Baby & Me

Health benefit: supports normative development and stimulates babies to practice these skills.

Music and movement activities stimulate gross motor skills such as: sitting up, kicking legs, crawling, rolling over, moving/flapping arms, hopping, jumping and dancing. Exploring and playing a variety of music instruments stimulates fine motor skills such as: picking up and setting down an object, and manipulating an object.  

Health benefit: stimulates verbal and nonverbal communication skills.

The group setting gives baby the opportunity to communicate with others through the exchange of facial expression and smiling. The use of the voice is incorporated into any activity through clinical improvisation. For example, if a baby is making a squealing noise, this sound is automatically echoed in the song. Babies will often increase their verbal expression and frequency of facial expressions by the end of a single workshop.

Health benefits: promotes healthy social interaction for baby and peer support for parents 

Health benefit: healthy bonding and attachment contributing to long term healthy emotional development for baby.

Activities are hands on and are structured to required hands on touch, hand-over-hand manipulation, and interaction between caregivers and their baby through movement, playing instruments, singing and touch. Workshops are held in a breastfeeding positive environment so babes can be fed as needed in a safe and comfortable space.  

Health benefit: reduces possible feelings of isolation or loneliness reducing risk of depression for parents.

Parents often share their common experiences of raising children and have formed friendships outside of the class time. Movement and music activities, new songs and singing in rounds can help to stimulate caregivers and be helpful in increasing energy levels and overall mood. The class time helps to structure a caregiver’s day, offering the opportunity for a stress free and comfortable outing. Class leaders take care to learn everyone’s name and send regular reminders about upcoming classes.

Health benefit: increases awareness of body in the context of the environment, develops the ability to discriminate/direct attention toward various stimuli.

Musical activities with instruments or movement stimulate multiple senses at once, such as: visual, auditory, touch and proprioception. This is woven into each experience throughout the entire 45-minute class. 

Health benefit: promotes normative cognitive development.

Musical activities will often include storytelling, counting, naming colours, following instructions, and opposites.