songs for seeds Appeals To Families Across the Country Through Creative and Unique Musical Education

songs for seeds co-founders Alison Qualter Berna and Allison Schlanger first became friends at a baby music class in 2005. Besides sharing a name, both were working moms with twins and both were unsatisfied with the options they found for early childhood education in their New York City neighborhood.

“After meeting when our kids were just a few months old, we dreamed of creating a program that would marry music with early childhood education in the most unique and engaging way possible,” said co-founder Allison Schlanger.

Together with their husbands, Craig and Bobby, Alison and Allison put their hearts, souls and parental expertise into the creation of what is now known as New York City’s premier play space—apple seeds—a unique, interactive playground and family-oriented community where children could learn through play in a variety of classes. In 2009, apple seeds' most popular class, songs for seeds, took on a life of its own and became the music program Alison and Allison had always wanted as parents.

Program overview

The songs for seeds offering involves an interactive class that combines music with early childhood education for kids aged newborn to 6 years. In the past decade, songs for seeds has engaged thousands of children and their families across the country through their completely unique and interactive curriculum.

At songs for seeds’ rockin' music program, children are accompanied by their parents to a 45-minute class where they are encouraged to sing, dance, pick up an instrument and play along with a live, three-piece band. Each class is divided into nine, five-minute segments, **where children experience the sounds of a new country, create well-known nursery rhymes through visual art, witness magic tricks and spin the animal wheel to reinforce animal names and sounds. The band leads the class through songs for seed’s proprietary songs, top 40 hits and classic tunes so both little ones and their parents can sing along.

In addition to the class,** songs for seeds is also available to book for birthdays and special events**.

Unlike traditional music classes, songs for seeds creates an interactive and modern learning environment. It helps develop a strong foundation and love for music. songs for seeds uses music as a vehicle to teach critical aspects of early childhood development including shapes, colors, numbers, counting and more. As opposed to typical music classes, songs for seeds is designed to enhance the process of learning by fostering sensory, attentive, cognitive, emotional and motor capacities.

“I’ve been taking my son to the songs for seeds class since he was 10 weeks old,” said Brooklyn, New York songs for seeds parent, Hanna R. “Unlike other baby classes, the kids are exposed to real musicians and catchy songs that inspire a deep love and excitement for music.”

“The songs for seeds class offers a unique musical experience that is enjoyable and educational for everyone, ensuring that parents and kids will want to come back week after week,” said Brooklyn, New York songs for seeds parent, Jessica J. “Since starting, my two kids have become so enamored with the whole experience, even bringing their own little guitars and headsets to class!”

At songs for seeds, the teachers understand how important it is to keep the parents entertained as well as the children, and the music is written with this in mind. Unlike the competition, songs for seeds knows how difficult it can be to navigate the baby years as a caretaker and encourages parent-to-parent connections. Also, the concept sets itself apart by offering mixed-aged classes to give parents the ability to bring their older and younger children to class together without having to worry about a babysitter.

“The class is so engaging for the kids and is so fun for the adults at the same time,” said Jessica. “My sister and I started at one of the younger songs for seeds classes when I was a new mom. Now, nearly three years later, we’ve ended up meeting some of our closest friends and have gone back every semester.”

“songs for seeds was the first class I ever took my daughter to. We went when she was just 5 months old and we both loved it,” said Brooklyn, New York songs for seeds parent, Hilary F. “The contemporary music and fun environment make it a great place to meet other parents and get out of the house while also keeping the kids entertained. The community-driven structure of the class allows parents to connect, which isn’t possible at other kinds of children's classes that are focused solely on the young ones.”

Curriculum details

The songs for seeds proprietary curriculum includes over 100 weeks worth of different lessons and seven interactive musical activities.

The Music of the World activity helps the students develop a global mindset through exposure to authentic music and instruments of international cultures. Whether it’s a didgeridoo from Australia or the steel pan from Trinidad, Music of the World exposes kids to instruments beyond the typical guitars, keyboards and drums used in other early childhood music classes.

“The class is broken up in segments that keep the kids completely engaged,” said Hilary. “Whether it is magic, animals, bubbles or free dance, we aren’t just sitting around and listening to songs—there is always something fun happening.”

Picture a Song reinforces shape and color recognition through a creative and engaging activity in which children use oversized colorful magnets to create murals to go along with well-known nursery rhymes.

The Animal Wheel is a whacky matching game in which kids spin a wheel to pair the front of one animal with the back of another, reinforcing a variety of animal sounds and movements to expose students to early phonetics and give an outlet for emotional expression and motor skill practice.

During the Numbers and Counting activity, kids help the teacher find the missing number, followed by a magic trick and number song that not only reinforces counting but nurtures mathematical thinking. The Djembe Time activity is led by the songs for seeds drummer, inviting the class to clap or tap out various rhythm patterns through a playful call and response.

“Watching the kids run into class to greet their teachers and engage with them during our animal matching game or seeing their expressions as they are dazzled by the week’s magic trick never gets old,” said Schlanger. “In songs for seeds, we have witnessed children make their closest friends, recognize a color for the first time, debut their singing voice on the mic and develop a love of an instrument they will play for years to come,” added Alison Qualter-Berna.

Every week, students are invited by the songs for seeds guitarist to Sing with the Band. As they improvise on the microphone, the activity builds confidence. Similarly, the Join the Band activity gives children the opportunity and space to play and experiment with both toy and real instruments, strengthening the children’s desire to learn and play instruments on their own.

“The songs for seeds’ structure and proprietary curriculum just works,” said Hanna R. “It is so much more than a typical baby class and keeps the kids engaged while also adding a level of familiarity. My son gets so excited for each song that is coming up next and can’t wait to come back week after week.”

Since starting in 2009, songs for seeds has captured the hearts and ears of countless children and their families thanks to its interactive curriculum, modern educational approach and exciting live band.

“It has been 10 years since we created songs for seeds and sat in our very first class,” said Schlanger. “A decade and thousands of classes later—not a day goes by where our faces don’t hurt from smiling.”