To my child in this new year

Just for this morning, I am going to smile when I feel like crying.

Just for this morning, I will let you choose what you want to wear, and smile and say how perfect it is.

Just for this morning, I am going to step over the laundry, and pick you up and take you to the park to play.

Just for this morning, I will leave the dishes in the sink, and let you teach me how to put that puzzle of yours together.

Just for this afternoon, I will unplug the telephone and keep the computer off, and sit with you in the backyard and blow bubbles.

Just for this afternoon, I will not yell once, not even a tiny grumble when you scream and whine for the ice cream truck, and I will buy you one if he comes by.

Just for this afternoon, I will not worry about what you are going to be when you grow up, or second guess every decision I have made where you are concerned.

Just for this afternoon, I will let you help me bake cookies, and I won't stand over you trying to fix them.

Just for this evening, I will hold you in my arms and tell you a story about how you were born and how much I love you.

Just for this evening, I will let you splash in the tub and not get angry.

Just for this evening, I will let you stay up late while we sit on the porch and count the stars.

Just for this evening, I will snuggle beside you for hours, and miss my favorite TV shows.

Just for this evening, when I run my fingers thru your hair, I will simply be grateful that God has given me the greatest gift ever. I will think about the mothers and fathers who are searching for their missing children, and the mothers and fathers who are visiting their children's graves instead of their bedrooms, and mothers and fathers who are in hospital rooms watching their children suffer senselessly, and screaming inside that they can't handle it anymore.

And when I kiss you goodnight I will hold you a little bit tighter, a little longer. It is then, that I will thank God for you, and ask Him for nothing, except one more day.

Make a holiday treat bag with meaning

For this treat bag, you will need: Babe Ruth candy bar, Almond Joy candy bar, a candy cane, starburst, gold Hershey's kisses, and chocolate Reisen. Here is a story you can insert in your bag that will tell a story about Jesus.

"God sent His Son to us. He came in the form of a baby (Baby Ruth) and was named Jesus. The angels told of the great joy (Almond Joy) He would bring to all people. The shepherds left their flocks, took their staffs (candy canes) and hurried to worship the One who is our good Shepherd—who would lay down His life for His sheep.

The wise men followed the star (Starburst) to Bethlehem. They brought Jesus gold, (gold Hershey kisses), because He is the King of Kings, frankincense because He is our High Priest, and myrrh because He would die for our sins.

Because God gave us the Greatest Gift, His Son, we can never forget the reason (Chocolate Reisen) for the season, Thank you, God!"

Unique gifts for children

Click here.

Silent Monks Singing Halleluia

Looking for the perfect gift?

Please visit Kindermusik's store and shop their online store. You will find wonderful age-appropriate gifts that will last a lifetime. Even better - a percentage of your purchases will come back to our program which will enable us to replace a few tired instruments and add some new surprises as well. Just select Kindermusik with Heidi in the drop down list when you finalize your order. Thank you in advance!!!

Canon - Transiberian Orchestra

christmas boomwhackers

Music and stories

Carefully, I place the record onto the stem. Swinging the plastic arm into place above the turntable, it holds the vinyl steady and flat. I click the switch into auto and wait... read more...

Bach, Fugue 20 in A minor, Well-Tempered Clavier, Book I, BWV 865

Homeade Percussion

Let's make some instruments! Here's a site to get you and your family started!

This made me laugh!

Seen on Beckett's t-shirt in our baby class this morning:

'Classifieds:
Little romantic seeking someone that enjoys dinosaurs, lollipops, quiet evenings at home with a good bed time story and a fine glass of grape juice. Are you the one for me?'
So cute!

Children and mass media

How Setting Limits Will Benefit Your Children By Greg Taillon

Gone are the days of children coming home from school, eating homemade chocolate chip cookies and then going outside to play with their friends until it’s time to do homework. Today, older children are often home alone after school. As a result, they sometimes are tempted to spend their time being entertained with video games, watching television, downloading music and chatting on the Internet instead of doing their homework and more active leisure activities. These temptations are all competing for children’s time at the expense of their education, health and well being.

