Grown Up Kindermusik Kids!

Ever wonder where your children will be 15-20 years after Kindermusik?  I hope you enjoy this family video, it was a spontaneous family musical activity after Thanksgiving dinner. They created this arrangement.  Four of these girls were Kindermusik children.  None of them grew up to be professional musicians but as you can see music continues to be a big part of their lives.  In the bunch are two college athletes, an accountant, several mothers, and a professional photographer.  All pursuing their dreams and enriching their lives and the lives of others through music.

Dream Pillow, Week 2

This week's class activities had a lot of movement.  Movement helps stimulate and develop a baby's Vestibular system.  The vestibular system is one of our eight sensory systems.   Most people aren't aware that they have a Vestibular System, but this sensory system helps the brain coordinate the rest of our senses.  Take a minute and read the following article about the Vestibular system and how important it is to your child's development. 

http://www.devdelay.org/newsletter/articles/html/52-vestibular-system-is-critical.html. 

Young Child, Week 10

This week we reviewed the rhythm concepts of Ta, TiTi, and the quarter note rest.  We also started to read high and low notes.  The Star Light Star Bright work sheet helped the children hear and then visually represent higher and lower notes.  They did a great job of identifying the high and low notes. 

We also started learning Jingle Bells.  The children were able to identify that Jingle Bells starts with a TiTi, Ta pattern.  We put a star on the E bar of their glockenspiel.  Have them practice playing "Jingle
Bells, Jingle Bells" using both their right and left hand. 

Remember to have them do their music homework by writing their Ti,Ti, Ta, and Rests symbols on the back of their Star Light sheet.  

Village, Dream Pillow!

We started our new Village unit this week!  This unit features lots of lullabies.  When you have time put together a CD or play list of the lullabies from this class and other music you own to create a bed time music routine for your child.   Play your lullaby songs when you are having quiet time or putting your child to sleep.  Listening to quite music at bed time can be routine for your child.  Routines help develop your baby’s sense of time and sequence as well as bring security and stability. That’s why routines such as our hello song, warm up, exercise,  and good bye songs are built into each Village class.                       

I always enjoy seeing your baby’s face and the movement you choose for our hello song.  It warms my heart as they smile and respond to my singing.  Give them a hug and tell them Ms. Mindy sends them a song!  Enjoy listening to the new class CD and sharing the book with your baby!   See you Monday.  

Kindermusik Young Child, Week 9

This week in Young Child we reviewed the rhythm concepts of Ta (quarter note)  Rest (quarter note rest) and TiTi (eighth note, two eighth notes equal one quarter not.  This means TiTi equals Ta.)  We started to visually represent these rhythms using the white cards that your child received in class this week. The cards should be in there bags in a red envelope.  Using their cards, have them set out and then play different 4 beat rhythm patterns.

A concept that could use your reinforcement at home is that they don’t need two TiTi cards to represent TiTi, one card represents both TiTi’s.  (The TiTi card is the card that looks like a table. It has two marks connected with a straight line across the top.  It looks like an eighth note without the head.) They would need too cards to represent Ta  Ta,  Each Ta gets one beat while a single Ti gets only half a beat. Each white card represents 1 beat.   

I was excited to let the children take home their glockenspiels.  Please have them practice learning to strike the bars correctly.  Remind them to be careful with their instrument.  Here is the rhyme to help them remember how to play the glockenspiel. 

Mallets are resting as quiet as can be.

Would you like to try them? Come and follow me.

Thumbs are up and Pointer comes out.

Here is Tall Man, now turn them about.

Lift at the mark and hold your mallets steady.

This is the place we call ready.

Now gently bouncing from bar to bar,

Are your elbows out, don’t bounce too far.

Mallets are resting as quiet as can be.

Thank you for playing your glockenspiel with me.

Remember we got our glockenspiels early this semester because I want to start teaching them to play Jingle Bells for the Holidays.  

Ensemble Play!

Ensemble plays help children develop important learning skills.  For an ensemble to work each child must listen to and follow directions; this requires active listening, comprehension, and self control.  It’s not easy to wait your turn to play a percussion instrument that you’re holding in your hands.  Like all skills self-control has to be practiced.  We need to create opportunities for our children to develop self control at time other than moments when self control in mandated.  Ensemble play is a perfect opportunity.  The child doesn’t have to exercise self control for very long and is rewarded by being part of a fun musical activity or story.  Social skills are also developed through ensemble play.  Turn taking and experiencing the results of a group working together create positive social experience for a child to build on in other settings.   The following video is an ensemble activities from our Young Child class.