Bud's, open since 1955, is now run by the daughter of the founder, and offers the personalized service one would expect from a local family-owned shop.

The store has more than 20 instructors on staff to provide music lessons, and also sells instruments and equipment.

The non-profit Center for Irish Music aims to promote traditional Irish music through classes, performances, and cultural events. Group and individual lessons are offered in accordion, bodhran, fiddle, flute, guitar, harp, vocals, piano, and more.

Dreamland Arts, a welcoming performing arts studio, offers classes, workshops, and performances in theater, music, puppetry, dance, and more. Its intimate 40-seat theater often hosts family-oriented performances.

Parties: Families can schedule a private performance of one of Dreamland's kid-friendly shows in the theater - a portion of the show can even be customized for the birthday child! However, no outside food or beverages are allowed, and no place or time is provided for gift opening and running around - that needs to take place elsewhere.

Ensemble Music offers music education classes for children and their caregivers at various locations around the Twin Cities, including Music Together offerings Suzuki method piano lessons, and summer camps.

Classes are offered for infants, mixed ages, and kindergarteners; for Suzuki lessons, students can begin at age three.

Parties: Families can book customized parties at Ensemble's south Minneapolis studio that include a 45-minute class, party favors, time for cake and presents, and clean up. Expect to pay about $160. Ensemble teachers can also host parties on-location in private homes.

Ensemble Music offers music education classes for children and their caregivers at various locations around the Twin Cities, including Music Together offerings Suzuki method piano lessons, and summer camps.

Classes are offered for infants, mixed ages, and kindergarteners; for Suzuki lessons, students can begin at age three.

Parties: Families can book customized parties at Ensemble's south Minneapolis studio that include a 45-minute class, party favors, time for cake and presents, and clean up. Expect to pay about $160. Ensemble teachers can also host parties on-location in private homes.

Ensemble Music offers music education classes for children and their caregivers at various locations around the Twin Cities, including Music Together offerings Suzuki method piano lessons, and summer camps.

Classes are offered for infants, mixed ages, and kindergarteners; for Suzuki lessons, students can begin at age three.

Parties: Families can book customized parties at Ensemble's south Minneapolis studio that include a 45-minute class, party favors, time for cake and presents, and clean up. Expect to pay about $160. Ensemble teachers can also host parties on-location in private homes.

Ensemble Music offers music education classes for children and their caregivers at various locations around the Twin Cities, including Music Together offerings Suzuki method piano lessons, and summer camps.

Classes are offered for infants, mixed ages, and kindergarteners; for Suzuki lessons, students can begin at age three.

Parties: Families can book customized parties at Ensemble's south Minneapolis studio that include a 45-minute class, party favors, time for cake and presents, and clean up. Expect to pay about $160. Ensemble teachers can also host parties on-location in private homes.

Ensemble Music offers music education classes for children and their caregivers at various locations around the Twin Cities, including Music Together offerings Suzuki method piano lessons, and summer camps.

Classes are offered for infants, mixed ages, and kindergarteners; for Suzuki lessons, students can begin at age three.

Parties: Families can book customized parties at Ensemble's south Minneapolis studio that include a 45-minute class, party favors, time for cake and presents, and clean up. Expect to pay about $160. Ensemble teachers can also host parties on-location in private homes.

Music lessons at your convenience: First Note instructors come to your metro area home (or another location of your choice), at a time that suits your schedule. They work with kids from preschool on up and all levels of experience, with teachers for both instruments and voice. Ask about sibling discounts.

In The Company of Kids offers classes and ShowBiz Kids summer camps exploring dance, acting, improv, voice, and more, and programs for children with special needs such as high-functioning forms of autism. Classes take place in a non-competitive environment, led by professional teachers. Group and private lessons are available by arrangement.

Parties: Two-hour themed parties include invitations, paper goods, food and beverages, a party host, games and activities, decorations, and set-up and clean-up. Parents supply the birthday cake and party favors. Themes include American Idol, cheerleading, Hannah Montana, Cheetah Girls, Transformers, animals, and princesses. Cost: $275/eight kids; $15/each additional child.

Weekly one-hour Kids on the Keys music classes are offered in the home studio of a certified kindergarten teacher with almost 30 years of experience in music instruction. Piano is emphasized in the lessons.

Any one of the ongoing classes can be joined at any time, with a four-class minimum commitment; most classes have three to five students for individualized attention. Parents do not need to remain on-site during lessons. A new concept is introduced each week, and others are reviewed through song, movement, and listening. Students need a piano or electronic keyboard for home study.

Weekly one-hour Kids on the Keys music classes are offered in the home studio of a certified kindergarten teacher with almost 30 years of experience in music instruction. Piano is emphasized in the lessons.

Any one of the ongoing classes can be joined at any time, with a four-class minimum commitment; most classes have three to five students for individualized attention. Parents do not need to remain on-site during lessons. A new concept is introduced each week, and others are reviewed through song, movement, and listening. Students need a piano or electronic keyboard for home study.

Kindermusik offers unique music and movement classes for children from birth through age seven.