Childhood obesity, school violence, ADHD and poor reading and math skills can all be tied to too much mass media play in childhood. Too many children are neglecting schoolwork and exercise in favor of eating chips in front of the TV. Fast-paced video games and television shows have shortened children’s attention spans. Recreational reading is almost nonexistent. Even worse, the violence children see on TV is being replayed in the schools, and basic reading and math skills are lagging way behind.

Too Much Media Exposure

Children spend more than 38 hours per week being entertained by the mass media – almost four times the amount of time they spend on schoolwork. As a result, academics are suffering. According to research and standardized test scores, American students are struggling to read at proficient levels, and most recreational reading has stopped. Math skills are also lagging. Once children fall behind with basic academic skills, they have a hard time catching up. This will have long-term ramifications on them, as the future will bring about more advanced jobs and fewer qualified people to fill them. These jobs include medical personnel, engineers, college professors and other highly educated or technical professions.

Overexposure to television starts at an early age. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends no TV for children younger than age 2, and no more than two hours per day of high-quality programming for older children. The truth is that many children watch much more than the recommended guidelines. (read more)

Want to do something about this epidemic? Sign your child up for a Kindermusik class and learn about engaging your child with music in ways that help eliminate this trend! If you're already part of the studio, GOOD FOR YOU!!! Tell a friend and bring them to class. www.msheidi.kindermusik.net

"The smell of baby powder", a friend's latest blog entry

I have a good friend who has a blog I enjoy.

". . . At the time, it seemed like endless changes of clothes from spit up (I wore a diaper on my shoulder for years), sleepless nights marked by croup or asthma and utter exhaustion and boredom from watching just one more episode of Barney or Winnie-the Pooh.

But looking back the sweet scent of baby powder brings back fond memories of an easier time. . . "

More. . .

Sails

One ship drives east and the another drives west
with the selfsame winds that blow.
'Tis the set of the sails
and not the gales
which tells us the way to go.
Like the winds of the sea are the ways of fate,
as we voyage along through life:
'tis the set of a sail
that decides its goal,
and not the calm or the strife.

~Ella Wheeler Wilcox

Groovy Fish

Guess the picture

See the answer and guess more here. Fun!

Teaching kids manners at the table

I found a website that talks about ways to teach manners to your children. I thought this was timely for the upcoming holidays. Click Here and tell me what you think :-) Feel free to leave comments on this post with ways you've taught your children manners that have and haven't worked, you might just help someone out! :-)

Who's harder to raise: Girls or Boys?

Interesting article on the subject. I have one of each. I see challenges and beauty in both.

If you have a toddler. . .

The first 18 months of a child’s life are spent largely focused on the development of their gross motor skills, such as crawling and walking. Once these skills have been mastered it’s the perfect time to start working on the development of their fine motor skills. Fine motor skills are essential for your child to be able to complete very functional tasks, such as:

~ tying or buckling shoes
~ zipping and unzipping
~ turning the pages of a book
~ holding a pencil correctly
~ writing legibly without muscle fatigue
~ cutting with scissors
~ painting, drawing, coloring
~ basically any task that requires the use of small, precise hand and finger movements

Here are just a few activities to get you started:

~ tearing paper, creating a collage
~ threading beads or pasta
~ lacing activities
~ stacking blocks, cups, cans, etc.
~ scribbling
~ stamping
~ creating sticker pictures or colorforms
~ button sorting
~ chunky wooden puzzles
~ Family Fun has a great make it yourself puzzle out of popsicle sticks.
~ playdough - use plastic knives, forks, spoons, rollers, and cookie cutters
~ fingerplays and songs that incorporate finger/hand movements
~ playing instruments such as rhythm sticks, sandblocks, and egg shakers

Do you have any additional ideas for developing fine motor skills at home?

What can your child learn from a puddle?

What would it be like to walk through a puddle for the first time? To not notice it coming up and then just hear the rhythm of your walk change from a tap tap tap to splish splish splash? . . . You look down and notice you are standing in water. You see it, consider it, feel it. What an adventure of the senses!

Parents know how lucky they are to see this happen right before their eyes: their child discovering something new – something that has a sound, or a feeling, or shines, or moves. Discovery can be an incredible gift.

By letting your child walk through that puddle, millions (maybe billions) of sensory connections are made. Thought patterns, optical pathways, auditory stimulation, and your child’s perception of the world are altered and strengthened.

