After being disheartened by the story time programming at her local library, Indianapolis mom Ashley Robertson decided to take matters into her own hands. She established her own engaging children’s programming, Ashley’s Music Circle.
“We did not particularly enjoy the story times at the library because they were rather slow and not super engaging,” Robertson says. “Then when I started looking for other children’s programming, it was way out of our price range. So I was like, “Hey, I used to teach preschool. I was a very musical kid growing up. I think I could make something that is just as engaging as all these high-priced programs. So I did.”
Ashley’s Music Circle is currently held about every Wednesday at 10:15 a.m. at St. Luke’s United Methodist Church Midtown Campus and draws a crowd of about 40 to 60 people. Sometimes she’ll host music circles at additional locations, which are always reflected on her events tab on her Facebook page, @AshleysMusicCircle. Her classes are pay what you can, but a suggested donation of $5 per child is encouraged.
As for what her music circles entail, Robertson weaves early childhood academic standards into her 50 minute sessions. For the most part, Ashley’s Music Circle covers practicing letters, counting, following directions, impulse control and more. Her reasoning for having the class be 50 minutes is so that children can have time to warm up to the session and be ready to participate.
Another unique aspect to her music circles is that they’re also geared toward the caregivers participating with their child.
“It’s an opportunity for you to take an hour of your day, really fill your child’s cup, connect with them, hit most of the academic standards that they need for the day, and then move on with the rest of your day,” Robertson says. “It’s a great place to meet a friend.”
Looking into the future, Robertson hopes to gain sponsorships so it’s completely free for parents. For now, all of her music circles, as well as cancellations, are listed under the events tab on her Facebook page, @AshleysMusicCircle.
