MUSICare Project NEPA

06/02/2026

Hello Everybody! Miss Janine here. By now, many of you have heard some things are changing at MUSICare! First, after 16 years including 11 as a teacher, I am stepping away. I have accepted a job as a writer—which has long been my primary means of support—and will be moving to Tennessee this Saturday, June 6. My last act before I get in the car to start the drive there will be to teach music class and sing Goodbye one more time. Leaving MUSICare, our wonderful families, and your adorable children is by far the hardest part of this. Being part of this program has been one of the biggest joys of my life and I will miss every one of you. Whether you were with us sixteen years ago or this semester or anywhere in between, thank you for making music with us and letting me be part of your child’s life. I hope we brought as much joy to your lives as you have brought to mine.

Now, I don’t think I would have accepted the job and move if it wasn’t for the much more exciting news—MUSICare will live on! Miss Beth and Mr. Jahmeel will take over and continue running the program with just a few changes, including a new name—MUSICare by UFP. I met Miss Beth about 10 years ago when she came to class as an aunt, and I think I knew right then that she would become an important part of MUSICare. Now, she and Mr. Jahmeel will take over and continue what they helped me build. MUSICare will continue in the same location with the same great Music Together curriculum, but with the energy and excitement and incredible talent these two bring to everything they do. They are full of plans and ideas for MUSICare and I can’t wait to see all the amazing improvements they bring!

So, it is with both tears and happy anticipation for the wonderful things in store for you, our wonderful families, that I say goodbye, so long, farewell my friends. Miss Beth and Mr. Jahmeel will see you soon again and then you’ll make music together again!🥹

With love,
Miss Janine❤️🎶

PS—Info about summer opportunities will be coming as soon as the formal licensing paperwork is completed. Watch this page for updates!

05/31/2026

Anyone interested in a new source for sensory play materials? Bin and Bag Sensory Co. is a new business starting next month and it’s run by one of our Full Circle MUSICare veterans and his mom! Follow them and see what fun things they have in store for your kiddo!

05/25/2026

You hum a lullaby. You sing a silly song. You turn on a nursery rhyme in the car. It feels like entertainment.

It is actually brain building.

Neuroscience confirms that infants who experience regular musical exposure display up to 90% stronger neural responses to speech sounds compared to babies who do not. Not just music skills. Language skills. The same brain regions process rhythm, pitch, and timing in both music and speech.

Here is what happens inside. When a baby hears a song, the auditory cortex fires precisely. Those same neural firing patterns are required to distinguish between similar speech sounds. ""Bat"" versus ""pat."" ""Ship"" versus ""chip."" Music trains the ear to hear the gaps.

That training transfers directly to reading readiness. Phonological awareness. The ability to hear and manipulate sounds in words. It is the single best predictor of early reading success.

You do not need formal lessons. You need exposure. Lullabies at bedtime. Songs during diaper changes. Clapping games. Rhyming books read aloud. Even background music played softly during play.

Every song is a workout for the language centers of your baby's brain. Sing more. Worry less. That is the research.

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05/10/2026

MUSICare Project wishes a Happy Mother’s Day to all the moms, stepmoms, grandmoms and great grandmoms, godmoms, soon-to-be moms, and all the aunts, friends, and others who love on kiddos as if they were your own. You have the most important job in the world and your superpower is changing the future one child at a time. We hope you have a wonderful day with your kids—and you make some music, too!🥰🎶

04/30/2026

Some of our families were asking today about adding your music collections to a Tonie or Yoto. You can do it!

To access the music, go to the Music Together website (www.musictogether.com), click on “Parents” then “Enrolled Families”. In the welcome box, either create a Family Music Zone Login or sign in if you’ve already created one. Once you’re logged in, you can use the code from the inside front cover of the book given to you at the first class each semester to access the songs from that collection. You can go back and add codes for any of the collections you’ve taken from those books as well. The code allows you to download the MP3s for the songs. From here, you follow the instructions for your Tonie or Yoto for adding your own MP3s. By the way, you can use the same MP3s from the Family Music Zone to add the music to streaming platform collections like Apple Music and Spotify—that’s how we play the music in class!

Have fun!!

https://www.musictogether.com/parents/enrolled-families

Our music classes for kids provide a fun, comfortable environment for children around the world to make music with their families. Find a class near you today!

04/12/2026

Hello SPRING MUSICare families! Just a reminder that classes start this week AND that they will be held in our new location at St. Joseph Morello Church, 237 William St., Pittston, just a bit up the hill from our previous location. Park in the large lot in the rear of the building, enter through the etched glass doors (the one furthest to the right is usually the one thats open), then go down the stairs on the left. There is also an elevator available. And if you haven’t signed up yet, message us NOW to join the fun!! Monday evening 5:15 and Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Saturday morning 10:15 spots are still available!! Looking forward to making music with you soon!!

04/11/2026

Classes start Monday and there’s still time to join our eight-week spring semester featuring the maracas collection! The Monday evening 5:15 class has very limited room, and spots are available in the Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, or Saturday 10:15 classes in our new Pittston classroom. Message us NOW for details and to join the fun!