Embrace what a difference you make for your child by taking those walks that last a long long time but cover very little ground. Remember, every stone, pine cone, ant, bird, leaf, and puddle holds a world of discovery. Don’t miss it! Don’t worry about the puddle – the shoes will dry and the pants can be cleaned. The work of the child is to experience something new every day, and that’s one of the best ways you can help your kids learn and grow.

-This post was contributed by my friend and fellow Kindermusik educator Helen Peterson. Helen’s Southern Twin Cities program, Kindermusik of the Valley, is in the top 1% of Kindermusik programs around the world!

Babies Eating Lemons for the First Time

Reading with Toddlers

How do you read with a toddler? I found an article that offers suggestions of ways to get started and the benefits to our children when we read to them.

The main thing to keep in mind about reading with toddlers is that it has more to do with pointing and talking than with sitting still and listening.

There are many great options for toddler books. Board books fall into two categories: storybooks and content books. A good toddler storybook often shows the sequence of common routines—such as bedtime, taking a walk, or bath time. Helen Oxenbury’s Tom and Pippo series is a great example. A toddler and his imaginary companion, a sock monkey, go through simple activities together under the loving care of mom and dad. While reading storybooks, take time to talk about what is happening and make connections to what your family does that is either the same or different. Books that incorporate touching and feeling, like Pat the Bunny and any book with flaps, create moments for interaction that are ideal for this age.

Board books by Sandra Boyton combine humorous stories with learning concepts, such as animal sounds, and opposites. Your child’s ability to remember and her vocabulary are growing tremendously, and books that introduce first words and emotions feed her desire for information. The structure of a book helps her organize what she is learning. (It is a good idea to save alphabet and counting books for another year or so.)

Parents read to share their own love of books, to bond with their child, to stimulate their child’s language development (among other great reasons). All of these goals can be reached with a toddler by following these recommendations.

How to encourage reading in a toddler:

~Keep durable books in a visible and easy-to-access location.
~Allow your child to choose what to read whenever possible.
~Provide your child a variety of books—story, learning, humorous, rhyming books.
~Build several moments for reading into your daily routine.
~Resist taking away reading time as a consequence. (“Mommy will not read a bedtime story tonight if…)
~Limit television viewing.

How to manage reading with a toddler:

~Be willing to read only parts of a book and pages out of order.
~Read when asked.
~Let your child hold the book and turn the pages.
~Sit close to your child, as much as possible, while reading.

While you are fostering a love of books, disregard the commonly held idea that you must read to your child for a set amount of time (20 minutes) in one sitting everyday, or that you are a failure if you can’t get your toddler to sit still to “read.” Home literacy has a lot to do with having dynamic conversation, using a varied vocabulary, and modeling a love of reading. If, in your literacy rich home, you continue to make books available and offer to read on a routine basis, your child will take interest. At some point, the momentum to read together will shift from you to your child…and then be ready to sit down with a pile of picture books.

Information source: The Sixty Second Parent (great site!!)

Kindermusik with Heidi makes great parenting easier

We can never underestimate the power of an encouraging word...or the right word spoken at the right time. Merriam-Webster defines encouragement this way: to inspire with courage, spirit, or hope; to hearten, urge, spur on, to stimulate, to give help.

As a parent you surely wish to encourage your child, and that is our goal in Kindermusik as well. When your child walks into our Kindermusik class, he or she will be encouraged, inspired, spurred on, stimulated, allowed to explore freely and to stretch and grow musically. There are few environments that provide the concentrated opportunities both for educator and parent alike to encourage and boost a child's self-esteem like Kindermusik provides.

This is why the Kindermusik experience is so compatible with good parenting.

Contact us today to schedule a free preview and be a part of the Kindermusik experience.

Family Rituals

Fall semester with Kindermusik with Heidi will start August 24! We will be focusing on the value of rituals this week, across all the curricula birth to 7 years. Here is an article I thought you might enjoy about the importance of family rituals. What rituals do you already have in place in your home?

This is a great musical iphone app for your kids!

If you have an iphone, this is a FREE application your kids (and you!) will really enjoy! My teens love it. It's called Beatwave. You can make amazing beats and tunes.

Register today! Classes Start August 23 and I can't wait to see you! Click here for Kindermusik with Heidi's class schedule.

