Squeals of Delight

We were a small group in week two with 4 children and 1 adult. Today, however, was a different story with 10 children and 3 adults carrying on. Where last week I had a child who thought he could sing faster than me, today I had a baby who thought she could wail louder than me. No, no. The little one learned the truth during Put Your Finger in the Air when I held the note while putting my finger on my finger. We also sang 1 & 2 & 3 & 4, Funga Alafia, Mister Sun, Mama and Don' Allow, and marched to Oh When the Kids. They were fascinated by the sound of the Jaw Harp. And, as usual, the parachute produced squeals of delight.

So Demanding

So demanding. Either that, or the children were using ESP to read my set list. Before we started, one child asked for a "yucky" song, so we sang Sticky Bubble Gum. Another asked for a silly song, so we sang Mama Don' Allow, with the requisite warning. We also took flight -- Two Little Blackbirds, Alouette – and decided to take a ride because The Train is a-Comin'. Then one young gentleman thought he could sing Head and Shoulders faster than me. But worry not, the champ is still undefeated!

A Hero's Welcome

There's nothing like getting a hero's welcome as soon as you get out of the car – from the staff – and the ten children and six parents were equally as welcoming. It's great to be back at Birkdale for another session! We sang Sticky Bubble Gum, The Belly Button Song, Tickle Song, and All the Nations Like Bananas. We also got ready for Earth Week by singing Trees Need the Sun, and Oats and Beans and Barley Grow. The children clicked away on the claves, our instrument of the week. And, as usual, the parachute drew screams of delight from the children. Looking forward to more silliness next week.

A Fine Ending

The last week of the fall session. Always a sad time as you know that you won’t be seeing some of the residents again. And that’s particularly true when you have seven children and three adults come out for the first time, and really enjoy themselves. And there were three adults and four children who were making repeat appearances. There were a lot of song ideas, it being Request Week. Actually, there were a lot of requests about animals. Old McDonald and Listen to the Water were satisfactory responses to those ideas, as well as Allouette, BINGO, and Six Little Ducks. To fit in with the holiday season, we shook the body bells and sang Jingle Bells. Then the kids had the fun of receiving their certificates and goody bags. A fine way to end the session.

More Cowbell

It was a small group of only three children today. That didn’t deter us from having fun as we sang If You’re Happy and You Know It, Alice the Camel, The ABC Medley, Mama Don’ Allow, and When the Kids Go Marchin’ In. And, since everything sounds better with a cowbell, we rang that as the instrument of the week.

Geometric Singing

There was one adult and 11 children, only one of whom was new, in attendance today. The enthusiastic group sang Clap Your Hands, Now Sing 1, 2, 3, Funga Alafia, Sunday Monday, Corner Grocery Store, Apples and Bananas, and What Are You Wearing? We combined some geometry with our singing by clanging on the triangle as the instrument of the week.

The Birkdale Zoo

There were two lions, an elephant, a turtle, a humpback whale, an orca, a cheetah and a fly at the Birkdale Zoo today for Animal Week. We sang about many of those toys during the songs Listen to the Water and Johnny Didn’t Have Any Breakfast. The ten children also sang about sharks, poor little bugs, ducks, and frogs, as we passed the Thai Wooden Frogs around to everyone.

New Recruits

There were four children and one adult, who were there for the first time today. They were added to the six children and two adults, some of whom have been there almost continually since the beginning of the session. After singing BINGO, Allouette, I Shut the Door, and What are you Wearing, everyone enjoyed pounding on the djembe.

Get Your Groove On

A child who has been a regular attendee the last couple of weeks really got her grove on today, dancing up a storm. She was one of 12 children and two adults who attended class, and had fun singing Sticky Bubble Gum, Two Little Blackbirds, Rooster Song, and I Have 10 Little Fingers.

The Resident Crier Returns

The resident crier was back, but this time with a twist. Tears rolling down his face, he ran at me, arms flailing. Out of options, I picked him up ­and he stopped crying. That is until I put him down so I could get set up, which of course brought on the waterworks again. But as happened last week, once the class got started, he joined in the fun. And with the rest, enjoyed trying out the guiro.