Rick Gunn/Nevada Appeal Grant Kuhlmann, 2, gets his groove on in the Musik Garten class in the basement of the Brewery Arts Center's Performance Hall Wednesday morning. His mother, Holly, brought him to the class.
It was the first day of music class and no one cried.
One child threw a fit because he had to wait to play with the jingle bells. Some children toddled away from the circle until moms dashed to gather them back. Others stared doe-eyed at the teachers like they had never seen a woman mime playing a harp.
Liz Tetz, a.k.a Miss Liz, sings and makes up fingerplays for kids because it's fun. She is co-owner of the new musical children's play group Musik Garten. Six boys and their moms attended the premiere class in the basement of the Brewery Arts Performance Hall.
"We're both certified music teachers and we have little grandchildren so we just wanted to provide this for the community," she said.
Shirley Bierman, her business partner, talks to adults the same way she speaks to children, cheery. During the class she does all the movements with a large stuffed Teddy bear. One of the first songs is "Bounce Along so Happily." Moms sat with their toddlers on their knees and lifted them into the air during the chorus.
"Get your aerobic exercise, moms!" cheered Tetz.
Stryder, nearly 2, smiled when his mom lifted him into the air. His diaper peeked out from the top of his shorts.
During the wiggle song, 2-year-old Kyle Navarro ran his fingers over the carpet like a spider. Brynne Morgan's 2-year-old son Kobe sucked his thumb during this exercise, but he did yell out "wiggly" loud and clear around the thumb.
"The bells were his favorite part," she said.
Many of the moms were invited to this musical class by Holly Kuhlmann of Carson City. They attend another play group together.
"He loves music," Kuhlmann said about her son, Grant. "Anything that makes noises. His grandma saw the flyer and said that I got to sign him up for that."
Grant, 2, is into the jingle sticks. He sits in front of his mom with his Velcro-strap Stride Rite sneakers sticking out in front of him. He raises them in a victory salute and then bangs the sticks on his shoes.
They end the half-hour session with the Waltz of the Cornflowers and an Italian lullaby. But no sleepy eyes in this class. These boys explored the switchback ramp leading to the basement, with moms trailing behind.
Contact Becky Bosshart at bbosshart@nevadaappeal.com or 881-1212.
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