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Munchkins has been, without a doubt, the most consistently stimulating, fun and enjoyable for both of my daughters and myself. Four years and we LOVE IT!Pat Hooker Daughters - Ellie 5 years, Natalie ½ years
My 20 month old daughter and I LOVE Musical Munchkins. The teacher, Miss. Mila is absolutely wonderful. She is patient, talented, soft-spoken, and very understanding. All qualities that parents as well as children appreciate. This class is teaching my daughter how to understand, pay attention, and clean up. Keep up the great work!Lily Rich Daughter – Liana Rich
If you are considering taking a class with your child, choose Musical Munchkins. Not only does my daughter absolutely love the music, activities and people, I look forward to the class every week. It is literally one of the best parts of our week. Musical Munchkins has been such a positive addition to our week. Both my daughter and I love our class. The combination of music, movement and social interaction is perfect for babies and toddlers (and parents, too!). It has been so much fun to watch each child change and develop over the course of two semesters of Musical Munchkins. I believe that one of the reasons our class is such a success is because our teacher has gotten to know each child as well as the personality of the class. She has created such a fun and stimulating environment for everyone!Daughters – Sarah D’Ercole, 1 year old and Abigail D’Ercole, 14 mths
I have had my daughter enrolled in Musical Munchkins with Amy since she was 10 months old. She is now 2 ½ and it is amazing how much she has learned in Amy’s class. The Musical Munchkins curriculum is age appropriate. Amy really knows how to teach at the children’s comprehension level. It amazes me to watch a group of 2 year olds grasp the different music tempos and beats. Musical Munchkins has been a wonderful experience for us. The classes are fun and educational.Marla Feldman
Musical Munchkins is a fantastic program! Through the use of musical instruments, singing, movement, stories and props, the children are introduced to many musical concepts at an age appropriate level. Without even knowing it, they are learning about tempo, pitch and dynamics in a fun, relaxed environment. The teachers are amazing as they engage their little students throughout the class. As a mom I am so thankful for the Musical Munchkins program. My daughter looks forward to class each week, and so do I.Daughter – Julia Staffin 2 ½ years
My seventeen month old daughter, Anna has loved going to Musical Munchkins since she was nine months. I too have enjoyed going because I have made some really nice friends there. It has been such a pleasure watching her develop skills she has learned in class. Whereas she use to put all of the instruments in her mouth, now she plays with anticipation of the music. Ms. Eileen is a wonderful teacher who is always so energetic and caring. She knows it’s time to stand up and start dancing and moving when she senses that the little ones are getting squirmy. I like the fact that Musical Munchkins follows an age appropriate curriculum because I now that Anna will be moving along a continuum. I can’t wait to listen to the CD that will come out soon.Sherie Barge
My 2 ½ year old twins and I look forward to our Musical Munchkins class each week. The music and activities are uniquely age-appropriate and each child is allowed the opportunity to participate as an individual. I could never have imagined that my kids could overcome their shyness by playing a solo instrument in front of a whole class but they have done so. We’ve tried several other music classes and Musical Munchkins is our favorite by far.Maria Boucher Daughters – Isabelle and Elise
I tried several classes in different locations until I found the perfect fit. I am now in a class where my daughter has made friends, learned about music and had lots of fun. If you are not happy with a class, it’s worth switching or trying a new one before leaving the program. Miss. Mila is a patient, sweet teacher. She always makes us feel welcome and is accepting of the typical 1 year old behavior. She changes the music to suit the children’s needs.Elisa Goldklay
"After comparing the music classes available, I realize that what makes Munchkins special is the combination of learning and fun. My children enjoy all the classes, but I know that Munchkins is secretly prepping them for pre-school and teaching them a lot about much more than music every week. I can't wait to return again this time with my third child."Patrice Athanasidy
By Jeanne Muchnick
There’s a musical energy to Eileen Oddo’s voice. Even when this White Plains mom of two and co-founder of Musical Munchkins is talking about frozen grapes (one of her favorite summertime treats), or her son’s recent interest in punk rock, she practically sings her sentences.