Blueberry fingerplay

Five little blueberries juicy to the core

A bird swooped down and then there were four.

Four little blueberries as plump as can be

A bird swooped down and then there were three.

Three little blueberries shiney and blue

A bird swooped down and then there were two.

Two little blueberries ripening in the sun

A bird swooped down and then there was one.

One little blueberry left all alone

I popped him in my mouth and then went home.


Karen Gaiffe

Parenting Politics

Anytime you get a group of moms together, the topic will eventually turn to children and parenting. You'll begin to hear questions like: When did your child stop using a pacifier? What kind of music do you allow your child to listen to? Do you believe in spanking your child? Do you co-sleep or make them stay in their own bed?

It can be tricky to succesfully navigate the waters of parenting politics without offending someone. There are so many different ideas out there about what is best for a child, and deciding which of these ideas will work best for your family is a personal decision. So what do you do when you find yourself in the middle of this type of conversation? Here are a few ideas:

•recognize that there will be differences in parenting styles among your friends, and that it's okay
•agree to disagree (sometimes a parent has a really good reason for their choice that others might not understand)
•Don't be afraid to say if a topic makes you uncomfortable or is too personal to discuss.
•If your child questions why others are allowed to do something and they are not, use it as a teachable moment. Each family has to find what works for them, and different doesn't always mean it's wrong.

What ways have you found to deal with parenting politics?

Thank you, Aimee, from Delightful Sounds Studio in Tampa, FL

Sweet Spring

This free slideshow design personalized with Smilebox

Who can resist free tickets?

Click here to enter with Family E-Guide!

The beauty in all of us

Take time to watch this video. There is so much beauty in all of us. That's what the video is all about. I loved it and hope you do too. (above is my beautiful daughter, Carlen)

Bonding

The intricate wiring of the limbic system shows that in order to learn and remember something, there must be sensory input, a personal emotional connection, and movement.

~Smart Moves, by Carla Hannaford, Ph.D.

Glass music-Dance of the sugar plum fairy-Tchaikovsky

Music Is . . .

Music is a Science. It is exact, it is specific and it demands exact acoustics. A conductor's score is a chart, a graph which indicates frequencies, intensities, volume changes, melody and harmony all at once and with the most exact control of time.

Music is Mathematical. It is rhythmically based on the subdivisions of time into fractions which must be done instantaneously, not worked out on paper.

Music is a Foreign Language. Most of the terms are in Italian, German or French; and the notation is certainly not English - but a highly-developed kind of shorthand that uses symbols to represent ideas. The semantics of music is the most complete and universal language.

Music is Physical Education. It requires fantastic coordination of fingers, hands, arms, lip, cheeks and facial muscles in addition to extraordinary control of the diaphragmatic, back and stomach muscles, which respond instantly to the sound the ear hears and the mind interprets. Music is all these things, but most of all,

MUSIC IS ART. It allows the human being to take all these dry, technically boring (but difficult) techniques and use them to create emotion. This one thing science cannot duplicate: humanism, feeling emotion, call it what you will. That is why we teach music! Not because we expect you to major in music. Not because we expect you to play or sing all your life. But, so you will be human, so you will recognize beauty, so you will be closer to God beyond this world, so you will have something to cling to, so you will have more love, more compassion, more gentleness, more good - in short, more life.

Edible flowers

This week in Village class we explored flowers for the song Flowers Sweet. The focus of this lesson is on smell and sensory stimulation. We will feel the flower, smell it, look at it and describe all those things to develop language as well as a connection to the scent. I studied up on 'edible flowers' and actually have many on the list in my own yard! I think I'll try to embelish some salads this week and surprise my family! As you know, babies will mouth anything and everything. And, while I’m not going to encourage them to eat them in class, I do want something safe for them to explore with the numerous nerve endings and sensors around the mouth.

To prepare the flowers for class (and for eating if you choose), I give them a gentle bath in a very mild soap solution. I then rinse them thoroughly in a clear water solution by “swishing” them and I pat them very gently with a paper towels to dry them. This retains their freshness and scent, but removes any types of residue that might be on the flower. You should not eat flowers that you have sprayed or sprinkled with pesticides or any such thing.

