Rhythm Games

Phil Tulga uses many home made instruments to create patterns with sound. He also uses some great visuals to represent fractions and sounds. There are some really neat rhythm games for the kids to play. Click on the graphic above to play the Unifix Cube Drum Machine or click here to see the entire list of rhythm games.

If you have time to explore the entire site you will learn quite a bit about drumming language communications in other countries.

Kindermusik House

Kindermusik has many faces - children, parents, educators . . . But who is behind the scenes? This video gives you a chance to see who works so hard to put these great programs together.

Dan Pratt (who sings in the recording) is featured in this video - he is the original Chairman and CEO of Kindermusik. Can you believe it's been almost 30 years?!? An amazing voice and you can hear more of him on many of our At Home CD's. Carol Penney was my trainer (and continues to be). Can you believe it's been 8 years?!? Erin is our fantastic Convention planner & Molly is a super writer and inspiration to let yourself fly when everyone's watching. Michael Dougherty is the current President and CEO of KI. A fantastic business man with a giant heart. And good friend Jessi, who keeps all of us Mentors in line, runs the Ruth D. Anderson Children's Fund and the one who put this video together (that's why you can't see her).

Watch and see one of the reasons I like my job so much . . .

A Time for Planting

As I drive around town I see spring everywhere - in Michigan we never know when that will happen. But, the bedding plants are abounding and gardens are blossoming. It must be here. With the change in season comes lots of rain - often upredictable. What to do with the kids? Keep this on hand . . .

Using a nutritive and non-toxic gel created by Globus International in collaboration with NASA scientists, Plantariums are life-giving ecosystems in which seeds germinate. The colorful gel's transparency makes the seedling and its roots visible throughout the entire germination and plant-growth process! Kits may be purchased at Coundown Creations.

Thanks Kiddly!

I Saw A Little Rabbit

I saw a little rabbit go hop, hop, hop
I saw his little ears go flop, flop, flop
I saw his little eyes go blink, blink, blink
I saw his little nose go twink, twink, twink

I said "Little Rabbit, won't you stay?"
But he looked at me - and he hopped away . . .

Instilling the Love of Music

Instilling the love of music in your child is easier than you thought. Here are some helpful suggestions to get you started.

1. Sing to your child


2. Dance with your child


3. Teach them action songs


4. Share with them your favorite songs


5. Rent, buy or borrow books, videos and tapes that revolve around the subject of music


6. Join parent-child classes available in your area that introduces the concepts of music in a fun way (Kindermusik)


7. If appropriate, take her to local concerts

The above listed ideas and more can be found in this article by Espie Estrella, writer for About.com.

fiesta

n. - any gala celebration; holiday

It was fiesta time in our Young Child 3/4 class - a celebration of so much accomplished over 60 weeks of music & movement time. They ended this program by adding to their glockenspiel skills, learning about a 2-string dulcimer and a recorder. Musical form and songs/games from other cultures were also explored. We are so proud of their accomplishments - ole!

Mexican Hat Dance

Sing & Celebrate

This is a special time of year for our Young Child classes. Young Child 1/2 classes are learning about celebrations - they've had 30 weeks of Kindermusik classes over the last school year and they have learned so much. Rhythm, notation, hand position, form, musical styles, orchestral instrumentation - phew!

One of our YC2 classes

Harp Guitar

Thanks Musicing!

Is Your Child Ready?

Do not train children to learning by force and harshness, but direct them to it by what amuses their minds, so that you may be better able to discover with accuracy the peculiar bent of the genius of each. Plato

Click graph to see study

Sign up today . . .

Cities

We had so much fun exploring our Kindermusik City this week in class. Here are some of the kids and the buildings they made:




We also traced our feet on our city sidewalks and "walked all around" - remember to Stop, Look and Listen before you cross the street!

Parachute Games

Did you know that parachute games:

• Encourage cooperation


• Strengthen upper torso


• Refine perceptual skills


• Reinforce turn-taking/sharing


• Develop a sense of rhythm


• Requires following directions


• Promotes social interactions


• Enhances language development

Parachute games are non-competitive. People with differing abilities can all play the same game. What games? Here are a few simple ones:

• Put balls in the middle and make them bounce like popcorn
• Make waves of varying sizes - use your voice as a tool to emphasize directives - tell an ocean story
• Parachute Tag - lift the parachute high in the air - call out 2 children's names - they try to switch places under the chute before it comes down again
• Merry-go-Round - all the children face the same direction - use varying locomotor movements to make the chute move around - change directions and/or tempo
• See-Saw Pull - all the children sit holding the chute - they pull back and forth cooperatively

Don't have a real parachute? A bed sheet will work just fine. Or, come to our classes. We have 2 very colorful parachutes in different sizes that we love to pull out and use!

It Tickles!

This week's Young Child 2 class had visitors. Xavier's parents who work and play for the Kalamazoo Symphony brought a few of their instruments for Woodwind day. They also brought straws so we could get an idea of what it is like to play a double reed . . .

We Need Walkers!

Sign up or donate now . . .

Saturday, May 5
8:30am - 12:30pm
Arcadia Festival Site - Downtown Kalamazoo

6-mile walk or 1-mile Family Fun loop

Baby Breakdancer

Not sure who the guy at the end is . . .

Hippity, Hoppity

We had a nice surprise on our front walk this Easter morning . . . Bunny Tracks!

Nintendo Guitar?

From this ...

To this . . .

Click here to see the process . . .

Red Raven

More interesting info on retro recordings . . . have the kids look for the Raven . . .



These were cardboard children's records with the animation printed right onto the disc itself (later versions like the one above had the animation on the label of regular colored vinyl). The Red Raven included a little mirrored device that you pop onto the turntable's spindle that reflected the animation in such a way that while the record plays you get to see a little cartoon.

The effect is rather hypnotic (the mirrored device is an ersatz praxinoscope for all of you optics junkies), and a neat addition to the typical children's fare on the record itself. Sixteen Magic Mirror Movie records were released by Red Raven (making for 32 animations of course).

Copied from Retro Thing

Kiddie Rekords

Molly got me thinking with her guitar posts and I stumbled on this site today while looking for a story I remembered listening to when I was younger - One String Fiddle. It was part of a record set at my grandparents house that my mom listened to when she was growing up. I would love to be able to find those 78's . . .

Looking for Easter Crafts?

Here are some ideas from Kid's Crafts Weekly - just click here to be taken to the instructions page.

Imagine If . . .

Imagine if.......your water broke at 30 weeks.
Imagine if.......your 1st baby was born prematurely.
Imagine if.......you couldn't hold your baby right after he was born.
Imagine if.......your baby was hooked up to a ventilator less than 12 hours after he was born.
Imagine if.......your baby spent the first 23 days of his life in the NICU.
Imagine if.......your baby was hooked up to so many machines and wires that they had to be sedated so they wouldn't move.
Imagine if.......your baby had sleep apnea and was on a monitor for the first 6 months of his life.
Imagine if.......your baby was born with low muscle tone.

Imagine if you could help these babies!

This is Levi's story, and I am hoping you will check out my WalkAmerica Page and make a donation on behalf of Levi and his sister Hannah.

Every year, half a million babies in the U.S. are born prematurely. Premature birth is the leading cause of newborn death and many life long disabilities. That means 1 in 8 babies today will be born prematurely! The funds we raise for WalkAmerica supports research that saves babies' lives. Please support our Kindermusik Team! Every penny helps! Think of all the good that came out of it for Levi and Hannah's family!

Do you like to walk? You can also sign up there to be a part of our Kindermusik Team.

Thanks to Erica (Levi's mom) for providing Levi's story