Reviews

“I have 4 kids and 5 grandchildren, never enjoyed a music class more!  And I have been to a LOT of music classes. Well done! - Grandma”

““This is the most interesting, energizing, fun class we've found. Lucas imitates Monica now and even sings along in his own funny little way. We both love it. A million thanks for creating this class.” Becky, Lucas age 21 months”

“Teacher Monica, Thank you so much for teaching Riley (+me) music for a whole school year!  We had the best time tapping, singing, dancing, tickling, peek-a-booing, popping, and JUMPing into music with you.  We both sure learned a lot along the way as well.  Most importantly though, thank you for giving me and my (not-so-little anymore) guy time to connect each week! <3  Parent participation classes are a gift + your program is next level. Take care, love Kyla + Riley xo”

“Music class is really fun, especially the scarves and maracas. It is so fun because you get to learn lots of kinds of music and words from other languages. Teacher Monica is really nice to kids and the most fun for kids and grown ups. You know why she's so fun, because she sings and plays instruments and lets you try them and she is always so happy. And she is so kind to share her instruments if you don't have you own ones or forget them. I love Teacher Monica!”

“Arthur & I are so happy to have Teacher Monica & Jump into Music. Her outdoor music class provides a safe environment for us to sing, dance & laugh. We starting going to her outdoor classes last fall in Stanley Park & followed her to Garden Park for the spring semester. I would absolutely recommend her outdoor classes.”

“Margot looks forward to Jump Into Music with Teacher Monica every week and talks about how much fun she has in the class afterwards. Our nanny, who gets to take Margot to the classes, says that Margot is engaged and that her love of music has definitely been expanding thanks to the classes. While we have participated in some indoor activities during the pandemic as rules permit, it has definitely been a bonus that the classes have been offered outside - props to Teacher Monica for pivoting and making it happen!”

“Teacher Monica is a celebrity in our home. We started going at a community centre when our son was tiny. Then Monica managed to navigate her Jump Into Music program during the pandemic wonderfully. We watched her from our living room for months, and when it was safe enough to join in person we immediately signed up for a class at the park. We love all the songs, dances, play and the way she helps us learn the ways of music and rhythm. She’s non stop energy and is always on top of her programming. She blows us away every week. Ross loves playing along and I can see Monica truly enjoying him jamming with her. This is clearly her heart and soul job. She brings love, joy, patience, calm, fun and creativity to the program. In the early days we brought Ross’ uncle to class one time. That was over 2 years ago and he still talks about “Ross’ music teacher” and how amazing she is at her job. We LOVE Jump Into Music!”

“We love Monica’s music class. We have been coming since my daugher was 6months old. It is interactive, fun and educational for me and for my daughter. Monica chooses songs that adults also enjoy so the parents can have a good time in class also. We look forward to going to music class every week. Monica caters to all ages so we will be coming to class for many years to come. I also feel safe going to class during covid as we are really spaced out and outdoors! Thanks teacher Monica!”

“Jump into Music is the highlight of our daughter’s week. Her response to the music and teacher Monica was truly a special thing to witness. Monica’s ability to connect with children of all ages is remarkable. We love the exploration of different music genres with enough information for parents to learn a thing or two! It has been so wonderful to attend class in person. Monica has done an incredible job of keeping everyone safe while still providing an engaging, fun class. When not able to attend in person, her online offerings are also amazing. Cannot recommend her classes more.”

“My son loved Jump into Music! He was beating his drum and shaking his maracas to the music. These classes were a great introduction to culture and sounds around the world. The teacher kept his attention and made him laugh and dance. Highly recommend these classes”

“I am a nanny for a 2-year-old girl. (I'll just call her N). I started taking her to Jump Into Music classes when she was about 18 months old. N would watch intently, enthralled in all that was going on. I was really impressed with Monica's teaching style which was fun, high energy and professional & educational, too. She was so organized and had an easy to follow flow for her classes. She included songs from a current theme, like Japanese songs or Jazz music, and also some that were repeated each week. And she came with lots of instruments and props like a teddy bear, puppets and bubbles, making the classes very entertaining for the children. During the 6 months we have been going to Monica's classes, N has been picking up some of the songs and actions and shows more understanding and engagement each week. It's been great to see N's growth and learning and I always learn something new, too! It's definitely the highlight of the week!”

