-
Stay With Me 3:410:00/3:41
Music & Play
This is a delightful 40-minute gathering for children ages 0-2 and their parents/caregivers.
Children play with musical instruments while Soraiya sings children's songs, teaches sign-language, and plays adult favourites too (like Joni Mitchell, Bob Dylan, Fleetwood Mac, James Denver, etc).
Parents get to relax and mingle with other adults in the room, while the little ones free-play. This is a wonderful environment in which children can engage in self-directed learning.
Soraiya is currently holding Music & Play gatherings in Nashville in private homes. Class size is limited to 6-8 children. Cost is $20/child per class. Please inquire about discounts for additional siblings. Sliding scale may also be available in some instances.
Testimonials
"We sent our two-year-old to a weekly music and play class with Soraiya. It was a great experience — fun, relaxed, no pressure. She has a beautiful voice and a wonderful presence with children." - Elina (mother of one in Los Angeles)
"Soraiya taught several sessions of her beautiful music class at my house and they were a joy for kids and parents alike. She brought her beautiful voice and calm, playful energy to every class. Kids were free to play and explore instruments, dance, listen, even climb on top of her music and touch her guitar and she didn't bat an eye. What a treat to have someone who is both a professional musician and an expert child caregiver lead a music class for little ones. We feel so lucky to have had Soraiya and her music and play classes in our lives!" - Stephanie (mother of two in Los Angeles)
Registration / Booking
View Soraiya's calendar to see upcoming Music & Play events. For more information or to inquire about hosting a Music & Play gathering in your home, please contact Soraiya.
Soraiya's Approach, Education & Experience
The following list is a small sample of people and sources which inform Soraiya's approach to child care and education, along with a short description of each source's principles and beliefs.
Mr. Rogers. Respectful treatment of every person, big or small. Kindness, service, love, and understanding. Faith in God. Peaceful, calm, inclusive demeanor. Come as you are. Welcoming of all into the neighborhood. A slow-paced and soothing sanctuary in which to be oneself and learn.
RIE (Resources for Infant Educarers, Magda Gerber, Janet Lansbury). Belief that children are whole persons deserving of the same respect and consideration as adults. Gerber, Lansbury, and others demonstrate that children are capable of great learning through their own self-directed play, especially when not interrupted by adults. Adults intervene only when there is a safety issue. This allows children to experience healthy frustration (and thereby develop patience), to problem solve, and to develop confidence and mastery of age-appropriate skills.
Dr. Robin Berman (her book "Permission to Parent"). She demonstrates that children thrive when adults set limits in love. A beautiful way to remedy the anxious, helicopter caregiving style which leaves adults exhausted and children stressed and undisciplined. Berman suggests that adults be benevolent authoritarians who set loving and firm boundaries, thereby allowing children to feel secure, at ease, and free to focus on play, learning, and the development of self-discipline.
Soraiya's formal education includes a BAH in Music from Queen's University (studying under voice teacher Carol-Lynn Reifel), and a Juris Doctor. She spent a decade singing professionally with the Vancouver Bach Choir (under Bruce Pullan, Marisa Gaetanne, and Joyce Maguire), and has been teaching music and nannying children since 2012. Soraiya's Music & Play class is the fruit of these years of experience.