Tips for Parents
Tips for Parents
Know Your Child's Limits
If you have a VERY young child taking lessons, some of the cutting, writing, folding, etc. could be too much for your budding musician. Here are some modifications that keep the work child-centered but allow for age-appropriate support:
Cutting - Supervise your child!!! Crafting ceases to be fun the moment someone gets a cut!
Writing - If your child doesn't know how to write yet, use the hand-in-hand method. Put the writing utensil in your child's hand & hold their hand in yours as you "tandem write" the necessary words. You can also write the word or phrase & have your child trace your handwriting. For longer definitions (e.g. bow distribution), have them write the title & you write the definition.
Folding - Fold your own paper alongside your child & use this as a backup in case they're unable to fold accurately enough for the product to be useful.
Gluing - For glue sticks, use the hand-in-hand method. For liquid glue, you can apply it & your child can spread it around.
Placing - Use the hand-in-hand method.
Pause As Necessary
I created these videos to be as short as possible, but that may not give your child enough time to complete each step. My goal was to make them a manageable length, not to account for the individual pace of each student. Establish the habit of watching, pausing if desired, completing a step, then going on when ready. These should be done in an unhurried fashion.
Resist the Urge
Would these projects look neater if you did them yourself? Probably! But resist the urge to take over for your child. Let the folds be imprecise; let the cuts be jagged; let the colors be terribly matched! Engaging physically with the task is focusing & builds engagement, so it's vital for the student to do as much of the work as possible. If your child is focused & engaging actively with their MusiCraftSM, praise the process rather than the product.