Early Childhood Music for Your Church

What age are Cherubs Music kids?

Cherubs Music kids are generally Kindergarteners and First Graders.  However, four-year-old pre-Kindergarteners do very well in the same class along with the fives.  At present there is no separate pre-Cherubs program for the pre-K kids, but an expanded curriculum is in the planning stage.  We designate Pre & Kindergarteners as CHERUBS, and 1st Graders as CHIMERS, because the 1st graders’ principal instrument is a set of bells or handchimes.

 

Can my three-year-old take the class?

Many three-year-olds love the activity of Cherubs Music classes, and they can follow some of the class content.  However, 3s are not typically able to keep up with the older CHERUBS, nor are they able to follow their performing part written on a white board.  Some 3s cannot focus on the white board for more than one line or two, so they are not able to be a part of presentations with their class.  Even some four-year-olds are not really ready for Cherubs Music class, so we suggest it is best to wait.

 

Can siblings tag-along to Cherubs Music class?

You will find that many parents will need to bring siblings, sometimes even babies, to Cherubs class.  If partners can still fulfill their role as teacher for their child participant, usually siblings are ok to have in class.

 

Do kids have to enroll in a class at the beginning of a term, or can they join later?

Kids can join any time.  Children this age assimilate conceptual information very slowly and with much repetition, so Cherubs classes progress very incrementally.  In our experience, children who come several months into a term will most often catch up to the rest of the class in a few weeks time.

 

What months are best to schedule classes?

Parents tend to follow a regular school year schedule with extracurricular activities.  We recommend starting a week after your local elementary schools start and end when school lets out for the summer.

 

How many weeks of the year should churches hold classes?

There are 28 classes for each age group, CHERUBS and CHIMERS.  Churches may teach fewer classes is they like depending on their needs and individual church schedules.

 

How long are Cherubs Music classes?

Classes are designed to run approximately 45 minutes in length.  However, the length of each class can vary depending on how slow or fast individual teachers and students progress through the lesson on a given day.  It is fine for classes to vary from between 40 minutes to an hour, but certainly no longer than an hour.  Sometimes it is helpful to cut class short when it becomes clear that the children are saturated and little more can be accomplished that day.

 

Recommended class times

For Pre-K kids an earlier afternoon class is usually better.  If your church can schedule a group and teacher for a morning or early to mid-afternoon class on weekdays or Saturdays this is great.  But most people will be available after regular school hours on weekdays.  The most popular time is between 4:00pm-6:00pm.  Children between the ages of 4-6 years do not tend to function as well after 6:00pm.  Clearly, your CHIMER kids will do better later than the CHERUBS kids.

 

Do children have to attend classes with a parent or partner?

Yes.  Cherubs kids need an adult partner to attend classes with them.  This can be a grandparent, an older teenage sibling, or even a nanny or au pair…we call this person a “partner”.  Partners are seldom idle during Cherubs Music classes, and indeed, each child’s partner is their primary teacher during the class.  The success of Cherubs classes is wholly dependent upon the pace of activities, and a Cherubs class without partners present is inevitably an exercise in disorder and frustration for everyone.

 

Is there a minimum and maximum class size for Cherubs Music classes?

While there is no stated minimum, we have found that the level of energy and fun in a given class is quite diminished with only two or three kids in attendance.  And a class of one is really not a class.  Move-around-the-room type classes are difficult to manage with more than eight children and parents.  Most teachers find that a full class of eight requires a good bit of discipline on the part of the teacher to keep a suitable pace for a successful class.  For this reason we deliver enough instruments and classroom materials for a class of eight kids.

 

Do the children who take the class perform as a singing choir?

Singing is part of every class for all Cherubs Music kids, but when they perform together they are all instrumental accompanists.  So….

• Pre & Kindergarteners are CHERUBS, and they perform on various rhythm instruments like triangles, wood blocks, maracas, etc.
• 1st Graders are CHIMERS, and they perform on a set of Desk Bells or Handchimes

When Cherubs kids make their presentations they play along with live singers, such as a children’s choir, or with a soloist, and usually with accompaniment provided by your church pianist.  However, it is also possible for the Cherubs kids to play along with the recorded accompaniment with which they practice with during their classes.

 

Does my church need to purchase a set of Handchimes?

