Options for training

• Inset training – for all members of one early years setting team on a Saturday or weekday. Maximum 25 trainees.
• Cluster training – One early years setting can host the training in an evening or on a Saturday with one or two practitioners attending. Others local settings are invited to send one or two of their team to contribute to the cost. Maximum 25 trainees
• Conference – A practical and fun session for a large group of practitioners at an early years Conference
• Train the Trainer – Boogie Mites can train a small group of ‘champions’ who will become internal trainers for a nursery group. This is set up under an annually renewable licence arrangement.

Take a look at an example training workshop format

Complete a training enquiry form

Boogie Mites Local Authority Funded Music Workshops

Boogie Mites have developed parent education courses for our programmes, which aim to:

• Increase opportunities for families to participate in active early years music making.
• Increase parent understanding of the Early Years Foundation Stage.
• Increase parent understanding of how they can use music to support development of the 3 Prime Areas of Learning for under 3’s.
• Increase parent understanding of Letters and Sounds Phase 1 and how they can use music to support development of these foundations for literacy through music.
• Increase home music making practise.
• Increase opportunities for Signposting to other courses.

Boogie Mites’ original songs and creative music activities have proved to engage even the hardest to reach families with feedback being very positive. We include a craft element in most courses, so that families can work together to create a ‘Song Sack’ of instruments and props to use at home, in conjunction with a Boogie Mites Parent CD pack.

The courses are a great way to get families involved in a fun activity over a number of weeks and offer a friendly and supportive environment in which parents can learn about other opportunities with Family Learning, including literacy and numeracy courses for themselves to help them support their child’s learning as they move on to school

We currently work with Local Authority Family Learning contracts in Hampshire, Surrey and Portsmouth. We also deliver parent education courses for Children’s Centre in many London Boroughs.

Read testimonials from our partners

The different types of bookings offered are as follows:

Weekly or regular nursery visits

Delivery of weekly Boogie Mites Annual Themed Workshop Programme for one or more groups of children at the nursery. Each group session is 40minutes. The music activities follow a themed programme and will progress in learning of musical concepts and related skills over the year. The nursery is sent termly song plans and links to EYFS plus a poster for the Notice board to inform parents about the music provision for the term. Parents of children at the nursery can be offered a discount to download Boogie Mites songs for home practise and the Nursery can earn a commission on these sales to contribute to funding the provision.

Testimonials:

Six session courses for nurseries or Year R

The songs and linked activities of one of the Boogie Mites programme (School Ready Literacy or Maths, Minis, Healthy Living) are covered over 6 sessions. Each music session is 40 minutes of music and movement workshop. Weeks 2, 4 and 6 are in large part a repetition and progression of the activities covered in weeks 1, 3 and 5 respectively. The sessions could be offered as 6 week consecutive or as one session per half term throughout the year, giving the practitioners in the setting time to practise what is covered between visits.

The setting can be offered the course as a practitioner training opportunity, they will learn through taking part and can purchase the practitioner pack for the setting as part of the package. The setting may book occasional workshops, say 6 visits per year, after the 6 week course to keep the benefits of a visiting teacher both for the children and practitioner, supporting standards of provision in-house, contributing new ideas and material.

Testimonials:

One off sessions direct delivery to early years settings

A one off workshop as a taster or for a special event at a school, pre-school or nursery can be offered with the theme and content compiled bespoke to requirements. A follow on craft activity of shaker making might be offered to extend the one off visit.

Testimonials:

“Thank you Boogie Mites for a fantastic morning, all of our children really loved the activities you did with them, thinking about being a caterpillar and then a butterfly and fluttering around the room was great fun! The children especially loved playing the drums and trying to keep the beat. Our younger children enjoyed learning about parts of the face using a selection of different teddy bears and using the shakers, I think we might try and make some of these and follow on with this form of making music. The programme was fun and educational and pitched at just the right level for our children aged 2-4yrs of age. I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend them for your school or party.” Sarah Sturgess, Early Years Manager, Hampshire Collegiate School, March 2014.

