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Music Music gives amazing educational and developmental benefits. From just three months, babies actively enjoy music groups, and as soon as they can shake a rattle, they can join in too. Belting out a song teaches rhythm and helps develop speech. Those hand actions you do when you sing nursery rhymes? They boost spatial reasoning, which will later be useful in maths and science. Playing an instrument is great for dexterity and coordination. It teaches teamwork and responsibility, and improves concentration and memory. At six or seven, children night start with a recorder, keyboard or violin. From eight, guitar is an option. Brass and wind instruments are great for older children, when children can join their school band or orchestra.
Theatre arts “I like acting and pretending to be someone else and learning songs and dances with my friends,” says five-year-old William, who has attended a children’s performing arts club for nearly a year. For boosting the confidence of shy or reserved children, drama can’t be beaten. And the skills that a child learns through performing arts classes will stand them in good stead throughout their lives - twenty years down the line, they’ll thank you when it comes to addressing a meeting room or chairing a conference. Performing arts classes are not only for children with starry aspirations. Theatre arts bring literature to life, and build selfconfidence. Learning to perform in front of an audience can help children with public speaking; role playing and improvisation give their minds freedom to develop while developing empathy for other people’s feelings.
Arts and Crafts Children love to get messy, and the chance to create their own piece of art is something special. Even the smallest child loves the sensation of clay between fingers, or the thrill of splodging finger paints on paper. Expressing themselves through the arts - whether through painting, drawing, story writing or making ‘junk models’ - gives children the freedom to unleash their creativity and push boundaries. By providing a balance and a creative outlet, art skills complement and assist literacy and numeracy skills in the classroom. If you’re not artistically inclined yourself, or never have the time to sit down and help your child create a wonderful cushion, collage or clay model, why not leave it to the experts?
clubs&classes Language Baby & Child Matters www.babyandchildmatters.co.uk 07545 056 248 Signing for pre-talkers in York & surrounding area. Little Fidgets www.littlefidgets.co.uk 01904 706 565 French & Spanish classes for children aged 2-7 and their grown-up in Harrogate, York, Selby & surrounding area. Classes last 45 minutes with songs, games and role-play and often a sticky craft activity related to the term’s topic. Max 10 per class. Sing and Sign Ripon & Harrogate 01765 620 374 Classes in Harrogate, Ripon, Northallerton, Thirsk and Knaresborough. Sing and Sign York 01904 690 038 www.singandsign.com Talking Tots www.talkingtots.info 07521 680 949 Classes to help to improve children’s communication skills and social confidence through fun games and activities. For ages 1 – 4 year olds. York & Wetherby. Tiny Talk Baby signing classes York and Pocklington 01759 371 168. Harrogate 07989 076 588 www.tinytalk.co.uk From newborn onwards!
Arts & Crafts Pots 2 Go Harrogate 01423 524 797 www.pots2go.co.uk Rainbows Ceramic Café York 01904 675 533 www.rainbowscafe.co.uk Mucky Pups Beverley & North Newbald 01430 801 102 www.mucky-pups.com Arts, crafts & messy time for pre-schoolers. Smarty Art 01423 339 738 smartyart@live.co.uk Art and Craft session for 1-5 year olds . 45 minute sessions at Kirk Hammerton & Boroughbridge. Young At Art www.youngatart-harrogate. co.uk Arts & craft sessions for children aged 1-11 in Harrogate. 1 hour sessions. 01423 502 215
Butterfly Dance Studios High-Low Quick-Slow www.butterflydancestudios. co.uk 01757 611234 www.highlowquickslow.co.uk 01405 780 626 Extensive classes from Fun music & movement ballet & tap to Latin for ages 6 months – 5 years. 45 minute classes American & Hip Hop. All ages – tots to adults. in Selby, Rawcliffe, Escrick, Osgodby, Monk Goole. Fryston & Wistow. Stagecoach York 01904 672 662 Jo Jingles Harrogate & Ripon 01977 650 455 01423 771 138 www.jojingles.com/leeds Wetherby 0113 210 3505 Harrogate, Wetherby Selby 0113 210 3505 & Boston Spa. Music, www.stagecoach.co.uk singing & movement Classes in drama, dance classes for babies & and singing for students young children ages 3 aged from 4 -19. Offers months – 5 years. training in performing MiM Music (Multiples arts and life skills, such in Mind) as confidence and self www.mimmusic.co.uk esteem. 07799 796 245 Singing & music class for York Youth Theatre families & childminders (Theatre Royal) with pre-school twins www.yorktheatreroyal.co.uk/ and children close in age. youth.shtml York. Catering for ages 5-19. A brilliant opportunity to Rhythm Time work with professional www.rhythmtime.net theatre practitioners and 07789 895 894 artists and perform on Music & Singing classes stage. for babies, toddlers & pre-schoolers. Harrogate Harrogate Youth & Wetherby. Theatre
Music
Sing and Sign Ripon & Harrogate 01765 620 374 Classes in Harrogate, Ripon, Northallerton, Thirsk & Knaresborough. Sing and Sign York 01904 690 038 www.singandsign.com Singamajigs www.singamajigs.co.uk 01423 552 918 Sing & jig from birth – 5. Classes in Harrogate & surrounding area. Sound Generation www.soundgeneration. co.uk 020 3344 2310 Provides quality and fun music teachers for schools or home tuition in North and West Yorkshire.
Performing Babyballet York 07702 965 932 www.babyballet.co.uk TinyToes for 18 months to 3 years and Minimovers for 3 & 4 year olds starting in September.
(Harrogate Theatre)
www.harrogatetheatre.co.uk For ages 6 -18. No auditions and the same opportunities and experiences for everyone - whatever background. Riding Lights Youth Theatre www.ridinglights.org For ages 11-18 Flying Ducks Youth Theatre 01904 761806 www. flyingducksyouththeatre. com Junction, Goole www.junctiongoole.co.uk Electric Youth Theatre (518) & Vocalise Singing & Music (5-18) Stage Door Academy 01904 674 675 www.upstagecentre.org.uk Drama & musical theatre & singing in the Goole & Howden area. Bluespoon Theatre Company Based in York 07923 359470 www.bluespoontheatre.com
Babyballet Harrogate 01132 602 449 www.babyballet.co.uk Classes in Harrogate & Tadcaster for children aged 18 months – preschool.
Upstage Centre Youth Theatre 01904 674 675 www.upstagecentre.org.uk One of the foremost youth theatres in York catering for ages 8-25.
Families Vale of York
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