Music Tip - Music Wins Every Time

It's the end of April and with it comes the end of my ukulele classes and my mom/tot music class.  I'm excited to have more free time now, but sad to end my teaching of a wonderful group of children and adults. I took my ukulele classes to perform for senior citizens and my last mom/tot music class was kind of bitter/sweet.  One of our grandpas who really loved us coming and responded well was moved to another facility--so we didn't get to say good by to him.

Here are some pictures with the ukulele classes, mom/tot music class and the residents.  They love us and we LOVE them!

 Thanks for reading,

Cathy
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Music Tip - Singable Picture Books

Singable picture books-- they are so fun!

What are they?

Books where you sing the words.  There are lots and lots of singable picture books out there, you probably have some yourself.  What fun to sit and read with your preschooler, but what MORE FUN it is to sit and sing with your preschooler.  And what is even MORE FUN is when both you and your preschooler sing together.

I found a music therapy for kids site online that listed the top 8 singable books.  I had no idea what some of them were or sounded like, so I searched the book title in google, added the words "you tube", and presto, listened to the singable book as I looked at the pictures. 

There was one book that I fell in love with and had to have for my music class called, We All Go Traveling By.  It is written by Sheena Roberts and the illustrations which are done by Siobhan Bell are so cool.  
All the pictures are fabric applique.  It is sung by Fred Penner. It has a really catchy tune and is a cumulative tale of different ways to travel.  My 8 year old granddaughter heard it only one time and then said, "I keep singing that song in my head"-it's that catchy. 




Another favorite singable book that I used when I taught school was Puff the Magic Dragon.

 This song is listed in the 42 songs that the Music Educators Nation Conference says that every American
should be able to sing.

As I was searching for more singable books, I found a list on this site for teaching early literacy/teaching English as a second language.  Next I found The Kennedy Center ArtsEdge site where 5th-8th graders take a singable book, analyze it, then take an original poem, set it to music and make it into a singable picture book.  This corresponds with some of the common core state standards.

Wow, who knew all the educational value you were accomplishing by simply sitting down and singing a book with your child/grandchild.

Have any favorite singable books?  Please share!

 Go.  Enjoy.  Sing.

Thanks for reading,

Cathy

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Parenting Tip - Enjoy them before they're gone

When I see videos like this one, I usually think, "Yeah, right.  That never happens." 

But why shouldn't it happen?  Our children are the dearest and most important people in our life.  They stay young for only a very short time.  You never get that time in their life back again.  You never can see them and hold them as a baby again, or watch them pretend and use their imagination. Oh, how I wish I could hold each of my babies again and cuddle them for one more day.  [Hey, that sounds like an interesting movie plot...... ]

When your children are teenagers you need to enjoy them too.  Appreciate the growth they're going through, the independence they're learning to use; be there to encourage them, cheer them on and love them unconditionally.  And remember, you won't have them at this age for very long either.

We know that change is inevitable.  So embrace it, expect it, and live today for the pure joy you find in it. Go hold your baby, play with your toddler, talk and listen to your teenager.  Who knows, maybe some day someone will make a video about YOU!

Thanks for reading,

Cathy

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