Aug 13, 2024 | Activities
When we get the request in our schools for Earth Day ideas, it’s quite easy to offer suggestions by showing our “Love for Our Planet” theme books about the ocean, mountains, farms, and rain forest. If you are new to our Music Rhapsody & Music Box group, here they are!
https://musicrhapsody.com/product/lynn-kleiner-4-book-cd-special/
I include instrument making in all of my books (This includes In All Kinds of Weather, Kids Make Music) and most of these are made out of recycled items. Since we celebrate Earth Day in April, this is a great time to choose an easy, fun to make project, and then enjoy using the activities and recordings to make music with the creative instrument that was made.
No time for instrument making? Set out a sample and encourage a little community clean up and make an instrument at home!
Here’s an easy one from my Songs of the Sea collection. Water Bottles! Water Bottles! So many water bottles! This is one item that’s easy to obtain for wonderful homemade instruments.
Water Bottle Shaker and Guiro
- Use a water bottle that has ribs, not smooth. Empty and wash out the bottle, dry completely
- Remove the label
- Add sand, smaller sparkly beads, glitter, shiny items or other colorful bright objects
- Decorate the parts of the bottle that are smooth with stickers or colored markers if desired.
- Use hot glue or lots of colored masking tape to secure the bottle cap on the bottle
Ways to Play
- Shake the bottle for a wonderful shaking sound. Create different sounds by moving it up and down, side to side, fast and slow, etc.
- Use a chopstick to scrape across the ribs of the bottle to produce an entirely different sound, a guiro.
- Produce yet another sound by tapping the bottle with the chopstick.
Have a listen to everyone’s favorite shaker song! Sandy Sandy Sand from Songs of the Sea.
Visit Music Box for more Earth Day songs and project ideas!
Aug 13, 2024 | Activities
Yes! Its true! The Worm in the Apple puppet is back! Its been a long time without him and the homemade models just didn’t have the same personality.
For years, we used our magic apple to learn the children’s names at the beginning of the year and get participation from day one! We sang “Come on out now Wiggly Woo, I will sing my name to you.” Or if you don’t need to learn names, they can sing “Hello” and the delightful wiggly worm will appear. See Page 98 in Kids Make Music, Babies Make Music Too.
Crowd Control: I recently took full advantage of our new Worm in the Apple for some calming of a room full of excited K students. I told them if it was super quiet, I thought something would come out of the hole in the apple. Oh my, so quiet!
Echo Singing: Then I had a conversation with the Worm in the Apple and explained to the children that I would sing something (it was our new song for the lesson). When the worm came out, it was their turn to sing it back (echo). So the worm helped me with echo singing and no one sang early! They all waited for the worm to come out before singing! So fun.
Then the worm showed us when to wiggle (when he was out) and when to stop and FREEZE (when he was hiding outside. This music is the BEST! Lots of Worms from Farm Songs! Have a listen!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=87UNNKXUSO8&index=1&list=PLcGAMvU2YN-XJWPcc7gw5WCRg0imSdf-S
Click on link above video thumbnail
Farm Songs and The Sounds of Moo-sic!
There’s also a song I adapted from one I discovered in a book called “This Little Puffin.”
There’s a worm in the bottom of my apple, and his name is Wiggley Woo
There’s a worm in the bottom of my apple, and all that he can do is….
Wiggle all day and wiggle all night, eating the apple out of sight
There’s a worm in the bottom of my apple, and his name is Wiggley Woo.
Aug 13, 2024 | Activities
Last week was the “Week of the Young Child.” We had workshops for teachers, assemblies for schools, kindergarten celebrations and many school concerts.
This year, we are following our mountain theme so we selected songs and activities from “My Trip to the Mountains.” So much fun!
Here’s a few of the activities from my workshop at the CAAEYC conference. Thanks to the teachers who showed up at 8am on Saturday morning!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yS_8z87Bk9A&list=PLcGAMvU2YN-WFdU4jTIuXB2WyQwmDxZG7&index=1
Click on link above video
Check out 3-5 year olds at their preschool concert “My Trip to the Mountains” video in Music Box.
And while you’re in Music Box, see the forum for a suggested playlist for gathering drum including the request for “calming” activities/recordings. (Use hand drums for large classes).
Aug 13, 2024 | Activities
If you are looking for a great way to teach dynamics and music vocabulary, it doesn’t get more exciting than Grizzly Bear from My Trip to the Mountains book/CD! Even the youngest love to Crescendo! There are several options to act out this humorous song, popular for children 2-6 years old.
Now, listen below as beginning recorder players combine with the advanced players and create the winds of the Andes Mountains, Viento de los Andes from our recent Recorder Festival. Thanks to the awesome teacher Kathy Lucey and her ensemble who played with the music Rhapsody ensemble. This arrangement is from Carol King (my level 2 and 3 Orff levels recorder teacher ♥♥♥) Worldwinds Recorder Ensemble Book Vol. 1. The kids LOVE this piece!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dn00LrSx4aE&list=PLcGAMvU2YN-U79VZPVADhj1e6yzZZdcFs&index=0
Click the link above the video thumbnail
Aug 13, 2024 | Activities
Want something special for the last day of classes? Need a song for the graduation? A parent visit? How about a musical hug for the classroom teachers or thanks to the PTO?
Here’s a NEW ARRANGEMENT of an awesome choice! The slow and fast version of Skinnamarink will have everyone leaving with love in the air! AND there’s an instrumental/karaoke of the slow and fast versions too. I recommend doing the slow version ending with throwing a kiss and then surprise your audience by going immediately into the fast version.
Have a listen to a bit of all 4 versions.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pwXU8FuNw58&list=PLcGAMvU2YN-XJWPcc7gw5WCRg0imSdf-S&index=1
Click on link above video thumbnail
Get the download that contains:
- MOVEMENT directions
- Music notation and lyrics
- All four recordings (vocals, instrumental, slow and fast of each)
https://lynnkleinersmusicbox.com/store/product/304/skinnamarink-4-recordings-and-directions-for-movement
It’s a very special thing when you have classroom teachers making this amazing mural with their students for “My Trip to the Mountains,” classroom concert. How many songs can you see are featured? And check out our grizzly bears!
