Sugar Plum Fairy by P.Tchaikovsky - Glass Harp LIVE (HD)

christmas boomwhackers

24 Hour Fruit Salad

We have this salad for Thanksgiving and Christmas. I wanted to share it with you! I can't resist not sharing a recipe for something so yummy. (We are making this today, so this fruit salad is on my mind :-)).

1 (20-ounce) can crushed pineapple in juice, undrained

1 (16 1/2-ounce can pitted white cherries (Oregon brand), drained

1 (11-ounce) can mandarin oranges, drained

3 egg yolks, lightly beaten

2 T sugar

2 T white vinegar

1 T butter

1/4 tsp. salt

2 1/2 C miniature marshmallows

1 C. whipping cream, whipped

DRAIN pineapple, reserving 2 T juice. Combine pineapple, cherries, and oranges; chill. COMBINE reserved juice, egg yolks, and next 4 ingredients in a saucepan; cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture boils and thickens (about 5 minutes). Cool completely. STIR fruit into egg yolk mixture; fold in mini marshmallows and whipped cream, and chill for 24 hours. Yield: 8 servings. It will 'keep' for up to 2 days (if it lasts that long). :-)

What is a favorite tradition for your holiday meal? Post me a recipe if you please!

Keeping a Steady Beat

You’re at a concert and the ensemble is playing some lively music. Without thinking about it, you start tapping your toes. Or you’re baking meringues and you carefully separate the egg whites into a bowl, then beat them rapidly with a whisk. You are building a birdhouse with your child and you pick up a hammer to nail one board securely to another. All these activities are examples of ways we use our ability to keep a steady beat.

A child is born with an internal sense of steady beat that is innate and unique to them. You might see a baby kicking her feet or waving his hands rhythmically and it’s connected to what they feel on the inside. The learning for steady beat comes when we learn to coordinate our movements – like playing a pair of sticks or dancing to music – to an outside source of beat. Steady beat requires careful listening as well as flexibility and adaptability to connect the sound we make as individuals to a larger group of people playing or singing music. In order to keep a steady beat, we also need the ability to organize and coordinate our bodies so we can control our movements. Socially, we need both the ability and the desire to connect ourselves to a larger community, like a band or orchestra – or a group of children.

For children, especially, learning to keep a steady beat helps them with larger physical movement like walking, riding a bike, and bouncing or kicking a ball as well as using tools such as scissors, a hammer, or a whisk. Listen to the music you’re making the next time you type on a computer keyboard! Learning steady beat also helps with cognitive abilities such as speaking, writing, reading, and evening doing math.

In Kindermusik classes, we take seriously the importance of learning to keep a steady beat. And we also know learning comes so much easier if you’re having fun! The variety of scarves, shakers, clackers, bells, and drums we keep in bins on our shelves, as well as the dances, chants, poetry, and songs in our repertoire are all part of the rich palette we use to help children learn to keep a steady beat.

We help babies feel the beat by holding them while we dance, tapping on their legs or arms, rocking them during rocking time. We help the toddlers learn to play the beat by playing instruments, encouraging them to dance and move, and by modeling steady beat for them as they explore their own ways of playing and moving. We help the preschoolers expand beat into rhythm using their own creativity. We give the school-age kids mastery by teaching them to read and write the beat using notation.

Playing along with a jingle bell to a song with a class of children can seem simple – but really it is just a step on a lifelong path of musical growth and unfolding.

Seeing the Everyday

'Our lives are the sum

of each moment and interaction.

Each day we work, eat, laugh, teach, play, read, remember...

And work at it all again the next day.

Within seemingly small moments we find opportunity

To build relationships, develop character, find joy

For the price of our time.

Life's most essential possibilities are realized at home.

Where we share, teach, grow, learn, serve, give

Our best without praise or fanfare.

Because every effort, every moment matters

In the development of a person.

Nothing is really routine.'

 

Want to learn more about your child’s musical development? Read on….

 

How does Kindermusik class help to develop my child’s musical skills? 

Below we’ve outlined the musical profile of a 3-5 year old child and included ways that we practice these skills in Kindermusik class each week.

• We are developing beat awareness.  We practice beat awareness using our talking drum where we walk, run, and jumpto the beat of the drum
• We match beat to external sound source in non-locomotor ways.  We practice matching beat when we explore sticks and other instruments, then play along to songs on our Home CD, such as “This Old Man”
• We enjoy the interactive nature of circle games.  Recently we played “What Shall We Do?” where children took turns sharing their ideas for playing outside and then we “sang” their ideas as a group in the song.
• We are becoming increasingly successful with the rhythmic and tonal components of songs.  The Grasshopper Park Story has been a great tool for exploring rhythm and tone. We can already see improvement in the children’s ability to retell the story using rhythm and tonal components, which means that they’ve been telling the story at home!
• We are beginning to sing accurately in a limited range.  With each class the children are singing more on pitch. That’s one reason we repeat songs from week to week is to give the children practice at matching pitch.
• We can differentiate between the singing voice and the speaking voice.  We incorporate both chants and songs in class to practice differentiating between speech and singing.
• We are beginning to understand musical concepts such as: Loud/Quiet, High/Low, Long/Short, Fast/Slow. The ball play song, Do as I’m Doing, lends itself well to explore these concepts. Plus our glissando exploration has given us an opportunity to practice high/low voices.