This small no-frills school offers private lessons in voice, piano, guitar, clarinet, violin, flute, saxophone, drums, and more - even banjo and accordian - all in a friendly, nurturing environment. Some group lessons, workshops, and songwriting instruction are also available.

Each professional musician at the school brings something different to his or her lessons, so students are encouraged to check out teacher information on the website to find a good match, or to call for a recommendation based on musical aspirations and needs. No need to wait until the next session either; enrollments are accepted at any time at a pro-rated price.

The venerable MacPhail Center for Music - founded in 1907 - offers high-quality music instruction for more than 6,000 students each year, with offerings for kids as young as six weeks old.

And now it's doing it in a new, custom-built, state-of-the-art building featuring 56 specialized practice rooms, a 225-seat concert hall, studios, and more. The school continues to offer individual and group lessons in voice and dozens of instruments; Suzuki instruction; jazz education; an innovative Music Therapy program for kids with special needs; and Early Childhood Arts parent/child classes.

A variety of ensembles are offered for musicians ages nine and up. A two-year Certificate Program for ages 14 and up provides performance-oriented instruction for highly-motivated students. Some programs, including some summer camps, require auditions; for lessons, students are matched with instructors after a detailed placement interview.

The school is also a good source for free and low-cost music experiences, with numerous opportunities throughout the year to see faculty, adult students, and young people perform. Check the calendar for upcoming dates.

Summer camps: Ages nine and up can work on voice and instrument skills while getting to know like-minded peers. MacPhail also offers Music Therapy camps for kids with autism.

Despite the pain inflicted by ongoing budget cuts, the city's Park Board offerings are a key component of the generally high quality of life in Minneapolis.

The Park Board administers over 150 picnic areas, beaches, and parks, including some four dozen neighborhood Recreation Centers which offer free and low-cost enrichment programming, sports leagues, community events, and Rec Plus year-round childcare for ages five to 12. Phat Summer keeps kids ages 12 to 18 busy with specialized and evening offerings when school's out. Daily live entertainment is offered throughout the summer at several locations, including Minnehaha Park and Lake Harriet.

It also grooms skating rinks in the winter, and maintains the Parade Ice Garden, pastoral Nicollet Island, the Stone Arch Bridge, and other historical sites, and - in partnership with the Walker Art Center - the Minneapolis Sculpture Garden, with its signature Spoonbridge and Cherry. Permits to reserve picnic pavillions for private parties at select sites start at $35/half-day.

The Park Board website is easy to navigate and full of useful information. The Park Finder lets users specify which facilities they're looking for, and parking info breaks down the combination of free, meter, pass, and pay-station parking offered in the parks. A page of suggested itineraries offers something for every age and activity level.

Minnesota Youth Symphonies provides musical training - including offerings on composing and conducting - for serious young musicians through a variety of programs and performance opportunities. Most programs require an audition for entrance and/or placement.

Music & Melody Makers provides a hands-on introduction to all the instruments of the orchestra. Summer programming for kids in grades one and up help develop musical skills.

In addition to religious services, ministries, and education, this suburban Lutheran church offers arts instruction for children and on-site daycare. The site also serves as a community center, hosting and providing space for other family-friendly programming.

Daycare: The Mount Olivet Child Learning Center accepts kids ages six weeks to five years. Call 763.559.3036 or email Julie Cohrs for more information.

Classes: Mount Olivet School of Arts offers private lessons September through May in brass, woodwinds, and piano; $18/half-hour. Contact Music Director Angela House for more information. Through Top Hat Theatre, the church offers classes in singing, character development, and acting for ages four to ten; Contact Todd and Pam Russell at 763.535.1162 for more information.

This acclaimed taiko ensemble performs throughout the Twin Cities and offers classes in the traditional Japanese drumming style for adults and children, including a parent/child class! Teens are welcome in the adult classes.

Check the website for current offerings and performance schedules.

Music Masters offers private instruction and small group lessons in piano, guitar, voice, and band instruments for all ages. The school, run from a home studio, also incorporates music software into its instruction, and offers family events such as singalong campfires during the summer.

More than a dozen metro area sites offer Music Together classes for babies and toddlers accompanied by their caregivers. Following the multi-cultural curriculum set by the national organization, weekly 45-minute classes aim to instill music appreciation and skills in little ones, while the whole class moves to the groove. Participants dance, sing, and play instruments in a relaxed atmosphere that stresses fun and confidence-building. Families get a new CD and songbook each session to reinforce the lessons at home.

Music2Master offers piano, flute, durm, guitar, violin, voice, and other lessons, and Kindermusik classes for kids from birth to age seven.

A retail outlet (by appointment only) offers music-related gifts, sheet music and books, supplies and accessories, and instrument sales and rentals for bands and orchestras.

Musikgarten offers music and movement classes for children from birth to age five.

New Horizons offers piano instruction for ages six and up in an in-home music studio. The instructor is a retired and certified college music professor.

Orchard Musik Time offers affordable early childhood music and movement classes - using the Musikgarten curriculum - for children from birth to age six (accompanied by a parent or caregiver).

This handy dandy website is a great place to search for individuals offering private and group lessons in all sorts of musical endeavors.

