9:30 a.m. – 10:00 a.m.
Lap songs
Cris Abella · Rug room
Early childhood music
A class to sing in, with your grown-up beside you
Babies, toddlers and preschoolers sing, shake, drum and move on a rug, and a grown-up stays in the room for every class.
- Babies to age 5
- Classes of 30, 45 or 60 minutes
- A grown-up stays
Find your child's age, then a class length
Every class has a grown-up on the rug beside each child.
| Ages | Class size | 30 minutesWeekday mornings | 45 minutesWeekdays | 60 minutesSaturday family class |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Babies2 to 12 monthsLap songs and gentle drums, in a lap or on a blanket | 8 | Offered | Not offered | Offered |
| Crawlers and walkers12 to 24 monthsScarves, shakers and room to roam | 10 | Not offered | Offered | Offered |
| Toddlers2 to 3 yearsDrums, big movements and games of start and stop | 10 | Not offered | Waitlist | Full |
| Preschoolers3 to 5 yearsSongs with parts, simple instruments and listening games | 12 | Not offered | Offered | Full |
Sample programs.
A class
What a class is like
- 01
Step 1: Hello on the rug
We sit in a circle with the grown-ups beside the children and sing hello. Babies stay in a lap, and walkers can roam.
- 02
Step 2: Shakers, scarves and drums
Small instruments go round the circle, and everyone tries each one. The teacher shows ways to play that fit your child's age.
- 03
Step 3: Move, stop, listen
We rock, bounce, march and sway to a beat, then stop and listen together. The quiet moments are part of the song.
- 04
Step 4: A goodbye song
We sing goodbye, put the instruments in the basket, and hand out the week's tune to sing at home.
The week at Dolce
Weekday mornings for the youngest, late afternoons for the older ones, and two family classes on Saturday.
Fall session
Showing 12 of 12
Tuesday
10:30 a.m. – 11:15 a.m.
Rug rhythm
Yuvraj Hundal · Rug room
4:00 p.m. – 4:45 p.m.
Shakers and drums
Gerry Haskell · Rug room
Wednesday
9:30 a.m. – 10:00 a.m.
Lap songs
Cris Abella · Rug room
10:30 a.m. – 11:15 a.m.
Sing, play, move
Cambria McGuire · Rug room
Thursday
9:30 a.m. – 10:15 a.m.
Shakers and drums
Gerry Haskell · Rug room
10:30 a.m. – 11:15 a.m.
Rug rhythm
Yuvraj Hundal · Rug room
4:00 p.m. – 4:45 p.m.
Sing, play, move
Cambria McGuire · Rug room
Friday
9:30 a.m. – 10:00 a.m.
Lap songs
Cris Abella · Rug room
10:30 a.m. – 11:15 a.m.
Sing, play, move
Cambria McGuire · Rug room
Saturday
9:00 a.m. – 10:00 a.m.
Saturday family class
Yuvraj Hundal · Rug room
10:30 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.
Saturday family class
Gerry Haskell · Rug room
2 to 5 yearsFull
Nothing matches that filter.
Sample classes.
Times change a little each session.
Teachers
Four teachers, each with an instrument
Cambria McGuire
Founder and director · Voice, piano · Wed, Thu, Fri
Cambria started Dolce as a weekly sing-along for her neighbors and now leads the preschool classes. She sings, plays the piano and keeps the session's songs in one small book.
Cris Abella
Harp, voice · Tue, Wed, Fri
Cris plays a pedal harp and a small lap harp for the youngest classes, and has taught babies and their grown-ups for nine years.
Yuvraj Hundal
Violin, voice · Tue, Thu, Sat
Yuvraj plays the violin and leads the crawlers and walkers, with scarves, shakers and short tunes that start and stop.
Gerry Haskell
Clarinet, piano · Tue, Thu, Sat
Gerry taught school music for many years. He leads the toddlers' drum classes and the Saturday family class for older children.
From the grown-ups on the rug
“We were nervous about a room of crawling babies and a drum. By the second week my daughter was waiting at the door on Tuesday mornings, and I was humming the hello song in the car.”
Hannah P.Parent of a one-year-old
“The teachers let the toddlers wander and come back, and nobody minds. I stay on the rug and sing, which is the part I did not expect to like.”
Tomás V.Parent of a two-year-old
“Saturday is the one hour of our week when everyone in the house is singing, the baby and the four-year-old together.”
Noor K.Parent of a baby and a four-year-old
Sample reviews.
Questions from new families
What age can my child start?
From about two months. Babies start in a lap, and children can stay with us until they turn five. Your child moves up to the next class when you and the teacher agree it fits.
How long is a class?
Babies have 30 minutes, crawlers, walkers, toddlers and preschoolers have 45, and the Saturday family classes have 60.
Does a grown-up have to stay?
Yes. A grown-up sits on the rug with each child for the whole class. A parent, grandparent or caregiver can come; tell us who will bring your child so we can say hello.
What if my child does not want to sit?
That is expected. Toddlers wander, watch and come back, and so do grown-ups. Nobody is asked to sit still or to perform.
How does tuition work?
It depends on the class length and the age group. We give you the figures in writing when you try a class, and we are glad to talk them through on the phone.
How do I try a class?
Book a class online, or call us and we will book it for you. You stay on the rug with your child, and afterward we help you pick a weekly class.
Come to a class
Pick a class and bring a grown-up. We will find you a place on the rug.