Teacher plants a seed of music for preschoolers in Mundelein

Children's music instructor Susan Nierman helped young children test out a trumpet during her hands-on music program at the Fremont Public Library in Mundelein on Thursday.

Ten children were introduced to a variety of musical instruments during "Ms. Sue's Musical Petting Zoo" that included percussion, string and wind instruments.

"You just hope your planting seeds for music," Nierman said as she let the kids play an assortment of instruments. "I have instruments for the children to play so they can see how they sound and how they are put together."

Nierman began her program with animal puppets and relating the sounds they make to the tones of various musical instruments.

Then she let the children explore nearly 100 instruments, including guitars, accordions, drums, bells, violins, saxophones and more.

"I liked playing the guitar because it's really fun and I am really good at it," Kylee Brankin, 5, of Grayslake, said after playing several musical instruments.

At the end of the program, each child was given a kazoo to keep, and Nierman led the group in a symphony of music and noise.