Halloween fun

Gear up for Halloween with these fun songs and finger plays...my personal favorite is "5 Little Pumpkins!" 



(from: http://www.themotherhuddle.com/halloween-fingerplays-and-songs/

The Pumpkins are Here  (tune: The Farmer in the Dell).
The pumpkins are here, the pumpkins are there. The pumpkins, the pumpkins are everywhere.
The pumpkins are up; the pumpkins are down. The pumpkins, the pumpkins are all around.
The pumpkins are in; the pumpkins are out. The pumpkins, the pumpkins are all about.
The pumpkins are low; the pumpkins are high. The pumpkins, the pumpkins all say, “Good-bye”.
Cut out pumpkin shapes (add faces if you wish) and glue to popsicle sticks. Let the children use these as props when you sing this song.

Ring Around the Pumpkins (tune: Ring Around the Rosies)
Pocket full of spiders
Boo! Boo!
We all fall down!
The ghosts are in the meadow
Drinking witches brew
Boo! Boo!
We all stand up!

Three Little Witches
One little, two little, three little witches. (Hold up 1,2,3 fingers) 
Fly over haystacks, fly over ditches. (Make flying motion with hands) 
Fly over moonbeams without any hitches. (Make flying motion with opposite hand.) 
Hey, Ho, Halloween Night! (Clap)
One little, two little, three little witches. (Hold up 1,2,3 fingers) 
Fly over barb wire and tore there britches. (Make flying motion with one hand, then turn and show your “torn britches”)
Had to go home and get some stitches. (Pretend to sew) 
Hey, Ho, Halloween Night! (Clap)

Five Little Pumpkins
Five little pumpkins sitting on a gate, (show 5 fingers)
The first one said, (1 finger)
“Oh, my, it’s getting late.” (hands on cheeks)
The second one said, (2 fingers)
“There are witches in the air.” (point up and look up)
The third one said, (3 fingers)
“But we don’t care.” (wag pointer finger)
The fourth one said, (4 fingers)
“Let’s run and run and run.” (move arms like you’re running)
The fifth one said, (5 fingers)
“I’m ready for some fun.” (punch up w/both fists)
“Whooo!” went the wind,
and out went the light, (clap on “out”)
And the five little pumpkins (5 fingers)
rolled out of sight. (roll arms)

The witch has an Itch (tune: Farmer in the Dell)

The witch has an itch, The witch has an itch.
Oh where, oh where, oh where does the witch have an itch?

On her tiny little ____, her tiny little ____,
The witch has an itch on her tiny little _____.

(Children fill in body parts like toe, nose, etc.)

The Ghost Fingerplay
I saw a ghost (fingers circle eyes)
He saw me too (point to yourself)
I waved at him (wave your hand)
But he said, “Boo!” (try to scare the person next to you)

Pumpkin
A pumpkin is big ( circle hands over head)
A pumpkin is round ( circle hands in front)
A pumpkin has a great big smile ( outline smile on mouth)
But doesn’t make a sound ( Put finger over lips)

Boiling Hot!
Boiling hot, boiling hot  (Stir “witch’s soup”)
What will we put in the witch’s pot?
Boiling hot, boiling hot
We’ll put some spiders* in the witch’s pot  (Toss something imaginary in the pretend pot)
* stinky socks, hair, muddy boots, etc. children will be happy to provide suggestions to add to this ghoulish recipe.

New Music Standards – Focus on Preparing Children for Success

New National Core Music Standards

The arts have always served as the distinctive vehicle for discovering who we are. Providing methods of thinking as disciplined as science or math, and as disparate as philosophy or literature, the arts are used by and have shaped every culture and individual on earth. The arts continue to infuse our lives on nearly all levels—generating a significant part of the creative and intellectual capital that drives our economy. The arts also impart our lives with meaning every time we experience: the joy of a well-remembered song, the flash of inspiration that comes with immersing ourselves in an artist’s sculpture, participating in a sublime dance, learning from an exciting animation, or being moved by a captivating play. (From: National Core Arts Standards, Custom Handbook).

As of June 2014, new music standards were created by the National Coalition for Core Arts Standards (NCCAS), and based on artistic processes; these include music standards prepared by the National Association for Music Education (NAfME).

Overview of Standards:

The new National Standards focus on improving each child’s music education experience, supporting educators with enhanced instructional strategies, and emphasizing the benefits of music education. You can visit their site to create your own Custom Handbook, based on discipline, process, and grade level.

Who the Standards are for:

Decision-makers from teachers, to superintendents, to parents, and policy makers, all will be able to utilize these standards as guidelines to improving music education and ultimately future success for our children.

Goals of the Standards are to enhance…

Music Literacy – meaning the ability to communicate through a medium and understand what is communicated. In our multimedia society, we need to prepare children to communicate visually, through sound, video, etc. and have literacy for each media.