Riff Factory offers guitar, voice, drum, mandolin, piano, and other lessons for all levels of experience. Instructors teach a wide range of styles, including Rock, Country, Blues, Jazz, Punk, and Contemporary Christian.

The River Ridge Arts Academy offers art, dance, and music classes, a gallery, an art supply store (Indigo Art Supply, which used to be on Grand Avenue), and a coffee shop - providing a community center and gathering place with performance space in a former school building.

The site is home to the Winters Music Academy, Kindermusik of the Valley, and the School of the Youth Dance Ensemble (www.ydeschool.com, 962.941.5771).

Schmitt, a fourth generation family-owned chain of music stores, has seven metro area locations where families can buy all manner of music and musical equipment (new and used), sign up for lessons, and get instruments repaired.

The store's Trial Purchase Plan can be used to finance instrument purchases, or serve as a relatively pain-free rental plan. See the website for details.

The company can also help homeschoolers create a music program, and recommend an instrument of study based on a student's coordination, mouth shape, and other factors. Call Cheryl Hartmann at 763.566.4560, ext. 3218 for more information.

Simply Strings offers instrument instruction, ensembles, and music classes for children ages two and up. Group lessons run about $15/hour; private instruction runs about $40/hour. Both rates vary based on instrument and length of lessons. Check the website for offerings at each of the school's three metro locations.

Summer workshops explore different musical styles, such as rock or bluegrass. Orchestra camps keep kids in tune when they're out of school.

Simply Strings offers instrument instruction, ensembles, and music classes for children ages two and up. Group lessons run about $15/hour; private instruction runs about $40/hour. Both rates vary based on instrument and length of lessons. Check the website for offerings at each of the school's three metro locations.

Summer workshops explore different musical styles, such as rock or bluegrass. Orchestra camps keep kids in tune when they're out of school.

Simply Strings offers instrument instruction, ensembles, and music classes for children ages two and up. Group lessons run about $15/hour; private instruction runs about $40/hour. Both rates vary based on instrument and length of lessons. Check the website for offerings at each of the school's three metro locations.

Summer workshops explore different musical styles, such as rock or bluegrass. Orchestra camps keep kids in tune when they're out of school.

The Minnesota Opera's main season productions are performed primarily at the Ordway Center in St. Paul, but the group is headquartered in the Minnesota Opera Center in downtown Minneapolis.

The organization offers several educational opportunities for youth, including special matinees for grades seven and up; a summer Opera Camp for high school vocalists (audition required); Project Opera, for boys and girls in grades four and up with an interest in choral and operatic music; and a Day at the Opera program ($25/person), which gives students a chance to take master classes and meet the performers, and experience the behind-the-scenes workings of the organization.

Are your kids ready to rock? Then it might be time to give The Paul Green School of Rock Music a call.

The school focuses on teaching kids ages eight to 18 how to play instruments - guitar, bass, keyboard, voice, and drums - and ultimately, how to perform in a rock band. All levels of ability and experience are welcome in the afterschool classes, and kids can enroll any time. The franchise uses a specific curriculum devised by the parent company to teach music theory while also teaching kids how to play with other students.

Individual 45-minute lessons combine with supervised three-hour group rehearsals each week to prepare kids for quarterly performances in "real" rock venues. The showcase rock concerts incorporate light shows and stagecraft, just like the real thing. Additional specialized workshops covering topics such as songwriting and touring are offered throughout the year, including a full-day week-long program during Spring Break.

Summer camps: School of Rock offers several summer camp programs for advanced beginners and up, to help students hone performance and songwriting skills, and learn other industry-related tasks - including tracking a recording an original collaborative piece in the school's studio!

Are your kids ready to rock? Then it might be time to give The Paul Green School of Rock Music a call.

The school focuses on teaching kids ages eight to 18 how to play instruments - guitar, bass, keyboard, voice, and drums - and ultimately, how to perform in a rock band. All levels of ability and experience are welcome in the afterschool classes, and kids can enroll any time. The franchise uses a specific curriculum devised by the parent company to teach music theory while also teaching kids how to play with other students.

Individual 45-minute lessons combine with supervised three-hour group rehearsals each week to prepare kids for quarterly performances in "real" rock venues. The showcase rock concerts incorporate light shows and stagecraft, just like the real thing. Additional specialized workshops covering topics such as songwriting and touring are offered throughout the year, including a full-day week-long program during Spring Break.

Summer camps: School of Rock offers several summer camp programs for advanced beginners and up, to help students hone performance and songwriting skills, and learn other industry-related tasks - including tracking a recording an original collaborative piece in the school's studio!

Twin Town Guitars sells new and used gear for aspiring musicians, rents and repairs equipment, and offers on-site lessons for all levels in bass, piano, drums, violin, and voice, in addition to electric, acoustic, and classical guitar.

The roster of teachers includes parents, touring artists, and instructional book authors; plenty of background information is provided for each instructor on the store's website to help students pick a good fit. Twin Town also offers two one-week summer programs ($200) for kids ages five and up who'd like to play in a band.

Marnie Thies has a Masters degree in Violin Performance and offers private violin and fiddle less