job market. Who will be the newbies in that job market? Our children.

Four easy ways to explore diversity with children

Now is the time to embrace all the many ways our world is melding together while highlighting the beauty of cultural differences.

Here are four simple activities you can do with little ones to boost their understanding of diversity:

  1. Make a new ethnic dish or get takeout from a restaurant (better yet, visit one as they reopen and it’s safe for your family). Seek out different multicultural cuisines that your kiddos haven’t tried. Before you go, consider checking out a virtual book from the library to read with your children about the country of origin.
  2. Regularly play music in another language. You can incorporate it into your everyday playlists and even add bilingual lullabies to your nighttime routines.
  3. Expose young children to pictures, videos, and sounds of various cultures around the world. Three Easy Ways to Explore Diversity with Children
  4. In the future, plan to attend multicultural events in your community, which may spark friendships with bilingual families. When children interact with people who communicate in another language, you’d be surprised how quickly they pick up on the vocabulary!

These efforts just require a little intention. Your kiddos will be excited to try and experience new things!

-Reposted from Kindermusik International