Hands-on time with mini guitars, keys, and drums. Group games that teach beat, pitch, and ensemble. A story-based curriculum that turns a 45-minute class into the highlight of the week — and bridges right into Piano Lab at age 6.
A drop-off music class built around how 4- and 5-year-olds actually learn — through play, songs, and trying instruments with their hands. The natural step before Piano Lab or private lessons.
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Both of my kids love their teachers. We cannot say enough great things about Sandy. She has really inspired our daughter to love to play and practice. The night and day difference in our son's playing after joining a jam class is incredible.
I think private lessons are boring. I like my labs class. It's so fun to work with my teacher and jam. Guitar lab is just fun and I like going.
The labs program truly helped Declan, he wouldn't practice and was uninterested in playing until we found Twelve Tone — it's a night and day difference and now he makes sure we never miss a class!
Little Tones introduces kids ages 4–5 to the joy of music through hands-on exploration and play. Young learners discover rhythm, melody, and movement while building the coordination and listening skills that set them up for instrument lessons later. This isn't passive watching — kids actively engage with mini instruments, with their peers, and with our expert teachers in every 45-minute session.
Before picking an instrument, kids need to experience them all. Little Tones students rotate through mini keyboards, percussion, guitars, and more — discovering what sparks them while building the fine motor skills and musical intuition that translate directly into Piano Lab at age 6. By the time they're ready for instrument-specific lessons, they already have the ear, the rhythm, and the confidence.
Not every 4- or 5-year-old is ready for sit-and-focus private lessons, and that's exactly why Little Tones exists. Our small groups create a supportive, social environment where kids learn alongside peers their own age, build confidence, and start to love music together. With our worry-free makeup policy and flexible weekly scheduling, parents get peace of mind while their kids get the foundation for a lifetime of music.
The questions parents ask most before booking a Little Tones trial class at Twelve Tone Music School in Glenview.
Still have questions? Call us at 847-901-7161 — we're happy to help.
Three reads for parents thinking about a pre-instrument music class for their 4- or 5-year-old.
Inside a Twelve Tone Little Tones class in Glenview — what 4 and 5 year olds actually do in 45 minutes, why the group format works, and what comes next.
Read articleHow group music lessons at Twelve Tone in Glenview build teamwork, communication, empathy, and friendships that last well beyond the practice room.
Read articleHow playing an instrument changes the brain — Twelve Tone Music School in Glenview on what the cognitive research says about kids and music.
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