It was wonderful to be greeted back at Jessie's Centre after the winter holidays. A few mothers who had been with us in the fall were back again, and a few new mothers within the school program at Jessie's were joining for the first time. We used this time to learn everyone's names and to go over all the sign language before we got to singing. There was a lot of energy in the room, which will hopefully stick around in the weeks to come!
Today was our final class of the session at Birkdale. Parents for all of the kids stuck around to sing, dance, and thoroughly enjoy themselves and their kids. We did all the classic favourites, including Roly Poly, Wake Up My Hands, Wheels On The Bus and Old MacDonald. Everyone sang beautifully and participated actively. All of the returning kids have come such a long way, and new faces were learning new skills, both social and musical! A fabulous jam time with lots of singing meant a gorgeous end to the class. We handed out certificates and clapper instruments to all as keepsakes from their time with Rainbow Songs Foundation.
We had a more subdued group at Birkdale today, but still lots of smiles! We reviewed the days of the week and sang Put Your Finger in the Air, and I Wake Up My Hands, with delight. The instrument of the week was a set of Tingshaw Bells, and everyone really enjoyed the fun of having their chakras aligned by having the ringing bells float backward and forward over their heads. It even stirred some giggles from some of the kids. It was a big reminder to all that next week will be our final week of the session, and although disappointment was felt about the ending, there was excitement about RSF's return in January.
Today we sang a great bunch of songs, and a lot of them were requested by the Jessie's staff! With most of the moms out at appointments today it was mostly just me and the amazing Jessie's staff and volunteers having a grand ol' time with some babies. It's so awesome that the staff and volunteers at Jessie's are so committed to the program; they always sing the loudest (and sometimes in harmony!) and make sure to set an amazing example for the moms and babies. I loved that we had a chance to sing a lot of their favourites today!
We had an absolute blast at Birkdale today. A lot of the usual children were in attendance, with some new faces, too! Even the newest attendee, though a bit nervous at first, had warmed up enough to help with the clean-up train after jam time, and even gave me a high five when it was time to go! We began the class with major enthusiastic giggles, induced by the peekaboo-esque Open ‘Em, Shut ‘Em. Then, the giant rainbow stretchy band got introduced for the first time to a crowd of excited participants. Boom whackers were the instrument of the week, and were also met with smiles and curiosity. At one point everyone turned their boom whacker into a pretend trumpet, which was everyone's favourite part. We had so much fun today that even one of our very shy moms sang out loud and proud during the jam. A great class by far!
The last class of the session at Robertson House was a nice close to a great session. With mostly familiar faces and some last minute new recruits, the room was filled with excitement and energy. One memorable moment was watching all the kids and some parents flailing all their limbs as well as their heads to sing and dance along with Johnny Works With One Hammer. This was a great example of the enthusiasm and dedication of each child that was seen throughout the session. It was also wonderful to see the parents being silly along with their children. Looking forward to more great sessions at Robertson House!
The final class at the Gooch Family Drop-In Centre last Thursday was a great closing to a very enjoyable session. Throughout the session a core group of children, parents, staff and caregivers came to sing every week. Each participant brought their own enthusiasm, personality and energy to the group. It was always a joy to stop by at Gooch each Thursday. Our last class featured a special appearance by the parachute at the end, which was a nice way to finish the session. Parents and staff threw the parachute up and down as the kids enjoyed a dance party beneath it. Here's to another successful session at Gooch!
This week's class at Robertson House saw some new participants join the class. One 5-year-old boy in particular seemed very apprehensive at first when brought in by his mom. As soon as the music started he joined right in with a huge smile on his face and continued to do so for the entire class. Of course, former participants were their usual energetic selves. It was so fun to see a row of 2-3 year old girls dancing and singing together with such enthusiasm for most of the opening songs. Looking forward to our grand finale next week!
We had an exhilarating Animal Week at Birkdale today. With most of the usual children in attendance, everyone was very excited for the "animalistic" special day. The usual favourite,Little Green Frog, got lots of laughs and enjoyment, especially with our special Animal Instrument of the Week, a family of Thai Wooden Frogs who travelled all the way from Thailand this morning to join our class! What a fun class!
Last week's class at Gooch was lots of fun! Parents and kids alike thoroughly enjoyed zooming to the moon for Zoom, Zoom, Zoom, and playing with the rumbling thunder tube for our instrument of the week. It was very nice to see the kids be so patient when sharing the tube around the circle. Looking forward to our grand finale this coming Thursday!
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