There are many websites with information about edible flowers. I like this one because it gives you the pictures and explains what the flower tastes like. NOT ALL FLOWERS ARE EDIBLE!! Sometimes just parts are edible; like tulip petals are edible, but you should never eat the bulb.

Musical concepts through movement

Try this with your child out in the beautiful sunshine. . . through their movement, you will be giving them an opportunity to experience the musical terms 'legato' and 'staccato' (smooth and connected sounds vs. 'bumpy' or disconnected), plus lots of contrasting creative movement.

Have you ever heard the sound of tiny insects walking in the grass?
They are so quiet, you can hardly hear them.
Can you hear the tiny ants marching?
If you put your ear very close to the ground, the sounds are really quite loud.
Boing! Boing! Boing! Can you hear the grasshoppers hopping about?
Sh! Sh! I think I hear worms tunneling through the ground.
Look, there goes a beautiful butterfly high above your head.

I love what I do

I love the Kindermusik philosophy and am so proud to be a part of the Kindermusik community. Thank you for sharing the gift of music with your child. Kindermusik is the community of families and teachers passionately committed to bringing music to children's lives through developmentally appropriate curricula, CDs, books, instruments, and activities for our classes and for family time at home.

Kindermusik's philosophy is founded upon rigorous research and our fundamental beliefs:*Every parent is the child's most important teacher.*Every child is musical.*The home is the most important learning environment.*Music nurtures a child's cognitive, emotional, social, language, and physical development.*Every child should experience the joy, fun, and learning which music brings to life.

I would LOVE to hear what you and your children love most about Kindermusik! Please share your comments with me!

What is the difference between beat and meter?

Even if you're not musically inclined, this is still fascinating and will help you to appreciate the intricacies of music. . .

Meanwhile, turn your favorite catchy tune and keep the beat!

Use your senses

Things to see:
robins, flowers (crocii, daffodils, tulips, forsythea), buds on the trees, mud puddles, green grass, sunshine.

Things to hear:
birds chirping, crickets, wind blowing

Things to feel:
Sunshine (warmth), rain, blades of grass (under fingers or toes)

Things to smell:
dirt, flowers, bark on a tree

Things to taste:
Strawberries, lunch on the porch, lemonade

Multi-sensory play is important for children to really tune in to their environment. The experiences that use multiple senses create the most permanent memories. I can feel and smell and see warm mud squishing between my toes, just by thinking about it. There is something wonderful about a sun-warmed strawberry that makes my mouth water before I even taste it. By focusing on the world around them with adults that care for them, the children will also be building cognitive skills (recognizing seasonal changes, patterns etc), language (being able to use words to describe what the see, feel, hear etc) and emotional strength in security and lifetime memories.

Take even five minutes of your day to enjoy the freedom of being outside and exposing your child to it as well.

Writing on the wall

As seen on another Kindermusik teacher's page. . .thanks Analissa!

'When my husband and I bought our first house shortly before our oldest was born, it was only 968 square feet. The largest available floor space for playing was about 9′ x 12′, so when Nathan was old enough to color and paint, I turned to the only space left – the walls! We hung a whiteboard in the hall, (Did you think I’d let him write on the walls?) and taped large sheets of paper to the wall for pictures galore.

Little did we know that vertical drawing, coloring or painting fosters excellent pre-writing skills. Here’s what Vicki Nelson, (our favorite Occupational Therapist!) had to say.'

Q: Why do art on a vertical surface? A: Drawing on a vertical surface encourages a child to bend or flex their wrist backwards.This position promotes the tip-to-tip pinch of the fingers (fingertips touching or pinching) necessary for later writing skills.Vertical writing is also an excellent way to strengthen arm and shoulder muscles, necessary for stability during later writing tasks. From a visual perceptual angle, it is also much easier for a young child to perceive and align items vertically in front of them than on the table top to begin to understand concepts such as up, down, top, bottom, etc.

Q: What’s the difference between a table and the wall? A: Table top writing is not necessarily bad; it just requires a certain degree of arm, shoulder and hand stability that most young children have not yet developed. Vertical play helps to build up these stabilizing muscles in a variety of fun ways.

