I have always had a love of music and particularly singing and as a mother of 2, I truly believe in the power of music and the role it can play in the development and education of young children. I started my Monkey Music career in Berkhamsted and Rickmansworth in 2018 and am thrilled to now be running the area of Harpenden and St Albans. Our classes run a progressive curriculum and help to develop the child's physical, social and language skills all through music. Most importantly, Monkey Music classes are a lot of fun! There are lots of opportunities for bonding with your child as well as music making, singing and movement. Your first class is free so why not come along and join in the fun! I look forward to welcoming you to our monkey family!

I love music, especially singing and was vocally trained from a young age. After the birth of my daughter I was keen to find a baby class that we could enjoy together but would also introduce musical elements. I discovered Monkey Music and was captivated, as was she, from the outset. It was wonderful to watch her develop in confidence and social skills as well as seeing her improving her sense of rhythm. Having seen the benefits of Monkey Music first hand, I jumped at the chance to run my own classes when the opportunity arose.

Since our first classes in 1993, the power of Monkey Music has brought a smile to the faces of hundreds of thousands of babies, toddlers and young children (and grown- ups too!) across the UK. 
Recently, we have been touched by the words of many of our families who have openly shared how much our classes mean to them and how belonging to our groups with their children, has brought them so much joy and supported them through difficult times. 

“The psychological benefits of such classes/groups to both parents and children are significant. They act as a form of crucial peer support with the added benefit of the music focus which is important for mental wellbeing. As we know, the mental health of the parents impacts the mental health and development of the child” Monkey Music Parent and Parent-Infant Psychotherapist

The unique four stage progressive curriculum introduces children to all aspects of rhythm, pitch and tempo. As they progress through the classes, they are introduced to different instruments and musical aspects, giving them a sound musical base for when they start to learn a musical instrument at school age and beyond.

Research
The ear is the first organ to develop fully in the womb and at 5 months, an unborn baby will be able to hear the world around him. Unborn babies take great comfort in their parents' voices and they will remember music and songs, that they have heard in the womb for up to 12 months after they have been born.

From very early on at Monkey Music, our babies are developing their musical ear. Through singing and simple action songs, they learn to de-code language, interact with each other and expand on their numerical skills.

Our classes are deliberately 30 minutes long. There has been a lot of research to suggest that any longer than 30 minutes can be overwhelming for the little ones and they will lose focus and attention. We ensure those 30 minutes are action packed and follow a structure each week to allow your child to remain focussed and enjoy every element of the class.

Our Classes
Rock'n'Roll classes are for babies from 3 months and are a gentle start to music making with lots of opportunities for carer and child bonding and all-important cuddles! With an emphasis on simple and pulse-based songs and bright and colourful sensory props to provide your babies with visual stimulation. We use beautifully crafted percussion instruments and babies are exposed to interesting and unusual sounds, being encouraged to follow the instruments and its sounds until they are old enough to play themselves.

Heigh-Ho classes are tailored for 12 months to 2 years. At this stage in your child's development, we are aware that they are up and about and intersted in discovering the world around them! The classes are action packed with original songs as well as well-known nursery rhymes and the children are encouraged to play the instruments along with their teacher and friends. At this stage the children are also introduced to a wider number of instruments and are discovering the different timbres that each of these make.

Jiggety-Jig classes are for children aged 2 to 3 years ols. The children in these classes start to be able to engage with more concentrated activities and there is a greater emphasis on developing social skills and sharing required for nursery and pre-school. The children are more able to play rhythmically and introduce pitch and tempo to their playing.

Ding-Dong classes are for children 3 years and upwards. During these classes, the children will learn to recognise different orchestral instruments and are ready to learn to read music! We introduce 'stick notation' so that the children can begin to learn to read the beats of the music. This knowledge is invaluable when the children eventually learn a musical instrument.

Venues
We have spent a long time researching and securing our venues, so we can offer a clean, warm and welcoming environment for you and your children. We also have classes available at our sister franchise in Berkhamsted & Rickmansworth in venues across, Berkhamsted, Chesham, Hemel Hempstead & Rickmansworth.

I look forward to meeting you and your little ones soon!