It's Thursday morning in Murrysville and the babies in a colorfully decorated room on the ground floor of the United Methodist Church are doing pretty much what babies do: They fuss, they watch each other, and they put whatever toy or item they touch into their mouth.

Lisa Petzel has music playing in the background, and mothers sit on the floor with their children, waiting for class to start.

It's Kindermusik time for the first of four age groups Mrs. Petzel teaches, and the first class of the day is also the youngest.

These are children ages newborn to 18 months, and if they have extraordinary musical talent it probably won't be apparent for a while. No ones seems to care, though. Kindermusik, a West German invention, is designed to use music and movement to aid a child's overall development.

Now it's time for sing-song voices to greet each child, for mothers to gently caress their babies and for babies to be moved in time to music.

Heidi Basista of Plum said daughter Addison, 14 months, was born three months premature and still attends various therapy sessions to ensure she's developing normally.

But the cuddling and giggling between mother and child that goes on in Kindermusik class is just a wonderful bonus for Mrs. Basista, who feels this is a special therapy session that stands out.

"It's something for her and I to do together," Mrs. Basista said.

The woman who teaches the classes would agree.

Mrs. Petzel decided she'd like to start Kindermusik classes near her Monroeville home after the program helped her daughter learn to trust, to socialize and to interact with other children after a bleak beginning.

Lisa and Robert Petzel adopted their daughter, Natalia, from a Russian orphanage when she was 17 months old. The beautiful little girl had the development skills of a much younger child and had problems interacting, even touching, other adults and children.

Mrs. Petzel decided to try a program she'd heard about, Kindermusik, and started Natalia at Gail Roup's classes in Churchill.

Kindermusik International is a publisher of music and movement learning materials and curricula originating in the 1960s in West Germany. The program has been revised over the years and the company is now based in North Carolina. The cost is $190 per 15-week session.

After a while, the toddler, who wouldn't even touch another's hand in the "Ring Around the Rosie" circle dance, joined in. She was getting better.

"I could see such a difference in her," Mrs. Petzel said.

Now Natalia's in kindergarten and continues to attend Ms. Roup's sessions for young children already in the early grades of regular school. There are about 20 Kindermusik centers throughout the Pittsburgh area.

Developing any music skills in the child isn't as important as developing overall skills. According to Kindermusik's Web site, www.kindermusik.com, the movements, one-on-one parent-child activities and music making and listening develop coordination, self-esteem, self-discipline, and critical and creative thinking skills.

Mrs. Petzel ends the first class of the day by suggesting to the mothers that their babies be taken on a "leaf walk" this week.

One of the mothers jokes that they'll need to try to keep the autumn leaves out of the children's mouths.

Next come the 18-month to 3-year-olds.

Julian Sheridan, 23-month-old son of Megan Sheridan, of Murrysville, gets down to work almost as soon as his mom gets his shoes off.

Julian sees to it that the leather balls in the center of the carpet are distributed to a visiting photographer and reporter. Later he'll organize rhythm sticks and colorful scarves and pretty much visit with everyone in the room.

This group is social, attentive and showing signs that their skills are advanced for their ages. Nearly all of the children in this second, older class attended prior Kindermusik classes.

They make rhythm without being prompted and try to imitate movements when they are demonstrated.

When Mrs. Petzel begins the sing-song chant, "clean up, clean up," the toddlers quickly take the toys or instruments to the proper containers.

One Murrysville mom, who had her child enrolled in previous classes, believes they are invaluable.

"He's really learning to share -- and clean up," a smiling Jennifer Taylor said of her 21-month old son, Liam.