At Tot Music, we want the time that you spend with your child in our classes to be a learning experience that is safe and, above all, fun! Please read the following information and suggestions – these will help you get the most out of your class time.

• The most important piece of advice: PARTICIPATE! Whether your singing voice is strong or not, whether you can keep a beat or not, doesn’t matter. Children will pick up on your enthusiasm and your effort, and they will enjoy the time they spend together with you. (And even if your child may not be paying close attention to your participation, some of the other children in class might be, so it benefits all the families in attendance if everyone participates!)
• Please try to arrive on time! This allows you to settle in before class begins, and it ensures that your child will hear his or her name in the “Hello Song!”
• Please remove both your shoes and your child’s shoes before entering the classroom. This helps us ensure that the floors of our locations are kept clean and dry – especially when the weather outside is messy and wet! (Soft-soled baby shoes and any toddler shoes that are not used for outside wear may be worn inside.)
• We ask that strollers, diaper bags, and other large items be left outside the classroom. If you must bring an item into the classroom, please find a safe place to store it. Remember, we have a classroom full of curious children, so somewhere out of reach would be best!
• Please do not bring food or drink into the classrooms. This can create messes, may prove a distraction to the other children, and could pose a danger if someone else in the room has a food allergy. Nursing is allowed in the classroom, but we ask that all other feeding take place outside the classroom, ideally before or after class.
• We request that the use of cell phones, including taking photographs, be limited to before or after class. Cell phones can prove to be a distraction to the children, and your family will gain the most from class when everyone is focused on making music!
• We understand that most children go through an “oral phase,” meaning that our instruments may look very tasty. If your child has put any instrument into his or her mouth, please inform your instructor so it can be placed into the “wet bin.” Instruments in this bin are disinfected after class with a non-toxic, safe cleanser (similar to the disinfectants used on musical instruments in schools), so we share music, not germs.
• Families are encouraged to listen to their CDs outside of class. This helps all music makers, especially children, become familiar with the songs and learn the words, which will allow them to get the most out of their time in class. Your instructor will have suggestions and ideas to help you bring the fun of Tot Music classes home.

We hope that this information will help you enjoy the time that you spend making music with your child. We can't wait to see you in class!