It's age-appropriate.

It's musical learning.

It's music for now. Skills for life.

Lukey's Boat --something a little different for the Our Time Families ;-) Enjoy!!

Beethoven: Symphony No. 1 / Abbado · Berliner Philharmoniker

Il était une bergère - Les Quatre Barbus et Lucienne Vernay (avec paroles)

We are playing our rhythm sticks to this, called French Folk Tune, in our toddler classes this week.  Thanks to a French grandmother who came this week, whose ears perked up at the familiar childhood song and found a link on You Tube!  It was so enjoyable to hear her sing a verse in French.  She seemed very happy to remember it.  Childhood musical memories are special!  Thank you, Simone. 

Do you LOL?

They say laughter is good for the soul, and I believe it's true. You can't help but smile when you hear the sound of a baby's belly laugh or the giggles of a young child. Laughter is one of the things that can be enjoyed all around the world. It crosses language, social, and age barriers. It can be an ice breaker in a nervous moment, a source of healing in a stressful moment, or a time of bonding between two people. It's often associated with some of our most priceless memories. Scientists have even studied the power of laughter and determined that it, not only, lowers blood pressure and releases "happy" endorphins, but it can also boost your immune system for up to three days following a good hard laugh! All this wholesome goodness, and it's still fat free!! So go on, find something to laugh about with your family today!

Why Music? It improves language skills!

10 reasons NOT to choose Kindermusik

1) I just want someone to entertain my toddler so I can put my feet up!

It's true-you don't get to sit all that much in a Kindermusik Village, or Our Time class. In Kindermusik, the goal is for the parent to interact with the child, with the teacher as the facilitator. It's a high energy, active time, filled with singing, playing instruments, and moving, but it's not always restful. I will say, though, that it usually DOES insure that your toddler will take a good nap later on (for a daytime class) or go to bed tired (for a night class), so hopefully you'll get that break then. And you got a workout, too.

2) I want a music class that teaches music from my faith/traditions.

Kindermusik is an international program and it has something for everyone, including a great deal of children's music from around the globe. However, it's not a church children's choir, and even in a lesson that is focused on music from Ireland, Africa, or India, there will be music from other traditions and cultures as well. We will probably hit something that resonates with your culture sometime, but it won't be a custom fit.

Having said that, suggestions are always welcome, and as a Kindermusik educator, I am part of a large online community of educators that share ideas-so if we missed a song from that would have been perfect, let me know!

3) I want my child to learn to play a specific instrument.

We play a lot of instruments in Kindermusik classes, and listen to/look at many more, either physically in class or via photos/recordings. However, it is true that there is no one Kindermusik instrument such as Violin or Piano. It is our belief as educators that in the early stages of a child's development, hearing and experiencing many instruments is more powerful than focusing on one, and will help a child who chooses to study an instrument make a choice that they truly love.

4) I want a recital!

We believe in process, not performance in the early childhood ages. While it's cute to see little dancers hop around on stage, or little children dress up and sing, it takes a lot of class time and puts a lot of stress on the children to participate in these activities, only to have preschool and below children get out there and do what they want to do anyway. And while that may be cute, it means that a lot of learning time has been lost to get to that point. There will be many years for recitals and performance. At this stage, we want the children to enjoy music and have fun with it. We always welcome grandparents and other visitors in class to watch your child have fun, and the last session of every semester is a great time to bring your camera!

5) It costs too much.

Because materials are factored into the cost of Kindermusik tuition each semester, it's true that the cost seems higher than other young children's programs. However, you get what you pay for. In every semester, you get books, music, activities, and instruments/props appropriate to your child's current age and developmental level. Past experience has shown that these, used at home regularly, greatly increase a child's participation in and excitement for class, as well as building lifelong learning skills. Excellent materials and excellent teaching cost money, and many parents have decided that Kindermusik is well worth the expense.

6) He sings at daycare. I want something different!

Most programs for young children, from library storytime to preschool playtime to gymnastics and dance, now incorporate some singing and movement activities that resemble those in a Kindermusik classroom. And it's easy to see why-such activities WORK to help a young child learn. But we were the first such program out there, and we do our best to stay up to date on research and to provide professional development to our educators such that you're getting more than just singing a few songs or waving a parachute. You're getting a complete child development experience, designed to help your child grow and learn, from a highly trained professional.

7) He's very active.

It's true that we're no soccer or Pop Warner Football. There are times when we run, jump, spin, dance, and twirl. There are also times when we sit, rock, stretch, rub, and listen. All of our activities are designed to take a young child's activity needs into consideration, and to meet those movement needs, while also teaching concentration, listening, and attention skills that a young child will need for school and in life.

8) I want him to sit and listen.

It's true that we're up and moving in Kindermusik classes a lot. But there are also many times to sit, listen, pay attention, and follow rules. Research at George Mason University indicated that preschoolers who participated in Kindermusik did better on exactly these sort of skills than those who did not. So while we are up dancing, singing, and moving, there is a method to that madness, even though we're not asking a 4 yr old to sit at a piano to take a lesson.

