Aspiring DJs as young as 2 months can try their hands at Baby DJ School. PHOTO COURTESY BABY DJ SCHOOL
For a unique musical experience, visit Baby DJ School in Santa Monica or West Hollywood. Run by enthusiastic teacher Anna Wallace (also known as “DJ Annie Wonder”), this isn’t your typical children’s music class with guitars, pianos and drums. Instead, kids ages 2 months to 5 years are introduced to faders, laptops, vinyl records, turntables and other DJ equipment.
The 45-minute lessons also feature one-of-a-kind songs such as “Makin’ our Favorite Beat Drop” and “Daddy Loves Disco.” Wallace’s love of music and children radiates outward, making the class fun and engaging.
Each child gets to handle and spin records, using headphones to listen to the deck. A scarf activity helps kids learn about high and low pitch, and other creative songs teach them about mixing faders and using buttons and knobs. Each class ends with an entertaining bubble machine and parachute activity.
If you like brushing elbows with hip parents and enjoy a variety of music (from house to disco), this is the class for you and your child. The eight-week session costs $200, and a one-time trial class costs $30. My 8-month-old daughter found this activity fun but overstimulating, so it might not be a fit for the very young or those sensitive to loud noise. The older children in the class, however, looked very excited and appeared to have a lot of fun.
Marissa Bargeliotes takes her 20-month-old daughter, Blake, to class weekly. “She loves it, and I enjoy that we get to hear different music,” Bargeliotes says. “They get to learn something new every week. The class varies, but they also get the routine and familiarity that helps them learn.”
For more information about Baby DJ School or to enroll in a class, visit www.babydjschoolla.com.