“The first time I got to experience Teacher Monica's sensational class was way back in 2017 with a one year old that I was nannying at the time. Without a doubt, it was the highlight of our week. I remember the class being genuinely enjoyable for all the children as well as the adults! Monica really has a way with music and knows how to get kids of all ages dancing and singing along to her huge variety of fun songs. I even learned so much about many cultures around the world as well as the histories of all kinds of music. Now, in 2021, nannying for a different family with a 2 year old and 6 year old, Monica's classes have been such a light in these hard times during the pandemic. Having Jump into Music to sing along with from home has quickly become what we look forward to most at the end of the week. It is really impressive to see the music taught in such a way that the kids go about singing songs in multiple languages throughout the week. Every day they ask if today is "Teacher Monica" day. I would highly recommend this program for anyone, and will be gladly attending teacher Monica's classes with any nanny job moving forward. Hopefully too when I have kids of my own.”

“Isla has been going to Jump into Music since she was 6 months old and has loved every minute of it. Monica's classes are the bright spot of our week, with both Isla and mom & dad looking forward to going, especially during this crazy year. Isla has learned so much, and now knows all the moves and constantly requests us to sing songs from "bica's" class. Thanks for all you do!”

“We followed Jump Into Music with Ms Monica throughout the SIP for the virus, and discovered her online through a friend's recommendation. My 2 and 4 year olds loved her! They would dance to her music, and especially loved the bubbles and the scarves as well as visiting with all her little stuffed animals. We looked forward to her at 10:00am everyday (especially me, so I could enjoy a break, haha). Glad she is on summer break but we are very much missing her! - Thankful family in San Diego”

“Thank you so much Teacher Monica! Your show helped us SO much during lockdown. It brought us joy each day to watch you and play music together, and we look forward hopefully to seeing back at your in person class one day!!”

“Thank you for doing what you did for the past few months! Max loves your programs and with all of our activities cancelled it has been so hard to keep him entertained and learning on my own - this helped so much and we will be rewatching the videos on rainy days <3 thanks again for keeping this mama sane during these difficult times!”

“Thank you so much for putting on these get togethers over the past few months. My daughter (2 yrs) wasn’t able to go to daycare and she absolutely fell in love with “Teacher Monica”. It filled a void for her for sure. She got so excited to watch you and sing along and now whenever she says jump she has to say “jump into music”. Thank you for providing a resource to us parents who needed our littles to get some different type of stimulation during this time. I also enjoyed your songs and continue to sing them all the time. Wishing you all the success for the future and we will be following your page for updates. ”

“We’ve been attending Jump Into Music with Teacher Monica for just over a year, starting when my son was 1.5 years old. It has been incredible watching my little boy have fun, learn much about a wide variety of music, and especially bond with our teacher. His favourite stuffed animal is named after a song we heard in one of our first classes. I learned that my son takes time to build trust, and the format of Jump into Music is flexible for tiny humans to meet them where they’re at. The new online format, with Teacher Monica, gave us much needed connection, familiarity, and joy during a time when I felt like our whole world was abruptly stopped. And he’s still learning and having so much fun, with the new format. He loves hearing his name, playing along with our instruments, dancing and singing with bubbles, and I can credit Teacher Monica for introducing him to Spiderman, whom he is now very fond of. It all started with a song. Thank you, thank you, thank you. - Janine Chartrand, mom of Koa, aged 2.5 ”

“Hi Teacher Monica! We (Nayeli and I) want to thank you so much for all of the amazing classes you've made accessible to all over the last 4 months during the craziness of Covid. Nayeli absolutely loves to see your classes and ends up teaching her own classes daily to her dolls and animals after watching you...socially distanced over a "computer", of course! I've wanted to write many times to thank you and have always gotten distracted with life and a three year old. Truthfully, I don't really have the words to let you know how much we've appreciated having the joy you bring to life and music in our lives during this time. The consistency and sense of normalcy your classes brought, especially at the beginning when we really needed something at the same time daily to provide us with a normal schedule has been invaluable. Thank you so much for sharing your music and happiness with us. We hope you have a wonderful summer outside with your kids and a happy birthday! We'll see you in the fall in some form or another. Take care! - Nicole Jansen June 26, 2020”

“Monica is such a gift to the community! For years I have attended her music classes with both of my daughters ages four and one years old. We just love her! Her classes are interesting for adults and also fun and accessible to young children of all ages. I appreciate that her classes are always hands-on and multifaceted with song, dance, storytelling, and musical instruments. Monica is extremely talented and has a wonderful way of connecting with each child and allowing them to experience her classes in their own way in a safe and loving environment. This is the perfect introduction to music for wee ones.”

