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March is Music in Our Schools Month, National Nutrition Month, National March into Literacy Month, Sing with Your Child Month, and National Women's History Month.
March 1
Read Across America Day
March 4
March of Dimes Kick-off - LVCC at Stones Crossing and LVCC at Truman School
March 14
Pre-K Counts Kindergarten preparation parent meeting - LVCC's Fowler Center on Main Street
Preschool visit to Allentown Art Museum - LVCC's Fowler Center on Main Street
March of Dimes celebration - LVCC at Walnut Street
March 17
St. Partrick's Day
March 17-22
National Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) week
March 18-22
Art Show Week - LVCC at South Mountain
March 20
Children's Fashion Show - LVCC at St. Luke's
March 21
Dr. Seuss Stories 4:00 pm - LVCC's Judith Chase Early Learning Center
March 22
Children's Nutrition parent meeting with special guest, Shelley DePinto from Cedar Crest College's Nutrition Department - LVCC's Campus Center
March 24
Palm Sunday
March 25
Passover begins
March 26
Pre-K Counts Registration 2:00 p.m.-6:00 p.m. - LVCC on Union Boulevard
March 28
Children's Nutrition Parent meeting with special guest, Shelley DePinto from Cedar Crest College's Nutrition Department - LVCC's Fowler Center on Main Street
March 29
Good Friday
March 31
Easter
March 29
March of Dimes celebration -
LVCC at St. Luke's
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Give Lehigh Valley children the highest quality early education available. Our future depends on tomorrow's leaders.
Click Here to Make a Donation
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Spread the Word!
Tell a friend about the great programs LVCC has to offer their child!
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Everybody Sing!
7 Ways Music Promotes Child Development
Music brings out the fun in early education. Children experience the world around them through lyrics and rhythm. Singing about wheels on a bus or farm animals not only entertains, but also fosters physical, intellectual and emotional development. Musical activities encourage the learning potential for other areas of knowledge and skill. Read on to discover some of the positive effects on learning.
1. Sets the tone 
Music possesses a magical quality to soothe souls and create the mood for the classroom. Lilting lullabies like "Rock a Bye, Baby" or "Hush, Little Baby" prepare a calming ambiance for nap time. With a darkened room and relaxing music, infants and toddlers feel secure, fuss less, and fall asleep faster. In contrast, lively tunes produce an upbeat and playful atmosphere. During the course of the day, teachers find music helpful to transition their students. After expending some of that never-ending energy with active songs, such as "Wiggle, Wiggle," children then focus better on learning.
2. Promotes development of motor skills
By jumping and dancing to the beat, children exercise movement of many muscles in the body. Tracey Bilger, center director of LVCC at Muhlenberg School, adds gymnastic-style scarf or ribbon dances into her after-school program with elementary school-age students. "Following the rhythm and tempo of the music while holding the scarf or ribbon in a certain way practices both fine and gross motor skills," commented Tracy. "The students become more aware of how to control body movement, sensing rhythm, and following directions."
3. Encourages self-expression
Children who may not be able to verbally express their feelings find songs a useful tool. Expressive lyrics like those found in "If You're Happy and You Know It" help children identify words for their emotions and clearly communicate with others.
4. Develops literacy and language 
Music delivers vital information about the world to young children. As sometimes the first form of communication, music assists in developing language skills. Children learn basic vocabulary for calendar days when singing "Days of the Week;" parts of the body with "Where is Thumbkin" or "Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes;" or various animal sounds with "Old MacDonald Had a Farm."
5. Improves memory Listening to a catchy tune requires concentration to focus on the lyrics. Auditory learning requires the listener to form sound-to-meaning connections. The brain then processes this information, storing it away. Music stimulates recall of that memory, sometimes evoking emotion - happiness, sadness, excitement, tranquility. Singing verse after verse of repetitious children's melodies (i.e. "B-I-N-G-O") also practices memorization.
6. Teaches math skills Through music, children recognize primary math concepts (counting, sorting, patterning, comparing sets, shapes). "Five Little Monkeys" makes a great counting song, using subtraction and the concept of zero. Units of measurement, money, and time can additionally be explored.
7. Introduces social skills  Teachers use music as a tool to introduce social skills, such as respecting others and sharing. Playing music from around the world teaches about diversity and embracing our differences. Missy Kubick, toddler teacher from LVCC on Union Boulevard, demonstrates a musical activity she uses in the classroom to encourage the children to interact with others. "While singing the songs 'The More We Get Together' or 'Good Morning,' the class shakes hands or holds hands in a circle," explains Missy.
To reinforce good behavior and following directions, she also suggests using the "Clean Up" song. "Children love games. The activity becomes fun like a game when music is added."
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Attention car fanatics! Lehigh Valley Children's Centers (LVCC) is selling tickets to The Greater Lehigh Valley Auto Show. The cost is $10.00 per ticket (children under 5 are free). LVCC will receive 50% of the ticket cost.
Tickets are valid during Community Days, on either Thursday, March 21 10:00 a.m.-6:00 p.m. OR Friday, March 22 10:00 a.m.- 9:00 p.m. The show is held at Stabler Arena in Bethlehem. Parking is free at the event site.
Purchase tickets by March 14th. Please see your center director or call Debra Lamb at 610-820-5333, ext. 203.
Help Lehigh Valley children build the foundation for learning. A 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, LVCC provides high-quality early education and child care to approximately 1,000 children in Lehigh and Northampton Counties.
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Kindergarten Registration
Is your preschooler ready for kindergarten? Are you ready? Find the pertinent information you need for your school district. Click on the links below to view the 2013 kindergarten registration dates.
Allentown School District
Bethlehem School District
Easton School District
Nazareth School District
Salisbury Township School District
- Harry S. Truman Elementary
- Western Salisbury Elementary
Wilson Area School District
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