Joyful music-making for the whole family

At Tam Tam, we believe music is something we make together — not something children simply watch or listen to.

Our Mixed-Age Music Classes bring babies, toddlers, preschoolers, and their grownups together for joyful, hands-on music-making in Brooklyn. We sing, chant, move, dance, play instruments, explore musical patterns, and laugh together in a warm, welcoming community.

There is no audition, no performance, and no expectation that you or your child “be musical.” Your participation is what matters. When children see the grownups they love singing, moving, experimenting, and having fun, they learn that music belongs to them, too.

Why mixed-age classes?

A mixed-age class is a little like a musical family.

Babies learn by watching and listening to older children and the grownups around them. Toddlers imitate, experiment, and begin to take the lead. Preschoolers have opportunities to revisit familiar musical experiences in more sophisticated ways and to discover the pleasure of helping younger children.

Everyone participates at their own level, without pressure to perform or keep up.

And for families with siblings, there’s a wonderful bonus: one class can become a shared family ritual. Everyone can sing together, even when children are at very different stages of development.

🎶 Singing & Chanting: We sing and chant together, exploring rhythm, melody, language, and musical patterns through a rich collection of songs.
🪘 Instrument Play: Children and grownups get their hands on drums, shakers, bells, and other instruments. We experiment with sound, rhythm, dynamics, and musical expression.
💃 Movement & Dance: We bounce, sway, march, dance, twirl, and move to the beat. Music gives children a joyful way to explore their bodies and develop coordination.
🌎 A Rich Musical World: Our songs draw from many musical traditions, styles, languages, and cultures. Children encounter new sounds and patterns in a playful, natural way. Our casually bilingual English-Spanish approach gives families an additional opportunity to play with language together. Playing with Spanish sounds strengthens children’s listening and phonetic awareness and encourages flexible thinking. It also gives grownups the chance to play with unfamiliar sound patterns alongside their children.
❤️ Lots of Laughter and Fun: Music class should be joyful! We make room for silliness, spontaneity, exploration, and the wonderful unpredictability of young children.

Why are grownups expected to participate?

At Tam Tam, grownups aren’t spectators: they are part of the music.

You don’t need to be a singer, musician, or performer. Your child doesn’t need you to sing perfectly. What matters is that your child sees you participating: singing, moving, keeping a beat, playing an instrument, listening, and having fun.

Children learn music in large part by watching and imitating the people around them. When you join in, you’re showing your child that music is something worth doing, not something reserved for people who are “musical.”

And something wonderful happens for grownups, too: you may find yourself singing more freely, becoming more playful, and discovering new ways to connect with your child.

Your presence is part of the lesson.

A casually bilingual approach

New York City is home to an extraordinary diversity of languages and cultures, and we love letting children experience that diversity through music.

Our casually bilingual English-Spanish approach introduces Spanish sounds and songs naturally alongside English. We aren’t a Spanish-language class, and you don’t need to speak Spanish to participate. Instead, we invite children and grownups to play with unfamiliar sounds and sound patterns together.

This kind of playful exposure strengthens children’s listening skills, phonetic awareness, and flexible thinking, while giving grownups a chance to discover and enjoy new sounds alongside their children.

For families enrolled in Tam Tam classes, the music continues at home with song recordings, a beautifully illustrated songbook, and bilingual English-Spanish music recordings and lyrics.

Children in mixed-age classes learn at their own pace. There is no pressure to “perform” or participate in exactly the same way as everyone else.

A baby may watch and listen. A toddler may dance around the room. A preschooler may sing every word and take the lead. All of these are meaningful ways of participating.

Over time, you’ll see your child’s musical abilities develop from those first little bounces, claps, and vocalizations to confident singing, rhythmic play, and increasingly expressive movement.

You may notice something else, too: your family starts making more music outside of class.

A song from class becomes part of your morning routine. Your child asks you to sing a favorite song in the grocery store. You find yourself making up a song together while getting dressed. The music becomes part of your family’s everyday life.

And the music comes home with you

We want music to be part of family life, not just something that happens once a week.

Families enrolled in Tam Tam’s classes receive song recordings and materials to use at home, including a beautifully illustrated songbook. You also receive bilingual English-Spanish music recordings and a lyrics booklet, making it easy and fun to keep singing between classes.

The goal isn’t to practice for next week’s class.

It’s to make music part of everyday family life.

A place to meet your neighbors

The same families often see one another week after week. Babies grow into toddlers; toddlers become preschoolers; grownups become familiar faces and friends.

Over time, a music class becomes more than an activity on the calendar. It becomes part of your community.

You come to sing with your child, but you may also leave knowing your neighbors a little better, sharing a laugh with another parent, or watching another family’s child grow alongside your own.

Music brings us into relationship with one another.

Frequently asked questions

Why do you offer mixed-age classes instead of separating children by age?

Children learn a great deal by observing, imitating, and interacting with children who are both younger and older than they are. Younger children benefit from seeing older children participate, while older children have opportunities to take the lead and develop confidence.

The Music Together® curriculum is specifically designed to work on multiple levels of complexity at once, making it possible for babies, toddlers, and preschoolers to participate meaningfully in the same class.

Is a mixed-age class appropriate for my baby?

Absolutely! Babies are active learners even when they aren’t yet walking, singing, or playing instruments. They learn by watching and listening to you, the teacher, and the other children in the room.

If our dedicated Babies class time doesn’t work for your schedule, a mixed-age class is a wonderful option for infants.

Will my toddler be expected to sit still?

Not at all! Movement is an important part of music-making. Children are welcome to dance, bounce, move around, explore, and participate in their own way.

We provide a consistent musical structure while allowing young children the freedom they need to learn.

What if my child is shy or doesn’t want to sing?

That’s completely fine. There is no pressure to perform.

Children learn by watching and listening, too. A child may spend entire class quietly observing and then sing and dance enthusiastically later at home. Both are meaningful ways of participating.

Can I bring siblings of different ages to the same class?

Yes—and we encourage it!

Mixed-age classes are especially convenient for families with siblings because everyone can participate together. Each child engages with the music at their own developmental level, while sharing the experience with their siblings and grownups.

Do I need to be musical to participate?

Absolutely not. You don’t need to sing in tune, play an instrument, or know anything about music.

Your enthusiasm is more important than your musical ability. Your child will love seeing you participate.

Do I need to speak Spanish?

No! Our approach is casually bilingual, not a Spanish-language class. We introduce Spanish words, sounds, and songs playfully alongside English.

You and your child can simply enjoy experimenting with the sounds together.

What do families receive to use at home?

Enrolled families receive song recordings and materials to continue making music between classes, including a beautifully illustrated songbook and bilingual English-Spanish recordings and lyrics.

Come make music with us!

Whether you are bringing a newborn to their first music class, a toddler who loves to dance, a preschooler who is ready to sing out loud, or siblings of different ages, there is a place for you in our musical circle.

You don’t have to be a musician.

You don’t have to know the songs.

You don’t have to get your child to sit still.

You just have to show up and make music with your child.

Come sing with us, meet your neighbors, and make some musical memories.

Music isn’t something we simply listen to.
It’s something we make together.

Find a class

Tam Tam offers Mixed-Age Music Together® classes for babies, toddlers, and preschoolers ages 0–5 in neighborhoods throughout Brooklyn, including Fort Greene, Clinton Hill, Bed-Stuy, Cobble Hill, and Carroll Gardens. Choose from weekday morning, afternoon, and weekend classes and find a music class that fits your family’s schedule.