Professional Development by Mr. Jeff!
Wonderful Play! Using Music to Support Early Childhood Development
Music has the power to spark joy, connection, and learning. In this dynamic 3-hour Ohio Approved workshop, early childhood educators and librarians will discover how to harness that power every day.
Presented by Mr. Jeff (Jeff Klemm), an award-winning children’s musician, educator, and dad of three, this training combines live performance, research-based strategies, and interactive play.
Participants will:
🎵 Learn practical strategies for using songs and play to build early literacy, language, and social-emotional skills.
🎵 Experience live, interactive music-making with movement and improvisation.
🎵 Explore ways to incorporate observation and creativity into daily routines.
🎵 Leave with activities they can implement right away in classrooms, libraries, and homes.
With joyful songs, practical tools, and a focus on whole-child development, Wonderful Play! is more than a training. It is an experience that educators leave energized, inspired, and equipped with activities they can use immediately.
Format: 3-hour Ohio Approved professional development workshop
Audience: Early childhood educators, librarians, caregivers
Trainer: Mr. Jeff, award-winning children’s musician, educator, and dad of three
Official Training Playlist!
Meet Mr. Jeff, the super cool musician and teacher! His high-energy, interactive live shows combine gross motor movement, social-emotional learning, and a healthy dose of silliness, leaving kids ready for nap and parents asking for more! Mr. Jeff’s performances are designed to captivate and engage audiences of all ages. Teachers and caregivers in attendance will recognize the value of their engagement in music play with children to promote regulation, connection, and community. Those attending this event will learn how to implement music activities as transition tools, brain breaks to support classroom attention and management. Individuals will leave with the knowledge of using books, puppets, props and movement to enhance accessibility and engagement for all learners while also aligning to the Ohio Early Learning & Development Standards.
Wonderful Play! Using Mr. Jeff’s Music to Support Early Childhood Development
Child Development Associate Area : To support social and emotional development and to provide positive guidance
Early Learning and Development Standards: Language and Literacy,Social and Emotional Development,Creative Development
PD Topics: Classroom Management, Developmental Milestones
Objective 1
Participants will identify how music supports key learning domains of early childhood development, including language, literacy, math, motor skills, and self-regulation.
Area - Child Growth and Development
Subgroup - Appropriate Environments and Experiences
Competency - 1.5 Identifies strategies that will support children's individual needs in all areas of development and learning, including those with developmental delays or disabilities.
Objective 2
Participants will design simple music-based activities throughout the environment using repetition, rhyme, and rhythm to promote early literacy and language development.
Area - Learning Environments and Experiences
Subgroup - Learning Experiences
Competency - 2.3 Creates an environment and learning experiences that foster language development and early literacy.
When I started the Mr. Jeff project, the educational component was something I poured so much passion, thought, research, and work into. After years of development and experience in the field, I’m finally ready to share it in a big way.
I’m THRILLED to “headline” the Inspired Early Childhood Educators Symposium in Akron with my brand new Ohio Approved professional development training:
Wonderful Play! Using Music to Support Early Childhood Development
This is an interactive, fun, and very much NOT boring PD experience designed to help educators and librarians use music to support learning through play.
Huge thanks to the Akron-Summit County Public Library and Early Childhood Resource Center for believing in this vision, helping me bring it to life, and supporting me every step of the way. So so so grateful.
I’m excited to bring this training to more schools, districts, libraries, and early childhood professionals across Ohio and beyond this fall and winter!
Let’s grow together, learn together, take the world and we'll make it our place.