Nursery parent workshops/course – funded by parents or via setting funding

A workshop or course can be offered to parent groups via an early years setting as part of a parent involvement project and to encourage home practise. The parent group may be by universal invitation or by targeted invitation (for example all EYPP funded families). The setting may have the budget to fund it themselves or they may be open to offering to host the course but for parents to pay to attend with their child. These courses may have to be run on Saturdays so that working parents can attend. Parents attending can be offered a discount to download Boogie Mites songs for home practise and the Nursery can earn a commission on these sales to contribute to funding the provision.

Testimonials (Some feedback from parents):

• A fun way of learning for both adults and children.
• Really enjoyed doing this with Dylan. He has developed his listening and following skills.
• We learnt lots of new songs to do at home and understand how they support development.
• The workshop was great fun. Lacie has learnt new songs that we can do at home together.
• He is very much more confident and he starts to say words in English. Very happy thank you.
• He gained confidence in using English. Prior to 6 weeks ago I was in Japanese! Inspired to help him with pre-school study and for me to make friends.
• It has allowed my son to become used to his new school venue is a relaxed atmosphere. He also sings more at home.

Transition workshops or courses for Pre-school or Year R parents

A three week course or one off session covering songs from the Boogie Mites School Ready Programme fits the transition process that is funded by the Primary/Infants School for parents and children joining the school for year R. These sessions are held either in the Summer term before they start or during the Autumn term when they have just started and the schools encourage parents to visit the workshops with their child to build the relationship with the school and to encourage home practise to support language and phonics learning which starts in year R. Many children benefit from the extra practise with sounds at this time to strengthen their foundations for literacy. The transition workshops are often universal and so can be big groups. If the Primary school also has the budget to fund CDs this is a valuable resource for the parent to take home and practise. Alternatively parents attending can be offered a discount to download the Boogie Mites songs for home practise and the school can earn a commission on these sales to contribute to funding the provision.

Testimonials:

“Boogie Mites provides an invaluable resource to reach out to parents and children overcoming the barriers and achieving trust. They are an excellent way of engaging target parents, in addition to improving outcomes for young children.  Boogie Mites meets the 7 aspects of Letters and Sounds Phase 1 which provides rich pre reading skills. Children enter school with well below these skills so it is an important part of transition.” Sue Aspland, Head Teacher, Springfield  Infants School, Waterlooville, Hamsphire.

“Boogie Mites have delivered workshops at Gomer and Elson Infant Schools in Gosport each Summer term for the last 4 years. All parents and children who will be starting in Year R in September are invited to attend one of 3 Boogie Mites School Ready parent workshops in early July. The 45 minute workshop covers a selection of Boogie Mites songs from their School Ready Programme supporting Letters and Sounds Phase 1. Parents and children are fully engaged throughout and parents are given information about how the activities support language and listening skills at this stage. Take up and feedback if very good. Each family take a CD home and are encouraged to practice at home over the Summer. We find this is a valuable support to our transition.” Debby Marshall , Head Teacher Gomer and Elson Infants Schools , Gosport, Hampshire

“It is a valuable addition to the children as they start school in September and would definitely recommend this programme of Transition.  The children respond well and parents are strongly encouraged to use the CD at home.” Joanne Stanworth, Deputy Head, Sharps Copse Primary, Havant, Hampshire

Description of parent and child private groups available

Boogie Mites Babies

An exciting Music and Movement Programme for parents with babies from birth to crawling. Join in the fun and discover how sharing music with your baby can boost those early communication, physical and social skills….and make lots of new friends in a fun and friendly environment!

The Baby Boogie Mites CD is available as a physical pack or as a download, so you can enjoy the songs at home between classes and your child can maximise the brain boosting benefits of regular music making practise. Visit OUR SHOP for more information.