Q: At what age did you first put a crayon or paintbrush in your own children’s hands? A: My daughter began with bingo markers at about 12 months of age. We then progressed to paint brushes and cut up sponges. We introduced large crayons and side walk chalk when she phased out of “eating” everything in sight. We encountered a few mouthfuls of non-toxic paint along the way! My son is a different story altogether! He refused to color or paint until about age 3 for any longer than 30 seconds. BUT, he loved to cut – he cut paper, paper plates, cardboard bags, string, PlayDoh, etc. Then he squeezed glue and glued them all together. Now at age 4, he will hold a marker, so do not worry if at an early age you encounter resistance!

Q:What kind of crayons or chalkare best for coloring? A: I recommend the fattest crayons you can find. It is much easier for a child to hold a crayon with a less precise pinch and then to move to smaller crayons as their fine motor skills progress. For children age three and four, broken (an inch or less) crayons and chalk can be especially useful to promote tip-to-tip pinch skills. Tip-to-tip pinch skills and rotation of objects within the finger tips is essential to manipulating writing utensils later.

Q: What if my child refuses to do vertical art? Does that mean something is wrong? A: No, as with any play tasks, children can be very opinionated. Keep it available as an option, (like a whiteboard in the hallway) and they are sure to venture to it eventually. Many times in therapy, I would just sit down at a chalkboard without any expectations for a child to join me and eventually, curiosity got the best of them and we were creating roadways and alphabet gardens galore!!

Ideas for play:

As the weather turns nicer, take your easel outside – the mess is easier to clean up! Give your child a bucket of water and a paintbrush to paint your fence or side of the house. When the fence is wet, let them draw with pieces of colored chalk. The colors become quite bright on the wet surface, and cleanup is easy with a hose.

Attach a whiteboard to a wall or door so that a child may color at shoulder height or below– use magnets for play, whiteboard crayons or washable dry erase markers.

Tape a large piece of paper to a vertical surface. Draw a “roadway” with 2 parallel lines (make it straight or curvy) and have your child use a small piece of crayon like a car to draw a line, without “crashing” into the sides of the roadway. If this is too challenging, they can use an actual small car pinched between their fingers, still trying to stay on the roadway.

Give your child a sheet of stickers and have them pull the stickers off and stick them to the paper. If it is a struggle to remove the stickers, place the sticker on the edge of your table and let them peel it off from there.

Let your child finger paint with a brush or fingers (using washable finger paints) during bath time. A bleach pen will remove any paint color residue from grout lines.

How I met Kindermusik

Back in the summer of 1996, I saw an ad in the paper for a Kindermusik storytime at a local bookstore in Lewisville. I took my then-pregnant self, my 2 1/2 year old daughter and didn't really have anything in mind except to have fun with music! After I left, I had the Kindermusik headquarters phone number in hand and the numbers of the two wonderful educators who conducted the storytime (and who I felt like I knew my whole life and not just 30 minutes!). It was one of those life-changing things: I just KNEW this was what I was meant to do. I can't explain it any other way. I called the number to get an information pack and the rest is history. Thanks to my wonderful husband's enthusiastic support, I was in Houston, TX three weeks later for a week-long training and I started to teach after I had my second child. The two local educators that I met continued to provide support and friendship, even included me in their advertising and referred families to me. It was amazing, and they are friends to this day. Our goal was to share music with children and families, never to 'compete'. How special is that. Kindermusik was such a perfect 'fit' with my own interest in enriching others' lives with music as I had been enriched. It was so natural for me to embrace it. My children are Kindermusik graduates and were in some of my first classes back then! (Now I live with a vocalist/writer/poet and guitarist and love the music around this place!).

I tell people all the time about Kindermusik because of the deep belief I have in the program and what it does for families, for children's growth, and for their minds. I know you tell others too, because so many of your friends have come, and for that I thank you.

Something a little lighthearted and fun for you ~ Happy Spring Break!

