How long are the classes?
Our weekly classes are 45 minutes in length.

How many classes are in each session?
Fall, Winter, and Spring sessions are 10 weeks in length. Summer session is 8 weeks.

What materials are provided for Music Together^® families?
We provide you with a professionally recorded CD of the current song collection, a beautifully illustrated songbook with family activity suggestions, an access code to download, stream and play with the current Music Together song collection on our Hello Everybody app. New families receive a booklet, Music and Your Child, a guide for parents and caregivers of infants, toddlers, preschoolers, and kindergarteners. 

What is the Tuition?  
Tuition varies with each location.  Please see our enrollment page for specifics.

How many children are in each class?
We limit our enrollment to 12 registered children in each class.  Each child is accompanied by a parent or caregiver.

Can one adult bring two children to class? 
Of course.

What is the age range of the children?
All classes are mixed age from infant through five years.  We find mixed age classes extremely beneficial to early musical development.

What do you do in the classes?
Taking a fun, friendly and creative music making approach, we sing, dance, play instruments, improvise and look at pictures in our songbook.  We believe in live music making rather than passive listening.

What kind of instruments do you use?
We use drums, triangles, tambourines, tone bells, shakers, rhythm sticks, and ethnic instruments. Scarves, balls, parachutes, kitchen “instruments” also enhance our play.

What if my child cannot sit still for 45 minutes?
Music Together classes promise an accepting atmosphere, and we do not expect children to sit still throughout.  In fact, each class deliberately incorporates three to four activities for which we get up and move around the room. When children wander from our circle, parents and caregivers may take the activity over to them, either to engage them where they are or to gently bring them back to the circle.

May I bring my husband, my child’s grandparent, or other relative?
Absolutely.  Adult visitors are always welcome, and our guests’ participation in class nurtures both the children’s musical and social development.

Are the same songs presented from week to week?
No, a given session’s collection includes 25 to 30 songs, and each week we explore 10 to 12 of those songs.

Are the same songs presented from one session to the next?
No, there are nine different collections. Families may take Music Together classes for three years without seeing a repetition of songs. Even if you repeat songs over the years, your child will be able to learn more and appreciate different musical aspects as her or she grows from baby to toddler to preschooler.

How may I preview a class with my child?
You may come to a class currently offered. Please contact us by phone 650-740-9640 or email to [email protected] to schedule a preview.

As a parent, what is my role in class?

Sing, dance, and have fun! You might be surprised to hear that you are your child's most important music teacher right now—and it doesn't matter whether you think of yourself as a great singer or dancer. Young children develop dispositions for certain behaviors, including learning to love music, by observing and imitating their loved ones. Simply by participating enthusiastically during class and playing with the ideas at home, you'll give your children the modeling they need to learn to love to make music. Please wait to socialize or use your cell phone until after class and instead help us create a music-only environment.

What's expected of my child in class?

At Music Together, children are never required to sit in the circle or expected to conform to an adult's idea of participation. We know that children learn differently from adults. They learn instinctively and constantly, through observation, interactions with adults and older children, and through imitation, play, and, especially, movement. One hallmark of Music Together is the insight that children will naturally develop music ability simply when they are immersed in a community of families all making music.

Children's responses depend on their most dominant learning style and temperament as well as their age and developmental level. Some might follow the teacher right away. Many will simply want to watch and absorb, particularly in the first few weeks of class. Some might crawl or toddle around; others are stimulated by the music and respond more actively, running, jumping, or dancing. All are perfectly natural responses to the new, musically rich environment. Throughout the semester, your teacher will help you tune in to how your child learns best so you can support their music development in class and at home. Feel free to ask if you have questions!

How should we use the Music Together^® materials?

Play your songs frequently, especially during the first few weeks of class. Make the music available for your child to listen to while she is playing or before nap or bedtime. Create your Music Together account and download the "Hello Everybody" app for digital versions of the songs and more activity ideas to try! 

Use the songbook to help you learn the songs and get new musical activities to use at home. If you play an instrument and want to play along, the music notation is available in the Family Music Zone^®®   Try using the songbook at storytime!

What is the class size?

Each class has between 6 and 12 registered children, plus their caregiver(s).

What if I miss a class during the semester?

We offer unlimited makeup classes during each semester. Please visit our Make Up Classes page to learn more.

Can we eat in class?

Please feel comfortable to nurse or bottle-feed your child in class, but we ask that you not bring food or drink into classrooms. 

Why aren't there classes for specific age groups?

Classes with children of different ages have intellectual and social benefits for both younger and older children. In fact, it's the learning environment recommended by many early childhood researchers. Older children learn empathy and awareness of others, while developing leadership qualities and gaining self-confidence. Younger children learn by imitating the older ones and often show more complex behaviors earlier than usual. Even babies benefit by being in an environment that gives them lots of opportunities to observe the behavior of children of varying ages. Plus, it allows everyone—siblings, parents, grandparents, caregivers—to share in the musical experience together!