A two octave set of Desk Bells are included with the classroom instruments we provide, and CHIMER kids can use these for their presentations as well.  A set of Handchimes is a wonderful thing for any church music program to own, although they are quite expensive.  We suggest that your church start your Cherubs Music program with the CHIMER kids playing the Desk Bells, and then consider a set of Handchimes as a possible future purchase.  Cherubs Music does not sell Handchimes at this time, but when your church is ready to purchase a set, we will be happy to advise you about the brands of Handchimes that may be best for your CHIMER kids.

 

My church owns a set of Handbells, can our CHIMERS use these?

We do not recommend first graders playing actual Handbells.  Six year olds will drop instruments from time to time, and they are not yet old enough to manage the weight of real Handbells.

 

Does my church need bell tables?

Actual bell tables are not needed by your CHIMER group.  Standard sized 6′ or 8′ rectangular tables work just fine.  You may determine that it could be helpful if standard rectangular tables were just a few inches shorter, and while this may be preferable if you are able to make a height adjustment, we’ve never found it to be necessary.

 

Does my church need foam pads for playing martellato?

Foam pads are great, and typically meant to be used with real Handbells, but Handchimes are also great fun to play martellato.  You will also find that some of our CHIMER parts are marked to be played martellato as an option, but the same parts can also be rung normally.  Desk Bells can also martellato, but we do not recommend playing the Desk Bells with this or other alternate playing techniques.  Even though the Desk Bells are tough and will often survive drops and other abuse, martellato playing can damage these classroom type instruments.  When your church is ready to purchase a set of Handchimes, this is probably a good time to also consider some table pads as well.

 

How often can our Cherubs ensembles make a presentation for our congregation?

Approximately once every 4-6 weeks.  Frequent performing keeps everyone enthusiastic, and not just the kids, but parents and congregations too!

 

What is the best profile of our volunteer Cherubs Music teacher?

Teachers can be musicians or non-musicians.  All songs used in the classes are recorded so the ability to play an instrument during classes is not needed.  In fact, it is recommended that musicians use the recordings for class since playing an instrument can be distracting and limit a teacher’s movement during the class.  Having a musical background certainly can’t hurt, and such a background might include having sung in a choir, had piano lessons even as a child, or played a band instrument in school.  But even a strong musical background does not guarantee a person’s success as a Cherubs Music teacher.  Many non-musicians are spectacular Cherubs Music teachers.

The best Cherubs Music teachers have…

• a pleasant singing voice
• some classroom skills
• a patient and gentle personality
• a great smile and happy disposition
• commitment

 

Can I print out our class songs or performance songs?

As per the agreement between your church and Cherubs Music, LLC, musical scores may not be printed, copied, or reproduced in any way.  Printed scores needed for the CHIMER kids, for a choir or soloist to sing along, and for accompanying are all available for purchase from Cherubs Music.  Teachers of record will have access to lead sheets of songs from the Cherubs Music website, and these can be viewed on a device while preparing for classes or while teaching classes.

 

Can I download our class songs or performance songs?

As per the agreement between your church and Cherubs Music, LLC, audio sound files may not be copied or reproduced in any way.  Teachers of record will have access to audio sound files of songs from the Cherubs Music website, and these can be played on a device while preparing for classes or while teaching classes.  A Bluetooth speaker is provided for playing sound files while teaching classes.

 

I am not very tech savvy, can I still serve as a Cherubs Music teacher?

Yes.  If you can access the Internet on your phone or other device, you can fairly easily learn you way around the Cherubs Music website.

 

How large of a classroom do we need to teach Cherubs Music classes?

You will need a room large enough for up to 17 people to comfortably move around and dance around.

 

Does my church need a dedicated classroom for teaching Cherubs Music classes?

A dedicated classroom would be ideal, but not essential.  What is needed is a secure room, even if it is shared with other ministries.  Having a secure closet in an unsecured room is not a very good option.  Taking out and putting away all the Cherubs Music classroom materials for every class would be a lot of work, so a secure room is best.

 

Does our classroom need any furniture, tables, storage, etc.?

You will need either a carpeted room or large rugs.  Rugs really need to be big enough for 17 people to sit and spread out to do activities.  Three 6′ x 3′ tables would be best, one for materials and game pieces that you are currently using, and two exclusively for your CHIMER group’s chime folders.  Other classroom materials that are not currently in use may be stored in a closet or other shelves.

 

Does my church have to have Wi-Fi to access sound files during classes?

Wi-Fi access is highly recommended.  Without Wi-Fi during class, your teachers will be connecting to the Internet through their own mobile network, and this will use up their mobile data.