Exciting things are happening at Kid's Village, a new art and music studio located at 2520 NW 97 Ave.

Here children from the age of 3 months up to 7 years can join in and enjoy two separate programs that develop their inner talents, without fear of failure. The objective at Kid's Village is to stimulate a young child's imagination, promote conceptual development, and help express talent.

The Kindermusik program is an early music and movement program to help nurture children's cognitive, emotional, social, linguistic, and physical development.

The art classes at Kid's Village draw upon new instructional methods, which in turn are based upon recent brain research, to teach children basic painting and drawing skills in a nurturing environment.

Director Tailleen Arias is totally committed to these new approaches to learning performing and fine arts.

Her reason is personal: three years ago her daughter was two and didn't yet talk. She took her to a Kindermusik class and saw a big difference.

As Arias recalled, "After the class, she started talking. She was very shy then, but that's all in the past now."

When Arias moved here from Puerto Rico she tried to locate such a program locally, but found none.
"I decided to do this because of my love for children, music and art," she explained. "I wanted to join these three elements together and give kids

in Doral the same opportunity that my child had."

Arias brings a degree in visual and graphic arts and a Kindermusik International License to her studio.

Arias shares in the common belief that every child is musical but she fears that if this dimension isn't enhanced, it will be lost by the age of six or seven.

She remarked, "Once kids attain a musical base, they will keep it. Their quality of life will improve and other talents can also emerge."

The head of the PTA at John I. Smith Elementary, Beverly Telemaque, is bitterly outspoken in her opinion that, "music seems to be doomed as part of the public school curriculum. It's tragic."

But Arias feels that her program, at least in this corner of Miami, may help fill the lamentable void.

She said, "Kids should be creative and do something other than watch TV or play computer games after school."

The studio at Kid's Village is an inviting, open, airy space featuring pastel walls with bright borders hand painted by Arias.

The studio's first session begins on February 14th and will run for 15 weeks. The hours are convenient for children and parents interested in an alternative to the usual aftercare at neighboring schools. Kid's Village offers classes on Saturdays too.

Birthday party packages are also available.

"I want to make birthday parties affordable and fun for everyone," remarked Arias.