Artistic Processes – there are 3-4 core areas these new music standards focus on:

1. Creating (new music)
2. Performing (also referred to as Presenting or Producing existing music)
3. Responding (interpreting the performance/music and developing own opinions)
4. Connecting (various art forms – this is embedded throughout the standards)

This 5 minute video from the NAfME Deputy Executive Director & COO provides an overview.

Kindermusik Programs Align with the New Music Standards

How Kindermusik Supports Music Literacy

An important part of our curricula are the Family Engagement materials. Through real instruments, books, CDs, family activity guides – AND – video field trips, songs, math games, logic games, craft ideas and more within our online learning portal (Kindermusik@Home); we support hands-on learning and emerging technology. We provide families with a useful way to be involved in their children’s educations and expose them to various types of media and arts. This helps Kindermusik reach our mission of instilling a lifelong love of music and learning in children around the world.

How Kindermusik Supports Artistic Processes

Creating music is what we do in each class. We provide enough instruments for each child in the class to participate and make their own music. Through a variety of age-appropriate and kid-safe instruments, like egg shakers, jingle bells, chime balls, sand blocks, rhythm sticks, and many more, we allow children to be creative and come up with their own way of playing the instrument. We guide them with ideas, and allow kids to express themselves through music.

Performing, presenting or producing music is also integrated into our classes. Although Kindermusik curriculum is based on process not performance, we do encourage children to present their ideas to class. For example, a teacher may ask, “Johnny, how do you want play your rhythm sticks; fast, slow, loud, or soft?” This allows each child to determine their own preferences and encourages them to play music to a group of their peers, boosting self-esteem and confidence.

Responding to music is embedded into the Kindermusik curricula, and we encourage children to be effective audience members. For example, in the song “I Hear a Sound” from our Wiggle & Grow curriculum (for ages 2-3) children hear various instruments, and then have time to guess what instrument they just heard. This aligns with the new standards as we give children the opportunity to listen, analyze, and interpret what they hear.  Follow-up questions from the teacher such as, “Kaylee, what instrument did you like best?” allows children to evaluate what they’ve heard and make decisions based on their preferences – expressing themselves through music.

Connecting various art forms is actually a great way to describe a Kindermusik class. We incorporate: music; movement; dance; visuals; literature including children’s books, poems, and rhymes from many cultures around the world; opportunities for ensemble experiences; and so much more.

We too recognize the importance of technology in education and so, we developed the Kindermusik@Home portal. Parents can login and enjoy with their children; fun educational games, activities, eBooks, videos, crafts and more, along with ideas for taking the learning offline. We include parenting resources to help them understand the importance behind these educational activities.

And we keep on top of the growing body of research on the benefits of music for children. The Kindermusik curriculum is more than a music class, it’s designed to promote school-readiness and stimulate development across all learning domains, supporting the future success of each child…and in turn…our world.

Other components, like the Opportunity-to-Learn Standards, are part of these new music standards and are still being developed. One call-out the Executive Director & COO of NAfME mentioned is the standards will likely include guidance that students should receive WEEKLY INSTRUCTION. Again, another way Kindermusik aligns. Our weekly lessons are flexible and provide concepts teachers can use throughout the day.

To learn more about the new music standards, please reference:

nafme.org/standards

NationalArtsStandards.org

To learn more about Kindermusik, please visit:

www.kindermusik.com

WHY KINDERMUSIK?

“The nation’s top business executives agree that arts education programs can help repair weaknesses in American education and better prepare workers for the 21st century.”-”The Changing Workplace is Changing Our View of Education”, BusinessWeek

FALL KINDERMUSIK

Young children love music, dancing, painting, playing, and other creative ways to express themselves and make sense of the world around them. However, as if those reasons weren’t enough to include things like art and music in early childhood education, research indicates that the arts, including music education for kids, significantly impacts cognitive development, increases self-esteem, and actively engages everyone in learning—children, parents, and teachers!

I believe that music is the best vehicle for early childhood learning!

KINDERMUSIK is in Beatrice, and your child is ready! 

Fall classes are here! I offer classes based on demand, so YOU can let me know what times work best for YOU--mornings or evenings. **NEW FAMILIES receive the introductory discount; $35.00 for tuition and home materials. 

If you enroll for a fall class, you will receive an extra gift of a musical book!

See you this fall!