“I just wanted to express my how much we love the class Lisa teaches at Killarney on Saturdays. My daughter Lucy comes home and sings the songs, and we do dance parties with your Spotify playlists. I used to design children’s programs for the VSB, and I have a background in recreation leadership. Plus over 20 years of working with kids. Your program is of exceptional quality. While the design of the program is outstanding, it really is the instructor who takes it to the next level. Lisa says the same spiel each class with the same, unwavering kindness. Her strong, clear, and yet gentle voice often has me getting emotional at the welcome song. Lisa’s ability to deliver the material to a room full of squirming children and distracted parents with the same enthusiasm as if she had a captive audience is admirable. My child is one of those that looks like she’s not paying attention, but is actually absorbing everything and it shows by how often she sings “the goodbye train” song. We are a family of limited means and your classes are affordable, especially for the high caliber of your program. Please don’t change that. If you were to expand into a dance focused program, we would sign up in a heartbeat! Heartfelt thanks,”

“This is the most interesting, energizing, fun class we've found. Lucas imitates Monica now and even sings along in his own funny little way. We both love it. A million thanks for creating this class.”

“Our daughter is a little reserved in social settings and sat quietly through the first session of classes. Part way through the second session of classes she started to participate, remembering the routine of the class and looking forward to what was coming next. She remembers songs and sings them at home. Every weekend she would point to her hands and say stamps, looking forward to Wednesday when she would attend Jump Into Music and get stamps from Monica at the end of class. It is a joy to see how much August loves the experience and that she learns something each time as well.”

“We have been attending Jump into Music on and off for the past two years and my son and I have both really enjoyed travelling the world through music. It has been amazing to see my son's development in regards to beat, body movement and motor skills which has enhanced through music group. He knows the routine of class and is being a great role model for the younger kids now. Lady O's enthusiasm and passion is a joy every week.”

“Great way for learning English.  We are living in Vancouver only temporary, but I'm so grateful that we joined Jump into Music as soon as we arrived from our homeland. Even though my 2-year-old son didn't speak English at all, he had fun and enjoyed every class so much and now after only 6 weeks I see dramatic difference. Not only that he knows every song by heart, but he also learned how to interact with other kids. At the same time, I am expanding my general knowledge in music. I would recommend Monica's Jump into Music to every parent of a toddler, and from my perspective, especially to foreigners.”

“Joyful Music! Monica, your exceptional love of music and pure joy you show as you share music with the children in your classes is such a pleasure to experience. Thank you, Gemma’s Grama”

“The Best Part of Our Week Monica's class is the perfect blend of education, fun and exploration. The basic principles of music are taught to lay foundation for a musical future at any level.. and it's tons of fun! Our daughter absolutely loves it.”

“Perfectly Balanced Class   After raising a teenager and now having a baby I was not thrilled about joining baby classes again. Miss Monica invited me to try a class. My cynical attitude quickly changed. My toddler, Damon attends 2-3 times a week now because even his nannies ask to go! It’s enjoyable for toddlers because there’s a structure and flow to the class that includes songs, bubbles, a parachute and instruments. The cool part is that the parents learn a ton along with their child. Miss Monica teaches us very interesting things about various genres of music and the history. Personally, she engages with each child. She knows them all by name and connects with each one. Miss Monica keeps their attention through her expressions, inviting them to touch instruments and quickly moving from one activity to the next. Even before Damon could use words to talk about music class he was tapping his lap and clapping his hands in the rhythm he was taught in Miss Monica’s class. Sometimes he would do it before bed while nursing which made me see that he’s thinking about his day and recalling what he had done. Jump into Music is truly remarkable. All the parents in my Coal Harbour neighbourhood rave about it too.”

