Wednesday, December 31, 2008

Gathering Drums Big Hit!

"Come they told me, pa rum pum pum...." Check out these Gathering Drums.  They are such a big hit from babies on up.  We use a variety of drums in all of our Kindermusik classes.  Check out these 2 video clips of Drum Exploration.  Children learn best through multi-sensory play (touch, look, listen, discovery).  


  
Did you know?  When children drum along to the rhythms in a song or to their own names, they practice careful listening and pattern recognition.  This is one way children hear sounds in words - a skill necessary for word recognition, speaking, reading, and writing (adapted from "Show and Tell").

To learn more about the benefits of Kindermusik classes as they relate to Literacy and Math, click here.

Want one of these Gathering Drums for family fun at home like Ethan a
nd Logan?  So far we found the best price at West Music.

Happy New Year and Happy Drumming whether using Gathering Drums from Remo or Folgers Coffee Cans!


Tuesday, December 16, 2008

Creativity and Self-Expression!!


We've been reading a new book in my Kindermusik Our Time classes during the last few weeks called, "If You're Happy and You Know It!" by Jan Omerod and Lindsey Gardiner.  This book is a new twist on an old favorite with animal friends sharing their favorite way to express themselves when they are "Happy!"  I highly recommend it.  Please check it out from your local library or purchase your own copy.  It's available from Amazon as a paperback book for only $5.95.  Special thanks to Christa Beck, a Kindermusik Educator and dear friend, for recommending this book to me!


Flipped Out on Kindermusik!

On December 2nd and 3rd, our program participated in "Flipped Out on Kindermusik" where we shot 30 second clips of parents and children in our program.  Below are a few of our families.  We'll be sharing all the clips in the weeks ahead.  You'll also find more video clips at http://www.YouTube.com from our program and other Kindermusik programs around the world.  Just login to YouTube and search on "Kindermusik Rocks!"
Enjoy!

Meet Colton:  I want to be a musician someday!

Meet Ty and Ellen:  Music Education & Socialization


Meet Charlynn (and Cooper), mother of 4 Kindermusik students: Music at Home



Kathy's Music - Chosen "Best of the City"


Kindermusik with Kathy's Music was recently chosen by Comcast on Demand for its "Best of the City" series.  Best of the City showcases outstanding businesses and programs in 4 categories.  We will be featured in the "Kids in the Family Fun" section starting in Mid-January.  It's a short production that will air through March/April.  
Special thanks to my Thursday 10:15 AM Village Class in Mt. Lebanon for their help last week during the taping.

To see the feature, go to On-Demand, click on Your Town, then Fun Around Town, then Best of the City.  Go to the Kids category and find Kindermusik!

Wednesday, December 3, 2008

Let's Make Toast!

Look who I found making toast....

Mom tells me that these two sit and make toast almost every day together.  They go off to the pretend kitchen and make (and sing about) toast over and over and over.  Not only is this just so sweet, but let's celebrate the creative play.  That's what makes the Kindermusik experience such a great investment.  It extends from the classroom (Kindermusik Our Time - Milk & Cookies) to home in so many different and meaningful ways.