Little Music Makers in East Chesterton, Cambridge
A great description of 'Little Music Makers' by one of the many parents who take their pre-school children to the group in East Chesterton, Cambridge. Both parents and children love the variety of musical activities that stimulate, enthuse and engage them all.
Every Tuesday morning, children and their carers flock to Chesterton’s Methodist church in East Chesterton, Cambridge for one of two musical sessions with the locally eminent Sonia. She begins with a warm up. She takes us around the ‘mulberry bush’ whether it be a warm and sunny morning or a cold and windy one. We sit in a huge circle, children on laps and tiny ones in arms, in anticipation of the hour ahead. First, we follow Sonia’s lead in nursery rhymes with actions and sing-along songs, all designed to explore the senses. Children giggle as fingery spiders and warm breath tickles; they hold hands in rowing boat simulation; they cuddle Old MacDonald’s animals and entertain us with associated squawks and moos.
A hush descends as the children realise that Sonia’s got a bag and is looking at it with excited eyes. They creep forward to help her investigate its contents. Out comes a sewn-on shoe. Then another. Those who’ve been before become excited as they smile whispers that ‘it’s Emily!’. Out she comes to greet them all with a pat on the cheek and a big hello. The little ones love being led in Emily’s songs - among them the grumpy pirates and, of course, sleeping bunnies. Once Emily’s gone to bed ready for next week, the parachute emerges. It comes with a warning from Sonia that we’ll have to start by doing some dusting and sweeping before we count playthings bouncing in its centre and enjoy sending Jack the dog into the air as he 'jump(s) over the candlestick’. Once the jobs are done, the children gather underneath to enjoy finding the colours of the rainbow.
With the parachute gone, Sonia hands over to the stereo for something classical. We create our own version of ‘Fantasia’ with swooshing scarves, bubble machines and anything else she magics up to animate Mozart. A final contrast arrives with Mrs Bunny, who loves twitching her nose and wriggling her toes before telling us all to stop statue-still and see who falls apart in giggles first. The last treat of the early session is the emergence of two huge boxes of instruments for half an hour of free play before the next group begins. Invariably, this is a noisy time as children beat drums, shake shakers, ding bells and make musical mayhem together. Not only does Little Music Makers entertain its attendees but it also teaches our little ones learn about listening carefully, singing tunefully, counting, signing, following a leader, how to co-operate in a large group, being patient and taking turns.
Sessions run 09:30-10:15 (Sonia led), 10:15-10:45 (free play with instruments), 10:45-11:30 (Sonia led). There is no charge for the activity, run by Chesterton Parents' Group.