Music Play at Wee Play

MUSIC PLAY classes are part of an innovative program designed to develop the music potentials of young children. Current research is showing that music is best learned if informal music guidance is begun as early in life as possible. Children may participate in the MUSIC PLAY program from birth through age five.

Each child’s readiness for achievement in later formal music instruction will be enhanced under the guidance of the music teacher. Each child’s natural inclinations for chanting, singing, playing instruments and moving are guided by the teacher as the child progresses through the stages of music development. All MUSIC PLAY classes require that a parent or caregiver participates with the child.

Children and caregivers are informally guided to participate in singing, chanting, movement, and instrument activities. Those activities may become part of the songs and games children love to sing and play at home. In addition, parents and caregivers will be guided in the enhancement of their child’s music development. Songs and chants include a variety of original compositions, folk songs, as well as traditional children’s songs and chants.

Heather M. Smith, Director of MUSIC PLAY, is a former elementary music teacher for the Loudoun County Public Schools and Fairfax County Public Schools. Formerly, she was also the music teacher at the Lake Anne Nursery Kindergarten, and is currently the children’s choir director at St. John Neumann Catholic Church in Reston. She holds Bachelors degrees in Music Education and Voice Performance from the State University of New York at Buffalo, and a Masters Degree in Music Education from the University of South Carolina. She has assisted in numerous early childhood research projects including her Masters thesis project entitled Vocal Responses of Two Infants to Three Criterion Songs. She was also one of six music teachers featured on the PBS Documentary Music Play: Ba Ba, Be-Bop, Beethoven.