Week of January 17th, 2011

TODDLERS THROUGH SCHOOL AGE

Today we enjoyed making castanets in music class using some simple materials: can lids, poker chips and strips of cardboard, tape and stickers! After decorating our paper strips, we fixed the poker chips or can lids to the undersides, so that, when folded, the strips would cause the chips and lids to collide and make a nice, castanet-y "click"!

Then we enjoyed singing songs together. I've included one of them below so that you can try singing them at home with your child! (Castanets went home in cubbies).
Enjoy!

5 Little Monkeys

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5 Little Monkeys sittin' in a tree

(use fingers of one hand as monkeys and swing branches by waving hand)

Teasin' Mr. Alligator

"Can't catch me, you can't catch me!"

Along comes the alligator quiet as can be (quietly snap the castanet towards the wiggling hand)

and SNAP! That monkey right out of that tree! (Put one finger down to represent one monkey leaving)

Continue with 4,3,2,1

INFANT CLASS

Today in infant class we sang some new songs! I'm highlighting a fun song that we did using the infant signs for mom and dad! If you've forgotten how to do these signs, please see our "Starter Sign Pdf", hosted from our website at http://www.joyfulnoisekids.com/!

Mommy Go Round The Moon (with infant on lap)

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Mommy go round the sun (sign for mommy)

Mommy go round the moon

Mommy go round the rocking chair

Every afternoon

BOOM! (Bounce child in lap)

Repeat with lyric/sign for daddy!

SCHOOL AGE MUSIC CLASS

We had a nice large group because of our snow day today! With 21 kids total, we decided to do something fun and have a rhythm contest. I gave some of the students the choice of being specatators and judges, and some the choice to form groups with names and compete by clapping a rhythm correctly. Our panels of spectators then judged the group by a rating of 1-5 stars, which depended on how smoothly and accurately the rhyhtm was clapped. The kids had a little help by watching a monitor in the movie room, which displayed an animated prompt that displayed the notes and indicated rhythm.

Congratulations to the all the groups for participating, and to the "Marshmallow Mush" group for a 5 star job and being chosen as the "smoothest" at clapping the rhythm!

I've included the actual rhythm below. Try asking your child to clap it out for you!