Sing like nobody’s listening. Dance like no one’s watching. Live like it’s heaven on earth.

That’s what it’s like at Magical Melodies in St. Augustine.

Magical Melodies hosts music classes for young children, ages 8 months to 5 years, with a caregiver. Step into Michelle Smith’s class and you’ll be surrounded by moms, dads, grandparents and nannies singing out loud and cutting a rug with their little ones.

At first glance, Magical Melodies’ classrooms appear to be filled with kids and adults just having a grand time – which they are! However, Michelle actually integrates the serious business of learning into this fun and relaxed setting.

Introducing children to music at a young age provides huge long-term benefits. In Michelle’s classes, kids develop gross and fine motor skills through dance, movement and motions. Kids cultivate language and early literacy through songs. Small children learn to focus, listen and concentrate by following directions and using inhibitory controls such as “stop” and “freeze.” Children also learn body awareness and body parts. And perhaps one of the biggest benefits for kids in Michelle’s music classes, they gain self-confidence and a foundation in social interaction.

Michelle has been a music teacher in St. Augustine since 1999. A bit of a local icon to those with little ones, she exudes her passion for teaching music in all of her classes.

Michelle experienced the benefits of music herself as a child through piano lessons and many years of ballet. She says she is grateful that she can share her excitement for music and movement through her classes.

Michelle has two children of her own and has drawn from what she’s learned from raising them into her teaching. She believes we have so much to learn from our children, such as being fully present in the moment, enjoying silly and fun activities that tap into our own inner child, moving our bodies with joy and without judgement, singing without worrying about pitch and allowing small children to be themselves at this wonderful stage of self-discovery and exploration of the world around them.

Magical Melodies holds classes weekly in a relaxed setting, so that children and caregivers can participate at their own pace without feeling the pressure to perform. Try out Michelle’s music class when you stop by Magical Melodies at Made in St. Augustine®.