FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact:
Lynda LeVan, 423-648-6043, lhl@cdmfun.org
Director of External Affairs

PopTots Is a Musical Masterpiece for Toddlers

Chattanooga Symphony & Opera’s Wind Quintet at Creative Discovery Museum

(February 8, 2011) - - Creative Discovery Museum and Chattanooga Symphony & Opera (CSO) team-up to present the fourth season of PopTots, a series that uses musical performance and instruction to help toddlers develop cognitive and fine motor skills.  The program will be presented in the Museum’s Auditorium on Saturday, February 19 at 2 p.m.

The CSO’s Wind Quintet will perform an interactive concert for toddlers and adults.  A 30-minute performance will be followed by 30 minutes of hands-on music exploration led by Museum staff.  Children and adults will have the opportunity to play more than 20 rhythm instruments including drums, clava, chimes, bells, and shaker eggs while learning about the educational ways music can improve a child’s speech, motor skills and creative thinking.

“The class is free flowing, but there is a purpose to the play,” said Liza Blair, Arts Manager for Creative Discovery Museum.  “Music is a strong learning tool in early childhood development.  It’s great for kids to experience music and get their hands on instruments and play music for themselves.  Everyone has their own rhythm that relates to how they move and walk.  Working with music and adjusting their innate sense of rhythm to the rhythm of class helps children develop their cognitive and fine motor skills.”

Participation in PopTots is free with Museum admission.  Pre-registration is not required.  This program is part of Creative Discovery Museum’s Arts Live!, a year-round program connecting kids with visual and performing artists. Monthly Performances and demonstrations by professional artists give children the opportunity to experience art first hand, talk with the artist and even try the art form themselves.  ArtsLive! is funded through Allied Arts of Greater Chattanooga and Tennessee Arts Commission.  Visit www.cdmfun.org for more information.
 
About Creative Discovery Museum
Creative Discovery Museum is open Mon-Sat: 10 a.m.-5 p.m., Sun: noon-5 p.m. 321 Chestnut Street, Chattanooga, TN 37402. Creative Discovery Museum is recognized as one of the top children’s museums in the nation. It is a non-profit organization dedicated to educational enrichment for children age’s 4-months to 12-years-old through interactive, hands-on experiences that foster creative and critical thinking. Creative Discovery Museum focuses on a broad range of areas encompassed by Visual Arts, Performing Arts, Technology and the Sciences. In addition to its exhibits, Creative Discovery Museum provides local residents and visitors with special events, educational programming, teacher resources for the classroom, field trips, after school programming, early childhood education classes, artist residencies, camps, art lessons, science demonstrations, and a branch of the local library. Creative Discovery Museum is a funded agency of Allied Arts and Tennessee Arts Commission and the Institute of Museum and Library Services.
          
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