Fall Songs for Early Childhood

As promised, here my favorite songs for fall. A reader also shared one! Videos (where I could find them) again are approximate to the words I provided (the way I do these songs). Enjoy, use, comment, and share!

Gray Squirrel-

Gray Squirrel, gray squirrel, swish your bushy tail
Gray squirrel, gray squirrel, swish your bushy tail
Wrinkle up your little nose, hide a nut between your toes
Gray Squirrel, gray squirrel, swish your bushy tail

Leaves are Falling- (from Music Together)

Leaves are falling softly floating tumbling to the ground
Leaves are falling softly floating tumbling to the ground
Orange, red, brown, yellow, orange, tumbling to the ground
Orange, red, brown, yellow, orange, tumbling to the ground

Way Up High in the Apple Tree-

Way up high in the apple tree
Two little apples were smiling at me
I shook that tree as hard as I could
Down cam the apples- mmmm they were good

5 Little Apples- (shared by Nancy Hershatter)- a fall fingerplay

5 little apples, juicy to the core, 1 tumbled down and then there were 4.
4 little apples, swaying on the tree, 1 tumbled down and then there were 3.
3 little apples, shiny and new, 1 tumbled down and then there were 2.
2 little apples, shining in the sun, 1 tumbled down and then there was 1.
1 little apple ready to roll, let's reach and knock it down with our apple picking pole!

Pumpkin Patch- (solfeggi syllables provided)- can be played as a circle game

Pumpkin patch, the pumpkin patch (sol-sol-mi-la-sol-sol-mi)
I'm looking for a pumpkin in the pumpkin patch (fa-sol-sol-sol-sol-la-la-la-sol-sol-mi)
And I'll find one, that's nice and fat (mi-fa-fa-re-mi-fa-fa-re)
To turn into a jack-o-lantern just like that (re-sol-sol-sol-sol-la-la-la-la-sol-sol-mi)

H-A-L-L-O-W-E-E-N- (a song from when I was little- I'm not sure who wrote it)!

(Sung to the tune from Dance Macabre by Camille Saint-Saens)

H, A, double L, O, W, double E, N spells Halloween
H, A, double L, O, W, double E, N spells Halloween

verse: (these words are made up by me)
Halloween mean ghosts and goblins
Witches and vampires and spooky bats
Trick or treating, candy eating
Pumpkins with faces and big black cats

Pumpkin BOO!- (I'm also not sure who wrote this one, but the kids LOVE it)!

To scare someone on Halloween
I'll tell you what I'll do
I'll hide behind this pumpkin mask and
Then I'll holler, "BOO!"

Not sure what I'll write about next week- I just attended the Children's Music Network Annual Conference though, so a few ideas are swirling--- stay tuned!!

Finding Early Learning Media You and Your Child Enjoy

Thanks everyone who's stuck with me for my second article! As promised the topic of today's article is the palatability of children's media- that includes music, visual media, etc. And by palatability I mean is it something we find to our taste or not. Sometimes adults are surprised when they enjoy something that is meant for children. Some perhaps cringe at media meant for children that they do not enjoy. Some adults love to embrace their inner child. Most adults have at least a bit of nostalgia from time to time about the media they loved when they were children.

Wherever you are on this spectrum of palatability, spending time enjoying media with your preschooler is a valuable way to bond, and a great way to introduce them to the arts! Finding something that everyone can enjoy can be difficult- but certainly not impossible! There are so many options nowadays! What I will present are just a handful, and from my own experience, but chances are something similar to what I suggest is available near you (if it's a place or a live event) or just a google away (if it's digital media).

Visual Art- MOCHA- in Oakland, CA- The Museum of Children's Art, (MOCHA), was a place I often took my preschooler. The open art sessions included a playdough table, painting station, a cut and paste table, a sticker table, a block building station- complete with examples and helpers available. Moms chatted, or helped, or made their own art, while children enjoyed hands on art activities. This was a very mellow place perfect for a low key playdate, and often included interesting art exhibits to peruse. It was a perfect introduction to a stroller trip to any art museum. Mocha.org

Books- Google your child's name- My friend gave me several children's books with my child's name in it as a shower gift, and I highly recommend trying that to see what you find. You might be surprised! Hearing their own name in the book increases engagement, and you can be proud that you chose such a clever name for them in the first place. Plus you get a random array of illustration styles to ponder.

Live Music- Your local library or preschool music class- This subject is dear to me because I now have two children's albums of my own, but when my son was a preschooler, I was finding live music opportunities for him without any children's music industry knowledge at all. I started by attending storytimes- and I will give a shout out to the lovely librarians at the Piedmont library in Oakland, CA! Sometimes libraries also invite musicians to perform- something that will be happening a bunch this summer because of the "Libraries Rock" summer reading theme. When my son was 4, we got to see Charlie Hope at the library. This was so awesome because I discovered her music on YouTube when I google searched for a children's song about trains. My son loved trains, and to be honest, I was looking for an alternative to Thomas. Preschool music classes are available at other places besides libraries- there are chains like Gymboree (I tried this)- but I would highly recommend an independent teacher- google who is in your area!

