Funny Faces!

Some of the kids from last week were out with their mom this week, but we still had an enthusiastic group of 4-5 year olds, plus one newborn. The kids were freshly energized from their dinner, so I made sure to include all the bouncy songs I could think of. The best part of the class was Little Green Frog, which I slowed down in the intro, giving the kids the chance to really milk it with their funny faces, and make each other laugh. Unfortunately we didn’t have quite enough space for a parachute this week, but that was made up for with the shell shaker, which I brought as a special instrument, and the kids shared it without any fuss. Everyone sang along during the jam, and finished off with big high fives and big smiles.

Middle Eastern Vibe

Today I brought the Middle Eastern Darabouka (also nicknamed the Dumbek) to class today. The kids were mesmerized with the sounds it can make and the Middle Eastern rhythm I taught them (named the Baladi rhythm). One child found a steady beat and even shook his hips to the beat as he hit the drum steadily. We also explored team work as we practiced rowing our boat and singing to the beat with the rainbow stretchy rope that I brought along.

In the Mood For Singing!

Today was another gigantic group. The staff members at the Plaza set up the room so that the parents formed a sort of barrier between the kids and the toys on the other end of the room. It was very effective, and the organization of the room made things quite cozy, and the kids seemed more engaged as a result. There was lots of talk back (mostly positive… occasionally disruptive, but still from an enthusiastic place), but that made for an excellent version of I’m In the Mood For Singing, in which the kids shouted out suggestion after suggestion, and delighted in having some input into the song.

An emotional moment came after class, when one of the parents told me that she was celebrating her mother’s life on the anniversary of her passing, which was always attached to the song Three Little Birds by Bob Marley, which I happened to play during the jam. She was stunned at the coincidence, and thanked me for playing it. Suffice to say, I was stunned as well.

Quiet as a Mouse!

Lots of fun with our group at Robertson House today! The kids and grown-ups were very engaged throughout the class. Everyone really had fun shaking their sillies out during the movement portion of the class. When it came to tip-toe around the circle like mice, it was awesome to see everyone so focused on being as quiet as possible. Great way to learn about musical dynamics! Looking forward to next week’s class.

Sounds of the Rainforest!

We had a great class with our CultureLink participants today. Overall, the young ones were very focused and engaged with the music and movement. We had a lot of fun with the wooden Thai frogs (wood blocks). We paired the sound of the frogs with the rain sticks and all closed our eyes to imagine we were in the rainforest. It actually sounded like we were! The kids were so quiet and listened very intently. Looking forward to next week’s class!

Fire! Fire!

Today I brought along the chime bars and had enough for each child to have their own. I had them practice tapping different beats on the chime bar and they enjoyed hitting the chimes five times in a row for The Firetruck Song. We also practiced using the rainbow stretchy rope during movement time, as we moved in a circle to The Train Is A Comin' song.

A Warm Welcome!

It was so wonderful to be back at Ernestine singing for some familiar faces and families! In the time since our last session, a newborn baby has appeared! The class was a great mix of 4-6 year olds and babies; the older kids were stepping into their sibling roles and helping the younger ones along. Not only did the kids remember me from last time, but they remembered their favourite songs as well! The big request was the Little Green Frog, so we sang and made funny faces and the kids got into near-theatrics. They listened patiently as I introduced the instruments in our instrument bag, and mostly remembered to keep the hand drums for hands and maracas for shaking. I can't believe how quickly the class went by, and I can't wait till the next one!

Yay is the Word of the Day!

Today was a huge class at the Plaza. The largest one yet! The newcomers were welcomed into an enthusiastic environment, as one of the younger kids who had attended since the first week couldn't help but yell “YAAAAAY!” in between (and during) all of the songs. However, larger numbers also meant some chatty parents and older siblings, so it was a bit of a struggle to get everyone's attention at times. A quick round of Five Little Monkeys got some of the restless energy out, and delighted the parents to see their kids jumping around. The kids did a great job sharing the cowbell around the room, and enjoyed it so much that I may have to bring it back for an encore later in the session!

Jump Jump Jump!

Lots of energy today at Robertson House! Before the class even began, two boys were already starting a jumping dance party to my warm-up music. There were many more kids than grown-ups, so focusing was a bit of a challenge. Once we settled in, it was clear that the kids were happy to be there. They especially loved jumping to 5 Little Monkeys, which we played today accompanied by the caxixi! Looking forward to more great classes this session.

Shake It To The Rhythm!

We had a great class with our CultureLink participants this week. Lots of smiling faces around the circle as we passed the Instrument of the Week, the caxixi, around. As we practiced playing the caxixi, it was great to see the kids and grown-ups working hard to try to accurately play the rhythm I set as the example. Looking forward to more classes to come!