Kindermusik for babies and toddlers

Now that your older child is in school, are you looking for something to do with your toddler? Get ready to sing, play, and move with your little one in this high-energy music class designed to be just right for very young children. This new Kindermusik curriculum focuses on your child’s beginning movement, helping to build the muscles your young toddler needs to walk, run, and climb; and on vocal development, helping to nurture your child’s speaking and singing voice. With a mix of both parent-child joint activities and child-focused activities, you’ll be able to join right in on all the singing and dancing while also getting the chance to observe how your young toddler learns on his or her own. Embark on Kindermusik’s fun new exploration of singing, swaying, laughing, and playing through Sing & Play, a just-right mix of early-childhood vocal play and language development, together time, and music and movement activities! KINDERMUSIK WITH JENNY--402/217/0808--kindermusikwithjenny@hotmail.com

Kindermusik @Home

Kindermusik, the number one name in music and movement education for children, has created new, easy to use, digital home materials to extend the magic and learning of a Kindermusik class into your own home throughout the week. Kindermusik@Home delivers your favorite Kindermusik songs and activities, instrumental music, books, and lyrics—as well as recipes, learning games, crafts, and more in a green-friendly digital format. With each new monthly unit, families receive a treasure trove of developmentally appropriate activities that will give children a lifelong love of music and a strong early foundation for learning. And with each activity, parents learn how and why that activity enhances a child’s learning and development. Kindermusik@Home is available through tablet, mobile, and PC devices—ready to use wherever your family wanders. It’s Kindermusik for you!

4 Benefits of Music for Big Kids

Growing up, but not all grown up yet – thankfully! The early years of childhood pass so quickly, and before you know it, your child has officially earned “big kid” status.  The turbulence of the toddler years and the exuberance of the preschool years are past, and your big kid can mostly be described as composed, calm, cheerful, and capable.  Big kids are eager, curious learners, and they love to share their ideas.

For a big kid, self-esteem, feeling capable, and doing things the “right way” all go hand-in-hand.  They thrive on structure and affirmation, but they still need time to play and have fun.  Big kids love being part of a group, and they crave friendship and acceptance from their peers, preferring to play and interact with others than to be by themselves.  And while their thinking can be black-and-white, cognitively, they have made huge leaps in their ability to problem-solve and think more abstractly.  Big kids tend to ask alot of “why” and “how” questions because they love to know a lot of facts.  They love simple games, and having lots of time for creative play is very important.  Movements are much more poised and controlled, and big kids loving showing off their new-found physical skills.

It is truly the age of opportunity for these learners-in-waiting.  But it also a time not to be rushed through or passed over.  The big kids years are a special time to settle in and enjoy the last phase of early childhood and to provide your child with experiences and opportunities that will set him up for success in school, in music, and in life.

That’s where Kindermusik comes in, providing a weekly class that satisfies the need to be part of a group, to learn new things, to play games, and to express oneself through music and movement.  And in the middle of all of the fun and music-making, a very strong foundation is being laid for a successful transition to music lessons a little later on.

Here are four invaluable benefits of music for big kids:

1. Music exposes big kids to big, new ideas.

At this age, these eager learners are ready to be introduced to rhythms and rhythm patterns, music symbols, keyboards and dulcimers, and writing and composing their own music through hands-on and developmentally appropriate experiences.  They can follow the story line of a work like “Peter and the Wolf” and identify the various motifs and instruments that are the hallmark of this beloved musical tale.

2. Music teaches big kids to be good listeners.

Focused listening and discriminatory listening are a big part of music.  Listening for certain things in music or to certain music sounds as well as being able to distinguish between musical sounds and instruments develop listening skills. And while being a good listener is a musical skill, it’s also an extremely valuable life skill.

3. Music helps make the cognitive connections needed for nearly every kind of intelligence.

We all want our kids to be smart and to be successful, and music is the one common contributing factor in almost all of the nine types of intelligence.  According to articles like this one and this one, it’s early experiences with music that best spark the brain connections and neural networks that actually shape the brain and impact how it will function later in life.

4. Music is one thing that stays in a child’s heart for forever.

There are lots of choices for early childhood – dance, sports, gymnastics, and more!  But music is the one love, the one ability, that a child has the potential to carry with them all the way through their entire lives.  Developing in your child a love and appreciation for music at an early age is a life-long gift you can give, and it’s something that will also carry with it special memories of the loved ones who made that gift possible.

For parents…

You want to give your child every advantage, and there’s truly no greater advantage you can give than music, especially in a program like Kindermusik.  It’s the right activity at the right time, when your child is poised and ready to soak it all in and be enable to apply that knowledge to music lessons and musical experiences in the future.  Kindermusik truly is the perfect foundation for lifelong learning.

And yet as profoundly as Kindermusik affects your child’s musical development, the musical learning is fun, pressure-free, and exactly what your child needs at a time when they can benefit from it the most.

“Music develops the appetite for learning and creates habits of self-discipline and personal tenacity which carry over into every facet of school.  Young musicians are skilled at concentration, alertness, memory, and self-control.  These attributes are basic for success in higher education, but more importantly, in succeeding at life.”

 —The Joy of Inspired Teaching, by Tim Lautzenheiser, p. 55

http://mindsonmusic.kindermusik.com/kindermusik/4-benefits-of-music-for-big-kids/