This is the second time we've had the chance to review KinderBach -- the first time being on the charter Crew run in 2008-2009. Big Sis was my only real "student" at the time since Lil Sis (now 4) was only a little over a year old and Baby Girl (now 2) was still just a twinkle in her father's eye. Now all three girls are able to enjoy KinderBach! Although Big Sis (10) is older than the typical target age range of 2-7 for KinderBach, she does enjoy helping her sisters with their lessons. My girls all love music so this program is more like fun than schoolwork to them.
We don't own a piano (I wish!), but we do have a small child's keyboard that works sufficiently for the lessons. I've talked about my opinion on the value of music before and I advocate for working it into lessons and daily life however possible. Counting notes equals math lessons. Fractions, anyone? Composer studies equal history lessons. Memorizing song lyrics equals language arts (poetry). Learning hymns is great for Bible study. Get the idea? You can read about the benefits of learning music on teaching the three R's here. I think the effects of music aid concentration as well. It can alter or enhance the mood -- calm music for quiet time, energetic music for work time. Well, you get my point. Music is a gift from God!
What exactly do you get with the KinderBach lessons? Either online or on DVD, your child can receive 22 hours of musical instruction in note reading, rhythm, and actually learn to play common songs like Happy Birthday or Amazing Grace. Your kids get a sense of accomplishment from this that is hard to describe. The first time Big Sis played Happy Birthday on the keyboard and it really sounded like Happy Birthday, her face lit up with a grin from ear to ear. She can also play Jingle Bells, thanks to KinderBach.
What does a sample lesson look like?
The colors are bright, the navigation is easy to follow, and the kids stay engaged. The Piano Pals, Miss Karri's cartoon assistants, make lessons funny and memorable enough to keep their attention yet not get in the way of the learning. Kids can even submit their own drawings to be featured on the website. My daughters really liked the Beat Bugs, a brigade of militant bugs who teach about keeping the beat in music. I think the ideas are very clever! I personally like the talk show between Miss Karri and Mr. Bach as they talk about musical composition. The only character my girls didn't really care for was Miss Diddle, the mime.
There are also printable worksheets and coloring pages, which are always a hit with my girls. I really like multisensory programs like this so that the knowledge is absorbed and retained more readily. Here's a look at one of the printables:
How much does it cost? First I want to mention that they do offer a free trial online, as well as a 30 day money-back guarantee. Online lessons start at $7.99 per month and DVD packages start at $40.45 plus shipping and handling. KinderBach is currently offering a 30% off discount on any order if you enter coupon code TOScrew2012. The offer is good for a year.
We live rurally so finding a Kindermusik class or something similar is next to impossible. Private lessons are cost prohibitive. I imagine many homeschoolers are in a similar situation. KinderBach is a great introduction to music that does not require a huge monetary investment (remember I said that we use an inexpensive toy keyboard) and does not require any special musical skills for the parent. It's fun for the kids, beneficial for overall learning in many subjects, and doesn't break the bank. I definitely give KinderBach two thumbs up!
Don't forget to visit the Crew blog to read more reviews!
Disclaimer: I received a free trial of KinderBach for the purpose of review. No other compensation was given for my honest opinion.
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