Early Childhood Music Lessons & Classes
At the Dennis Frayne Music Studios, we offer a wholesome variety of Early Childhood Music Education opportunities, including Elementary & General Music, Piano Preparatory & Pre-piano, and Music Instrumental or Piano “Mommy & Me” (“Parent & Me”).
We teach students of all ages, including the very youngest. Children can start music lessons - including piano lessons - at any age!
We also host FREE! Music Playdates in the Parks, on most Wednesday and Saturday mornings, at locations throughout South Orange County (Aliso Viejo, Dana Point, Ladera Ranch, Laguna Hills, Laguna Niguel, Lake Forest, Mission Viejo, Rancho Santa Margarita, and San Juan Capistrano). Click here for more information and the playdates schedule.
Just passing by to say hi and to let you know that you have an amazing music school, we are amazed at how much our little one has learned and how much he enjoys attending your school. Teachers Miss Suzanne and Mr. Denny are so patient and dedicated. Today my son is practicing with his eyes closed because “it’s different, it’s like magic.”
- Erendira M.
Early Childhood Music Lessons & Classes
Early Childhood Music
Let’s Explore the Options
The FREE! Playdates in the Parks
For families with toddlers who want to participate in outdoor general musical activities while meeting other families, playing with other children, and making friends at the park. Sing, dance, move, make music, and play with musical toys! Click here for more info!
Music Instrumental or Piano “Mommy & Me” (“Parent & Me”)
The parent learns the musical instrument and/or piano. This program is designed for families with children age 0-2. The parent learns to play the musical instrument and/or piano, while the child observes, plays with fine-motor-skills toys close by, and sometimes participates on the instrument or piano, with the parent’s help or even on the parent’s lap. Then the parent and child play together at home!
Piano Preparatory or Pre-piano
For children age 3-5, this program can be private individual lessons or small group lessons. Children are exposed to many musical activities, including playing the piano and other instruments, singing, and movement. They develop early elementary musical skills, gearing up for regular ongoing piano lessons. Children are all different, and at some point each student will be ready to begin regular ongoing piano lessons.
Elementary & General Music
For children age 3-5, this program is similar to piano preparatory or pre-piano, except there is less emphasis on the piano and more emphasis on other instruments and singing. This program is intended supplement and/or help prepare children musically who have expressed strong interest in another instrument or performance art besides piano, such as singing, acting, or dancing, guitar, drumming, wind or brass instruments, recorder, ukulele, or string instruments such as violin.
“Mommy & Me”
(“Parent & Me”)
Music Instrumental and/or Piano
What do parents learn at Music Instrumental and Piano “Mommy & Me”?
In Music Instrumental and Piano “Mommy & Me” (“Parent & Me”) lessons, parents learn to play the piano. Parents are the students, along with their very young children (ages 0-2). Parents learn to play the piano, or other instrument such as violin, along with learning other musical knowledge and skills, and their children learn by watching, listening, playing close by with fine-motor-skills toys, and to the extent possible, participating in the musical learning and activities.
If you are interested in Music Instrumental and/or Piano “Mommy & Me” (“Parent & Me”), it is important to understand that you will be learning to play the piano! Or other musical instrument! And when you bring this learning home, your child can enjoy “practicing” with you, and alongside you!
What do children learn at Music Instrumental and Piano “Mommy & Me”?
To sing tunefully!
To keep a beat, and to move rhythmically!
To gain confidence and to express creatively!
When age and size appropriate, to play the piano (or another musical instrument), too!
The Music and Piano “Mommy & Me” curriculum developed by Dennis Frayne Music Studios and used at the Laguna Niguel School of Music encourages the following musical learning and experiences for young children and their parents (as age and size appropriate):
Children are encouraged to sing, to learn many songs, to “deep-dive” into the songs, and to perform some of the songs in formal and informal settings, including studio recitals. The songs range from popular children’s songs, contemporary pop songs, and traditional folk songs, to folk hymns, patriotic songs, and some Spanish-language songs. The songs are chosen for different reasons - sometimes because they are fun, sometimes because they are educational, or historical, and sometimes because the are tuneful. And, the songs represent the beginner repertoire that students will learn when they take piano lessons (it is a huge benefit for beginning piano and other instrumental students to know the songs they are learning to play on the piano or other instrument).
Children are encouraged to move, to clap, to properly beat drums, tambourines, and xylophones, to dance, and to express creatively with their whole bodies. These movement and rhythmic activities help students develop motor skills and increase self-confidence in expression and in “standing on one’s own two feet.”
Children are encouraged to learn a variety of helpful skills - musical skills, motor skills, and life skills. These skills include learning the alphabet, the music alphabet, solfege syllables (Do Re Mi), numbers and counting, colors, learning left hand from right hand, spatial up and down, left and right, understanding pitch direction, grasping the piano keyboard layout and patterns of white keys and black keys, developing hand and finger independence, catching a ball, learning some Spanish-language words and numbers, and more.
Which program is right for my child?
Children ages 0-2, perhaps age 3 should start with “Mommy & Me” Music Instrumental or Piano.
When ready, students will advance to Pre-piano and then Piano Lessons. Children ages 3-5 (in some cases even age 2) can start on their own, if everyone feels ready. All students (and parent-student pairs) should register for an introductory lesson. At this lesson, students and parents will engage in some musical activities, and possibly learn a song on the piano! This lesson will also provide us an opportunity to determine, with you, the best placement for your child, which might be “Mommy & Me” Music Instrumental or Piano, Pre-piano, or Piano Lessons. For lessons other than “Mommy & Me,” individual private or group instruction may be available. “Mommy & Me” Music Instrumental and Piano is only available as individual private lessons.
Children ages 6+ will start directly in Piano Lessons.
When signing up for an introductory lesson, please be prepared to provide us with your full scheduling availability. This will help us put together the best teacher and the best time slot for you and your family.
Early Childhood Music Education
Piano Preparatory, Pre-piano, and Elementary & General Music
Goals of the Programs
The Early Childhood Music Education programs are designed to encourage and prepare students to sing tunefully, to keep the beat and move rhythmically, to express creatively, to play the piano or another instrument, to make music together and with other people, and to perform music for others.
These skills are developed through active participation in music-learning, music-making, music-listening, fine and gross motor-movement activities, and creative-expressive activities over a period of time, which can span one to four years.
Students also will learn a large repertoire of traditional, historical, and contemporary children’s songs, folk songs, American patriotic songs, holiday songs, folk hymns, folk dances, and some Spanish and other language songs.
Each music class/lesson will facilitate these ten activities and learning objectives:
Introductions, “Hello” song, warm-up activities, stretching, tension-releasing, movement of limbs and fingers.
Vocal warm-ups, singing in head voice, the music alphabet, and solfege.
Singing in preparation for a performance. Song repertoire. Posture and stage presence.
Playing a variety of pitched musical instruments. Piano, ukulele, xylophones, bells, and handbells.
Movement warm-ups. Free and creative expression, experimentation with movement.
Movement in preparation for a performance. Dance repertoire. Posture and stage presence.
Book reading and/or music stories and concepts, active listening and participation.
Keeping the beat: Counting and clapping games, drums and percussion instruments.
Coloring music-themed images with crayons, building blocks, playing catch with balls, and other fine motor skills activities.
Wind down, quiet time, music listening. “Good-bye” song. Students and parents help clean up and put things away.