Parent Testimonials

“My daughter now looks at who’s singing and talking and has learnt to smile at other babies. She claps and babbles to herself more often now too.”

“My son gets excited and smiles when I sing with him now. He’s learnt to smile and make eye contact.”

“My daughter has learnt to smile when I sing to her and she follows my voice around the room. I will use the CD very often as my 4 year old will enjoy it too”

Boogie Mites Minis

Designed to allow crawlers to 2yrs to develop key physical, social and communication skills whilst having lots of fun.  Fun action songs, percussion play and child-friendly themes will set your child’s imagination alight and give her/him lots of opportunity for self-expression.

The Boogie Minis CD is available as a physical pack or as a download, so you can enjoy the songs at home between classes and your child can maximise the brain boosting benefits of regular music making practise. Visit OUR SHOP for more information.

Parent Testimonials

“We really enjoys Boogie Mites Minis, it is lovely that the children are provided with various props and instruments which really keep them engaged get them into shaking and banging with the rhythm. From my point of view, it’s refreshing to have a change from the usual nursery tunes. Boogie Mites songs are great fun.”

“The course gave me lots of ideas for musical instruments that can be made at home. My daughter’s listening skills also seem to have improved since starting the course. Thank you so much for the Boogie Mites courses – it’s such a lovely happy time for mums as well as children”

 “My son has been able to meet other children which I think has helped his confidence. He will literally start dancing as soon as he hears music now! We love Boogie Mites Minis”

Boogie Mites Mighties (2-4yrs)

These music workshops based around exciting, child-friendly themes offer a collection of original songs, rhymes and movement activities to encourage children’s exploration of the world around them. More complex music games will be introduced, such as tapping out word rhythms and children will be encouraged to develop their physical coordination and increase their confidence to sing and speak. Over the year 18 different themed workshops are covered and activities progressed as the children advance their music skills.

Songs from the Boogie Mites Mighties programme are available to download so you can enjoy the songs at home between classes and your child can maximise the brain boosting benefits of regular music making practise.

Parent Testimonials

“We find the Boogie Mites workshops a friendly and relaxed way to enjoy singing, drama and making music whilst exploring the world of sounds and rhythm. My daughter has enjoyed her 2 years of being a Boogie Mites immensely.”

“Boogie Mites is the highlight of our week (me aged 38 and Anna aged 3)! Catchy songs with fun lyrics and great melodies combined with Sue’s enthusiasm and energy make for a great mornings entertainment.”

“We both love coming to Boogie Mites each week – it is very refreshing and makes a change from the same old children’s songs. Rosy loves the instruments too. We now have all 3 CD’s and the rest of the family joins in at home!”

School Ready (3-5 years)

Build strong foundations for literacy and maths with Boogie Mites School Ready Literacy and Maths Programmes for pre-schoolers and year R. School Ready music sessions are specifically created to promote the development of key school ready skills needed for the transition to Key Stage 1 – such as confidence, well developed listening and speaking skills, the ability to work as a group and follow instructions, good balance and co-ordination as well as supporting Letters and Sounds Phase 1 and EYFS maths learning goals through brain boosting sequencing and sound activities. But don’t worry: your child will be too focussed on having fun to realise that they are learning!

The Boogie Mites School Ready CD is available as a physical pack or as a download, so you can enjoy the songs at home between classes and your child can maximise the brain boosting benefits of regular music making practise. Visit OUR SHOP for more information.

Parent Testimonials

“I have learnt how music can help Oscar with Learning and pronouncing different words. I have enjoyed watching him enjoying himself and to learn how much I am helping him without realising.”

“I have enjoyed seeing how Serenity joins in a bit more each week. We have practiced tapping out sounds of words at home. I have learnt what a fantastic imagination children have!”

“Riley’s sense of rhythm is a lot better, he sounds our words at home, he loves playing instruments and body percussion. We play the CD in the car and have a good family sing song!”