9) She's very, very bright. She'll get bored.

It's true that Kindermusik, like any group class, teaches to the developmental level of the average child, with modifications up and down. However, the Kindermusik curriculum is written for a 18 month-2 year or more age range at every level, which accommodates a wide range of developmental differences, even before you add teacher accommodations. And relatively small class sizes compared to preschool or Kindergarten settings make it much easier to do this. If a child is getting bored or frustrated with the content, we'll see it and adapt, whether that adaptation happens in the classroom, or requires changing to a different class or age level.

10) My child has special needs.

It's hard to find a place for a child who is different from the norm to fit in, isn't it? And it's true that some special needs can make it hard for a child in a group class. However, I can tell you with assurance that I have had children in my program with disabilities ranging from Autism to Vision Impairment, and every letter of the alphabet in between, and while their Kindermusik journeys didn't always look like those of other children, they were able to benefit from, learn from, and enjoy the class. Kindermusik is even sometimes written into Early Intervention plans, because it has proven so beneficial for many children.

If Kindermusik sounds like it may be right for your child, please visit our website for our current class schedule and information.  Fall classes start Aug. 23 at Excite Gym in Highland Village, off FM407, where you can meet us in person and see us in action.  Call Heidi, 972-754-0853.

Trust Yourself

'...A few days later when we finally settled back into our home, tired and tearful, I called my mom. 

"Trust yourself." she told me. "You'll know what's best." 

Those words washed over me with a sigh of relief.  It was as if she breathed a small breath of mothering wisdom into my soul.  I have carried those words with me as I have traveled down this road of mothering...'  

Read more...

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!  They are now teens.  (Now I live with a vocalist/writer/poet and guitarist/oil painting artist and love the music and art 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.

Family is Beautiful

Thriving Family magazine is a practical, relevant source of encouragement for every step of every family's unique journey!  You can subscribe for FREE!  I really have been enjoying this publication and wanted my friends to know about it.

Do you need a craft idea?

Get new craft ideas that are cheap, educational, child-friendly and fun. This is a great newsletter for you! Click here.

How music affects us and promotes health

“Music is one of the few activities that involves using the whole brain. It is intrinsic to all cultures and can have surprising benefits not only for learning language, improving memory and focusing attention, but also for physical coordination and development….” (read more here)

Ennio Morricone - Monaco - Gabriel's Oboe

I like this quote from a listener: " ...If this song was to play at my eventual demise, I would die a very happy man. This piece is just so amazing." I so agree. Just close your eyes and listen to this. (Pause blog music at bottom).

See the beauty everywhere

Aesthetic awareness has been described as one of the defining qualities of being human. Becoming aware of the beauty of sound – a part of aesthetic awareness – requires key listening skills.

Sometimes the most unusual sounds and beautiful sights can strike a chord within us, and even within a precocious young child! Learning to search for beauty, listen for beauty, and discuss beautiful sounds – these are the building blocks to developing an aesthetic awareness that lasts a lifetime.

As adults, it’s up to us to model an appreciation for loveliness around us and also create environments to help awaken a child’s aesthetic senses. In order for a child to become a truly creative, authentic learner and creator herself, this awareness must first be developed and fostered.

Taking a nature walk, singing, painting, drawing, playing an instrument – all these activities are effective.

Here are a few tips to help your child continue to build aesthetic awareness:

1. Expose your child to experiences that heighten his sense of the aesthetically pleasing – museums, concerts, nature walks, etc.

2. Point out the beauty already around your child – in nature, fine art, and music. Talk about what he likes, or doesn’t like, and why.

3. Play good quality music in the home and/or in the car, surrounding your child with a variety of musical genres and styles. Discuss what she is hearing and how it makes her feel.

4. Encourage your child to express himself musically and artistically. Let your child pick the music he listens to while doing a little project. Keep kid-friendly art supplies within reach for those moments when inspiration strikes.

5. Keep your child enrolled in Kindermusik! From newborn up, Kindermusik is seven musical and magical years of preparation for a lifetime of aesthetic awareness.

The Hand of God

If I can put one touch of rosy sunset into the life of any man or woman, I shall feel that I have worked with God. ~Gilbert K. Chesterton

Photo by my friend Lori Schweers, a Highland Village, TX sunset taken 2-14-11

For Kids, Self-Control Factors Into Future Success

Read the full article here. What a great testimonial to inhibitory control and related skills kids learn in our Kindermusik classrooms from a very early age!

I want these!

Sparkle Stories - audio stories for families that inspire!

"When I go to tell a story, I'm intuitive about it. I have a challenge or a lesson in mind but am not sure of how to bring it. I close my eyes and wait for an image. The image comes and I start talking. As I talk, other images come. I internally decide which image to follow, which character to question, which dynamic to introduce and I follow. It may seem like it is going astray but it always doubles back and becomes exactly the right choice. It follows the affection I have for the characters".

Read an interview with the creators of Sparkle Stories here. See their website here.

You won't scream on this coaster