Chopsy Baby is Reviewing… Moosicology

October 12, 2012 Chopsy Baby

Chopsy Baby Says: “A reasonably good programme to introduce the basic concepts of music to young children.

Rating: 8/10

Of course, nothing will ever beat the teaching of a qualified professional music teacher. Well, a very good one anyway. But with families making cuts to their own budgets, instrument and music lessons are having to take a back burner to day to day survival for some.

However, a new music programme based on the Montessori Method has recently launched, allowing children to gain the basic principles of music theory at a reasonably low cost.

Moosicology may make traditionalist shudder, but there is a benefit here for Early Years and infant school children. The programme comes with a book, CD and guide for parents. Rather like the 80’s Disney storybooks with accompanying tapes – remember to turn the page when you hear the chime anyone? – this book follows a similar fashion turning music theory into short stories and songs.

As a home education package, it is useful for those who teach their children at home. It is also great for other parents to make up the schools’ shortfalls where subjects like music are forced to make way for SATs teaching.

The benefits of this programme also include the potential for improvement in maths and creativity.

The programme is aimed at families with children aged from birth to seven years of age. It takes youngsters through a 64 track CD covering the rhythm, melody and emotional structure of music. Each key musical concept such as time signature, note values and tempos are included.

Moosicology has been created by Liisa Hendrikson, a classically trained pianist, songwriter and of course, a mother.

The package costs £67 in total. For this you get a children’s text/work book, a 64 track CD and a guide for parents/carers.

It is worth the price but it would have been nice to have a stronger cover, at least for the children’s book considering it is for heavy handed young children.

If you consider what alternatives in this vein might have been created – you could have ended up collecting a musical note each week at a total cost of £1,500. Of course, not forgetting the special introductory offer of 99p on issue one. With this in mind, £67 doesn’t seem so bad after all.