Our Time Scrapers

It has been great fun exploring scrapers in class the last couple of weeks. There are lots of things that can be scrapped to make sounds, today we tried plastic cups. Have a look at home and see how many things you can find which can be scrapped to make a sound. Plastic rigged bottles work well.

Remember to bring in a home-made scraper to the next class. Fancy trying something a little unusual then try this ides from the Growing Sound website.

What a Fab Week

After such a long summer break I was wondering how I was going to feel about starting all my music-making up again.

Funny enough when people ask me if I work I hesitate a little. I often just don't think of what I do as a job. "It's not a proper job!" Surely I can't call having so much fun a job.

My Dad always taught me that we can't expect to enjoy our work - we do it because we have to! Well I think I've finally proved him wrong and I am sure he would be overjoyed to know that.

I can honestly say that I have thoroughly enjoyed the last two weeks. Seeing old friends making new ones and once again realising the immense joy music brings, and not just to the children. I am sure all the participants in the Virginia Reel in Village this week would agree that it was such excellent fun, even if I did mess up the steps.

Most of you should have your packs by now I will email all Village people a copy of the home book in the next few days.

Just have a look through your resources this week, listen to the CD and come prepared to just be yourself next week in class.

Kate

Our Time Week 13

Fiddle Dee Dee Week 13

As we near the end of the semester, renew your child’s excitement about Kindermusik through revisiting “old favourites”–favourite activities, favourite sounds on the CDs, favourite songs to sing, or favourite dances. Flipping through your Home Activity Book will remind you of many of these. And you might even come across some ideas you have yet to try! Also, review the Kindermusik Foundations of Learning™ statements to remind yourself of the many benefits of our classes.

This week we focused on high and low. We experience the concept of high and low with our bodies and this in turn helps us to understand the difference in musical pitch. At home this week why not try some high and low dances of your own. Put on some music and explore ways to move your body to the music. Make gliding sounds with your voices sliding from high to low and low to high. In music we call this movement a glissando.

If you have any tuned instruments at home why not see if you can find some high and low sounds on them.

Above all have fun!

Fiddle Dee Dee Week 11

Studies show that there are three major factors in early learning which benefit competency in adulthood:
Rich sensory environment
Freedom to explore with few restrictions
Available parents that act as consultants

Foster excitement about Kindermusik this week by pulling out your Home Activity Book. If you haven’t already used your Hush, Little Baby picture cards, now’s a great time to remind your child of this familiar lullaby that we enjoyed over the past five weeks while looking at the pictures (pp.18-22) and singing the song. Other playful picture activities can be found on pp.26-27 and pp.30-31. How many bumblebee games can you and your child create?

Have fun playing!

Fiddle Dee Dee Week 11

Studies show that there are three major factors in early learning which benefit competency in adulthood:
Rich sensory environment
Freedom to explore with few restrictions
Available parents that act as consultants

Foster excitement about Kindermusik this week by pulling out your Home Activity Book. If you haven’t already used your Hush, Little Baby picture cards, now’s a great time to remind your child of this familiar lullaby that we enjoyed over the past five weeks while looking at the pictures (pp.18-22) and singing the song. Other playful picture activities can be found on pp.26-27 and pp.30-31. How many bumblebee games can you and your child create?

Have fun playing!

Fiddle Dee Dee wk 10

Fiddle Dee Dee Week 10

For the last couple of weeks we have been playing the chime bars while singing Sweetly Sings the Donkey. The repetition of this activity has allowed your child to become more and more familiar with the song, thus encouraging him to sing along. This activity also provides the opportunity for the children to develop their sense of steady beat, the most fundamental property of music. Feeling, moving to, and playing a steady beat help children develop a sense of time and the ability to organize and coordinate movements within time. A good sense of steady beat is necessary for all movement. Children who acquire a good sense of beat are coordinated and become more able learners.

You can further experience steady beat activities by playing your Fiddlesticks (or another beat-keeping instrument or homemade instrument) while listening to songs such as ‘Liza Jane, The Tailor and the Mouse or Polly Wolly Doodle. More music at home increases your child’s opportunity to develop a love for music.

Also this week at home if you haven’t already have a look at page 18 in your At Home book. You will see some different activities you can do with the lullaby pictures for Hush Little Baby. Why not have a go at making the mobile or some Lullaby cards.

Have Fun!

Fiddle Dee wk3

Music concepts may be effectively introduced to the Our Time-aged child through fun and playful activities. The concept of tempo (or speed) is central to music. The 1½- to 3-year-old child is learning to control and coordinate his body’s movements and is naturally interested in the concepts of fast and slow. Mastering these concepts through activities such as bouncing, playing instruments, and dancing is fun and satisfying for the child.

In class we will continue to focus on tempo for two more weeks. At home, you can have fun reinforcing this concept through further repetition of fast and slow activities such as Roly Poly. Also, “at home” Kindermusik play will help familiarise your child with the routines of Kindermusik class, thus helping him become more and more at ease in the classroom environment.

Until next week…

Walk Along Rover

Our new Our Time semester Fiddle Dee Dee, starts this week with dancing dogs amongst other things. If you can please bring along a soft toy dog to join in the fun. We will have some spare dogs so don't worry if you do not have one to bring.

Come On Dads

Our Saturday morning classes have been very popular with Dads. Dads often find it difficult to attend classes during the week, but that doesn't mean they don't want to come along as our classes have proved.

If you are a Dad or know a Dad who you think might enjoy trying our fun music and movement classes for toddlers please let them know about our classes.

Other family members are of course invited too, infact why not make it a date for the whole family to enjoy together.

Our Saturday baby classes are resuming soon too. So why not send Dad for some one on one time with Baby.

Our Time - Milk and Cookies Finale!

Please don't forget to bring some Kitchen Utensils with you (for both of you) for the last lesson of the semester. I'm thinking plastic mixing bowls, ball whisks, wooden spoons, pots and pans and cake tins and anything else you don't mind being explored and tapped/rapped/scraped/hit... with a steady beat of course :-)

It's been such an enjoyable course exploring, talking and singing about household contents and commotions.

I can assure you our next course starting after the half term break is just as much fun with fantastic music (as usual) and instrument to take home. Fiddle Dee Dee will be Fun-Diddle-Dee-Fun!

VicXX

Milk and Cookies - Cupcakes

This week at home have a look at the cupcake sequencing activity on page 22 of the home book.

Then how about baking some cupcakes of your own. You probably have a recipe already but just in case here's a really good one. http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/database/easypeasycupcakes_74799.shtml

As you know we are all willing to taste you creations.

COOKIES

In our last few sessions before christmas, we are encouraging all Our Time families to bake some cookies at home together. If you are brave enough you might also want to bring in your creations to share with us in class.

I am sure many of you will already have a favourite cookie recipie, but if not you might want to try one of those in the Home book. These recipies use cups which are great for young children. Just in case you are wondering what 'sweet butter' is, that's the unsalted variety.

If anyone want a larger selction of recipies to choose from try this website: http://www.popularcookierecipes.com/

and my favourite chef Hugh: http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/database/chocolatechipcookies_82401.shtml

happy baking