The Music Education Program for Children!

As facilitators from the Kiddi Beat Moreleta-team, we would firstly like to thank all our devoted parents (both moms AND dads!) for giving their children the opportunity to simultaneously develop through music, and develop a love for music. Thank you also for the great Kiddi Beat programme – especially programme 5! It is such fun presenting hours of the writers’ hard work and creativity!

It is with extreme excitement that we are taking the second term-bull, by its horns (that is, music horns!). We are looking forward to our annual concert, which will be in the form of a winter’s concert this year. It will involve all the Moreleta Kiddi Beatstudio children – and what better day to have this concert than on the 16th of June, Youth day! What makes this year’s concert out of the ordinary is that it will have a dual purpose – firstly, to show the studio-parents what we have been doing during classes the first half of 2007 (and not forgetting that it is also entertaining for the grandparents!). Secondly, it will serve as an open-day for all the parents of the Kiddi Beat crèche-children.

Other activities that is planned for this term, is another open-day. This day will take place at the Moreleta studio, 994 Wekker Street, on the 19th of May, and the focus group will be the little babies. Therefore, we invite all parents with babies between the ages of 3 months and 12 months to come and participate in this fun-filled day. For more information about this event, please contact:

Margriet van Zyl +2783 276 4603
Christelle van der Watt +2772 483 2198
Estelle van Heerden +2784 775 6866.

In closing these notes, the Moreleta-team would like to encourage not only Kiddi Beat-parents, and Kiddi Beat-kids, but also the facilitators. There are no words for describing the influences on, and meaning in, the children’s lives you work with. Please read through the following appreciative words (Afrikaans) of one parent whose child’s life was touched by Kiddi Beat (but had to move because of job responsibilities):

Beste Kiddi Beat-tannies,
Met al die opgewondenheid wat saam met ons groot skuif gepaard gaan, is daar ongelukkig ook die minder aangename dinge. Een hiervan is al die ‘totsiense’.

Aan die begin van die jaar toe ons moes besluit aan watter aktiwiteite ons kind gaan deelneem, was dit so amper of ons het haar nie ingeskryf vir Kiddi Beat nie, bloot vanwee finansiële oorwegings. My argument was dat ekself haar genoeg blootstel aan musiek en dat my beursie sonder nog ‘n addisionele aktiwiteit kan doen. Moderskap hou my egter nederig en ek het na die eerste les besef dat ek (weereens) verkeerd was. My kind kon nie uitgepraat raak oor alles wat sy in Kiddi Beat gedoen en geleer het nie.

‘Kiddi Beat-aande’ word daar in detail en met blink ogies gesing, verduidelik en gewys wat geleer is. Dis vir my wonderlik om nie net die direkte terugvoer (wat altyd positief is) te beleef nie, maar om ook my kind se ingesteldheid teenoor musiek waar te neem. Klassieke musiek word uitgebeeld met grasieuse bewegings en kontemporêre musiek word erg ritmies met (soms skreeusnaakse) ruk en rol bewegings uitgevoer. Haar verbeelding neem vrye teuels en ‘n kombersie oor haar skouers word ‘n vlinder se vlerkies of ‘n haarborsel/pen/lepel word as mikrofoon aangewend terwyl sy uit volle bors saam sing.

Ek staan verstom oor die hoeveelheid liedjies wat julle vir kinders van haar ouderdom in so kort tydjie leer, om nie eens van die ooorspornklike bewegings en leersaamheid van die liedjies te praat nie. Ek het vinnig tot die besef gekom dat Kiddi Beat eintlik Kiddi Fun moes gewees het, aangesien dit PRET is, leer op ‘n prettige manier en gooi so koppie ritme in, ‘n absolute wenresep!

Baie dankie vir julle uiters positiewe insette in my kind se lewe. Ek wens julle die beste toe en glo julle gaan nog baie kinders se lewens verryk met julle program, maar veral jul manier van doen!

Let this be an inspiration to all our Kiddi Beaters!!!!!! Have a warm, fun-filled winter – remember to sing, dance and play yourselves warm on those freezing winter mornings!

Be blessed!
Kiddi Beat Moreleta-team