~Simplify~

"Raindrops on roses, and whiskers on kittens!" Have you noticed how much pleasure your toddler can find in touching a pansy petal to his cheek? ...or the fascination in the eyes of a three year old who has discovered a spider crawling on its web? Everyone who has a one-on-one relationship with a child can get "back to basics" in a blink of an eye. Even fuzz-balls under the fridge can capture a little one's interest. Think about the toys you or your child loved most.....probably a cuddly bear, a houseful of "little round people", wooden building blocks, Colorforms shape sets, or play pots and pans, dishes and some play dough "food". A two year old can still spend hours playing with soapy suds or digging in the sand. Remember the basics when choosing toys and there will be less frustration for you AND your children. No batteries, raucous electronic voices or beeps, software that disappoints, violent games, or lost pieces in the bottom of the toybox. A gift of a big plastic tub with snap-on lid filled with age appropriate art supplies and blank paper, a plastic drop cloth, and a collection of "stuff" such as tissue tubes, stickers, rubber bands, feathers, scraps of fabric and construction paper might be one of the best gifts you could give. But don't just set it down in front of your child.... "Let's see what we can make!" could be the magic words. Don't insist on conformity or beauty. Just the experience of construction can bring great satisfaction. There are some good books on home-made instruments for parents and children to make together, combining music and craft/art. Let me hear of your successes and/or disasters. We can all learn from each other!

Get Service

take good care

"...understand that to nurture and love others with the grace you desire means taking care of yourself and cultivating your own inner harmony. Inner harmony grows not by finding ways to get away from your child, but by giving yourself the gift of a hot bath at the end of a long day, reading a book of poetry, talking to a friend on the phone, taking a nap, crying, getting a massage, having a day off from cleaning and cooking, staying in your pajamas all day, swimming, going out to eat, or attending a conference. Do something for yourself as you give. Learn to laugh at yourself and not take yourself so seriously." ~Peggy O'Mara, The Way Back Home

Why music?

"One of the beauties of teaching is that there is no limit to one's growth as a teacher, just as there is no knowing beforehand how much your students can learn." ~Herbert Kohl

The power of music!

Click here for an amazing way Kindermusik has helped this homeschooling mom teach her children!

Upcoming Summer Camp

Kindermusik with Heidi will be offering introductory piano camps for 5-6 year olds this summer! I can't wait to plant some seeds. :-) Sign ups begin after spring break!

"You" by Fisher

This song reminds me of my children, how very powerful my love is for them. It touched me.

Valentine's Day Crayons

Look at this idea for Valentine's. Use up those old crayons and turn them into something quite 'sweet'. Click here for directions.

Katrina Kenison - The Gift of an Ordinary Day

An editorial worth reading. . .

What should the ideal classroom look like? Click here for an editorial on education from the NY Times.

Beethoven Appassionata Op 57, Mvt 2

Enjoy. . .

The Coffee Song

I don't know if you're a mommy or daddy that needs your cuppa joe every morning to be able to function properly, but this is for you! Funny! (I'm into chai tea myself!)

Recorder Playing Handel

In Young Child IV we are learning how to play the recorder and learned "A" today. :-)

Musical Raindrops - have you seen this?

Click here. So very fascinating and soothing.

We are more than just music!

Sign up here!

Birds sing AND write music ~ listen and watch

Baby proof your computer

"As babies smash on the keyboard, colored shapes, letters and numbers appear on the screen. Baby Smash will lock out the Windows Key, as well as Ctrl-Esc and Alt-Tab so your baby can't get out of the application..." Click here for more information on "Babysmash"! My brother-in-law said my nephew loves this.

Music Advocacy Presentation

Would you like to come try a Kindermusik class with your child? You can on January 12th at Montessori Country Day School out in the Flower Mound countryside. Two demos will be held ~ 9:30 for the littlest ones birth to 18 months and 10:30 for the toddlers 18 months to 3 1/2 years. A reservation is appreciated. Bring a friend along! Come prepared to participate, to enjoy, to smile. Call 972-754-0853 to reserve your spot. Classes start January 18th for winter/spring semester! See the website for the schedule!

Laughter

I have heard it said that a preschooler laughs about 400 times a day, while an adult laughs an average of 10 times per day. Children are typically joyful beings, and I think we can learn from them. I happened across an article about the benefits of laughter and thought I would share them.

~Laughter relieves physical tension, leaving muscles relaxed for up to 45 minutes.

~Laughter boosts the immune system, decreasing stress hormones and increasing immune cells and infection-fighting antibodies.

~Laughter releases endorphins, elevates your mood, and enhances communication.

~Laughter protects the heart, improving blood flow.

Kindermusik provides many opportunities for you to share a laugh with children, so make sure to sign up for next semester's classes. You can get information on that here