It’s easy to tell she’s a vocalist — and an enthusiastic messenger to help others to enjoy and feel the music. Trained as a classical pianist, this Southern Belle — she originally hails from New Orleans — says her original dream was to be a performer or to teach piano at the college level. But after taking eurhythmics lessons in Europe post-college, she fell in love with “the wonderful world of teaching early childhood.”
"My parents didn’t quite get it,” she says. “I had been studying and playing the piano since I was four; I went to France to study to be a pianist. And then I got involved with Dalcroze Eurhythmics, which is a Swiss method of training young children to be musicians. I came home and basically told them I was happier sitting on the floor with little kids playing instruments.
“I completely changed directions in terms of my career,” she continues. “But I’ve never looked back. I love it.”
Musical Munchkins, the brainchild of Eileen and her former partner Chris Patella, started on the living room floor of Chris’ Westchester home and quickly spread to rented spaces in churches, nursery schools, YMCAs and other locales. The classes are designed to get preschoolers interested in music; they begin with Baby Munchkins for ages 6-23 months, and go up to age five. Depending on age, parents either accompany their child or come and participate for the last l5 minutes.
The concept of teaching children music at an early level began 2l years ago when Eileen was a teacher at the Westchester Conservatory of Music and Chris was teaching classes in her home. “A parent from my music class told me that I had to meet Chris — that her younger daughter was taking a class with her and that her classes were exactly like mine.”
The two met and realized they had a lot in common: high energy, enthusiasm for youngsters, and a real love of not only getting kids up and dancing, but getting them to appreciate playing instruments and listening to the beat behind the tempo. “My goal has always been to lay a foundation for music,” explains Eileen, “to create a base and an appreciation for harmony. I want to create a culture where every young child has music in their soul and in their nervous system.”
In fact, she says she was thrilled to find out recently that out of an elite chorus group of 10 singers at The Masters School in Dobbs Ferry, five were “graduates” of Musical Munchkins.
Just as exciting has been her ability to combine motherhood with her career. When she started Musical Munchkins, she was a newlywed but knew kids were part of her future. “I chose this career because I wanted to be able to work around my children,” she says. “Piano teachers are busy from 2-7pm at least; my job is usually over by 3.” She has two children, Timothy, age l6, and Annie, l0.
Some of her fondest memories, she says, are from the days when her kids were toddlers and in her classes, though she admits there were times she had to place them with different instructors to keep the peace — and her sanity. “It was hard. I’d have eight children in my class and one of them was my kid,” she recalls.
Eventually Chris, who had older children, moved out of the area and “Miss Eileen” — as she’s known to her students — took over the operation. Today, there are l4 locations with a total of about 900 kids in classes per year. In addition, Eileen volunteers once a month at Blythedale Children’s Hospital and also teaches classes on Thursdays at the Y in White Plains. “So parents who’ve had me for their first and second kids know to find me there that day,” she says.
Of her daily life, she says: “I don’t have a typical day. My nervous system is very ‘buzzy.’. I need stimulation to do a lot of different things.” Her routine consists of managing the business (which she does from home), training and teaching her instructors, and volunteering. She recently wrapped up a big project: putting together instructional, curriculum-based CDs geared to each Munchkin age group. It was a family affair, with son Timothy playing percussion and drums, her husband (also a musician) doing the arranging and mixing, daughter Annie helping with ideas and singing, with Eileen herself on guitar, piano, vocals, formatting songs and putting the whole project together. Her staff was also instrumental — no pun intended — in helping with the collection.
Her kids, she says, were “drawn to music” at an early age and you can hear the pride in her voice when she talks about Timothy and the drums, classical guitar and yes, even punk rock that he plays. Not to mention Annie’s perfect pitch, or the way she recently picked up trumpet in addition to piano and how neither of them complains when it’s time to practice. In fact, sometimes she doesn’t even have to remind them.
Eileen admits she never gets tired of the sound of music. “We have a very noisy house,” she admits. “Happy, but noisy.”