Ryall YMCA, School of Rock offer early music education for kids
The B.R. Ryall YMCA of Northwestern DuPage County has announced a new partnership with the School of Rock-Glen Ellyn to provide the Little Wing Program to children ages 4 to 6.
Little Wing is an early childhood music education program developed by School of Rock. Children learn musical concepts such as pitch, rhythm and song structure through fun activities in a group setting.
They also are taught to recognize the different key instruments that produce the sounds of the music we’re listening to, such as electric guitar, bass guitar, keyboard, vocals and drums.
In addition, Little Wing is designed to encourage key developmental skills — social, gross/fine motor, cognitive and language/literacy skills — so that children grow in many ways.
Music selections used in Little Wing are not the typical nursery rhymes preschoolers learn in school. Instead, the children jam along with classic rock artists such as The Beatles, James Brown and The Who so that they’re experiencing different rock, blues and reggae tempos and rhythms. School of Rock believes “to teach children to love music, we must give them loved music to listen to.”
“Partnering with the School of Rock made sense because both organizations are working toward a common goal of helping youth realize their full potential,” said Lynda Chott, chief executive officer of B.R. Ryall YMCA.
“At the Y, children learn values and positive behaviors and can explore their unique talents and interests, helping make them confident, happy kids. The Little Wing program embraces the same values and beliefs.”
Little Wing will be offered for the first time for the fall 2013 sessions. The Fall 1 session runs Sept. 9 to Oct. 27, and Fall 2 runs Oct. 28 to Dec. 22. Registration is now open for both Y members and nonmembers.
School of Rock will be at the B.R. Ryall YMCA’s Community Cookout from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 21, providing information and class demonstrations.
For information, contact (630) 858-0100 or brryallymca.org.