“We love music! This class has enriched my daughter’s life so much. We are a musical family but this class helped us structure some learning and variety in around music. Stirling wants me to sing songs from class everyday and always surprises me with how much she has retained and learned from one class to the next.”

“My daughter loves this class and Monica is fantastic! My daughter is always so excited for our jump into music class. She dances and sings along and has really developed a keen interest for music instruments. This is my second term coming to classes and I have seen my daughter become more and more confident and comfortable in group settings. She does not go to daycare so this is a wonderful class for her to interact with other kids around her age. I highly recommend for both child and parent/grandparent/nanny!”

“Amazed! EVERYTHING!!!  Monica these classes are a gift! I've been overwhelmed with emotions every class I've been to. You are gifted musically and you share your gift beautifully. As a mom and someone who spends her time in early childhood settings I am in awe of your ability to reach every participant in the class. Marlowe gets excited when we talk about our music class, the friends she's met through the class and of course Mrs Monica. My heart flutters when I watch her joy in knowing the routine of the class and the thrill she gets from the songs, instruments and scarves (and there is so much more). Not only does she get so much from the class in all of the developmental domains but myself and her Naanii (Haida for Grandma) have learned to love music more because of your passion for it. Keep being you in this world and Haawa/Thank you for these classes!!!”

“So Much Fun!    I can't say enough great things about this class with Orith! My Granddaughter and I have been going to Jump into Music for approx. 1 1/2 years... She loves it and I love seeing her excitement every time we go. It's an inexpensive and great way to spend some precious moments with the little ones. First and foremost, the talented "Lady O" is amazing! She is very patient and thorough when teaching the children about music... at first, I thought that the children wouldn't understand or retain what was being taught, but Orith explains it clearly for them. My Granddaughter now knows the musical scale, either with numbers, colours or "do - re- mi...". Every two weeks or so, there is a change in music.... either French, Spanish, Italian, Hawaiian... and the list goes on. The children learn simple words in these languages, either by singing them or just saying them. They also have a chance to pick a musical instrument to play along with the music of the day.... very fun! It's so wonderful to see how much these little ones retain when they love what they are learning. My Granddaughter is forever singing the songs she has learned. In every way, it's an incredible experience for both parent and child... I would highly recommend signing up right away! Thanks Orith!”

“Love, LoVe, LOVE it!!!     We are so unbelievably lucky to have such a highly skilled teacher guiding us through this stimulating music experience. The opportunity to practice fine and gross motor skills, coordination, social skills, sequencing, timing, language development, and of course, musicality, at whatever level your child may be at, and in such a fun and lively atmosphere, is awesome! I am so thrilled we have this right here in the Cowichan Valley!! I've watched my son be completely immersed in sound and support as he absorbs words, moves, melodies and rhythms. We've both learned so many new songs and new variations of songs I thought I knew. Always a highlight of our week that transfers over into our home.”

“This was the type of activity we were looking for. As the father of two boys aged two and four, I have been taking my younger son to “Jump Into Music” for eight months and also take his older brother when his school is closed. After a free introductory class, we were convinced that this was the type of activity we were looking for. Monica’s easy-going, confident and organized leadership made the class educational and fun for both kids and adults.”

“Thank you Monica, that was wonderful! Best music teacher ever! ”

“We've been attending Jump Into Music since Edie was 6 months old. She really enjoyed it from the very beginning. This highly interactive program has really helped Edie develop her fine motor skills. I must say the class is not just for kids but for adults too. Orith has done a very good job at choosing excellent music for the class.”

“We joined Jump in to Music over a year ago, and would highly recommend both the baby and toddler classes. This educational program provides baby with a fun, developmental exploration of sounds using the body and instruments. We look forward to class each week, where we meet old friends and new. This program is an excellent way to make new connections while introducing baby to the world around them. I would highly recommend this program to moms, dads, aunts, uncles, or nannies - this program is awesome!”

“What a great way to really Jump Into Music! We love this music class where every 3 weeks we travel around the world in music and rhythm. We actually learn new and old classics making every class exciting and enriching. A beautiful and entertaining experience for both parent and child.”