The sounds of children singing will soon be filling the halls of
Little Sprouts Child Enrichment Centers and Imajine That thanks to a NEW program called “FUNdamentals of Music and Movement”. Aaron Nigel Smith started FUNdamentals in 2003 in Los Angeles after he realized that many Los Angeles schools, for lack of funding or resources, had eliminated their in-house arts programs. Since then, Aaron has franchised and spread his FUNdamentals program nationally and now, internationally as he has plans to grow his program in schools in China in 2009. Aaron and his FUNdamentals of Music and Movement program can currently be found on location at the child care centers at the Paramount , Sony, Universal and Warner Brothers Studios.
This year Little Sprouts is working with Aaron to expand his program throughout Massachusetts. FUNdamentals of Music and Movement introduces children, from infancy to fourteen years old, to music and movement in an interactive, energetic and educational environment to engage the whole child, physically, intellectually, emotionally, and creatively. On March 26, Aaron taught teachers at Little Sprouts and the Imajineers at Imajine That the basics of being a “FUNdamentor”. Participants not only got firsthand experience of what a FUNdamentals class should look, feel and sound like but also had a chance to practice all the songs, dances, and reading music.
“FUNdamentals ties together music, dance, yoga, and music theory so each flows into the next and even during the training, we ‘grown ups’ didn't realize we were learning each until it was all over and we finished laughing and singing.”, stated Meghan McGinley Crowe, Director of Literacy at Little Sprouts. “When we bring this program into our classrooms, our students will learn all of those concepts in an interactive, esteem building, fun atmosphere.”