TV Shows- YouTube, and PBS.org- Yes I am skirting recommending any one TV show and recommending YouTube, and the PBS website instead. Why? Because--- wait for it--- you can find something for "You." --- I would suggest starting by googling what you remember enjoying when you were young. Watching a classic Sesame Street or Mr. Roger's clip on YouTube can be a short diversion, and something enjoyed by both of you. Gems from our childhood such as Free to Be You and Me and Schoolhouse Rock can also be found on YouTube. You can also google what your preschooler is interested in and find shows to interest them. For example, dinosaurs+ trains= "Dinosaur Train." You can also find children's performers on YouTube- Miss Nina has a popular show, and, as I mentioned before, lots of children's music is on YouTube. Childrenmusic.org and SongforTeaching.com feature recent YouTubes from artists. PBS also has great educational shows, and while some character and muppet singing voices might not appeal to everyone, you can find good humor and even your favorite adult entertainer on Sesame Street. Don't want to watch the whole Sesame Street and would rather skip to the part you enjoy? Google it and watch that part on YouTube- or at PBS.org.

Movies- Pixar- Be forewarned, I am recommending Pixar in part because my son is an "Up" production baby. However, I was a fan well before my son was even a twinkle in my eye. While we aren't affiliated with the studio anymore, I did get a chance to experience the studio in Emeryville, and see the immense and extremely well thought out care that goes into the movies. I will wager that there is at least one Pixar movie palatable to you and your family.

Music- Children's Radio Shows- There are several children's radio shows you can listen to online. DJs do a great job representing a variety of musical tastes, so you are likely to find something you like on the show. You can then learn more about that particular artist- buy their stuff, see them live. Don't hear anything you like? Contact the DJ and make a suggestion. You could also try something like Pandora for Children's Music, but I think children's shows with DJs are better at keeping up with new releases and represent more independent artists than what you might find there. For live radio I would suggest Sirius XM's "Kid's Place Live" or WXPN's "Kid's Corner." For listening online, there are more available than this, but here are five shows to start with-
Saturday Morning Cereal Bowl- sign up for PodBean and get them all in the app on your phone. https://saturdaycerealbowl.podbean.com/ 
Imagination Parade- http://wfdu.fdu.edu/imagine.html 
Radio Active Kids- https://www.ashevillefm.org/show/radio-active-kids 
Musical Merry-Go-Round- https://musicalmerrygoround.wordpress.com/
Hilltown Family Variety Show- HilltownFamilies.org

When you encounter new media with your preschooler, or even share something you remember from your childhood, you are engaging with them in important discovery that will help shape their future tastes. When you find something everyone enjoys, this process can be fun and an important diversion every once in a while. For my next article, I'll be talking a bit about play based discovery in general for preschool aged children- why it's so important, and ways you can help and take part. BTW- Happy Mother's Day for all moms reading this on the day it was posted:)

Why Write New Music for Preschool Aged Children?

Hi there- you found my early learning blog! You may know me as a teacher, or as a children's singer/songwriter- or as a fellow parent. I've been teaching and making music for a while now and realize parents may want to know more about what motivates my efforts. So the topic of my blog today is- why write new music for preschool age children?

There are plenty of good old standards for preschool students song-wise- "Old MacDonald," "Wheels on the Bus," and "Twinkle, Twinkle," to name a few. When I perform for families with preschool age children, I often include these old standards. Teachers and parents request them. Adults sing along, and that creates a really nice communal, sing-along experience for families. So why not just stop there and call it a day for the preschool crowd?

To rely on tradition and time tested songs is valuable in early learning, believe me- you want to be practical in what you do and incorporate music that people know and will work well for your class or performance. However, when you have the chance to work regularly with young children and their teachers and families, you have the opportunity to teach new songs- ones that are creative, inspiring, educational, fun, and reflective of the here and now.

I've had the opportunity to work every school day with the same young children, and know they are capable of learning new songs quickly. They are excellent at copying me, and when I add movements, hand motions or sign language, the process is often faster. The result is young singers raising their voices in a confident sing along of a new song, maybe one of mine! Indulgent teachers and parents are happy to participate as well.

Young children can also participate in music that is not in a sing along style. I often model dancing, active, playful listening, and incorporate visuals to engage in the story behind the song. This widens what can be practical and educational for students beyond the traditional sing along song. Skillful performers can engage young audiences with a combination of new music and visual or kinesthetic artistry on the spot, and no one need have prior knowledge of the music at all.

There are many choices for excellent new children's music, sing along or otherwise, but when it's your song and you are sharing it, your heart and creative spark is in it, and that is passed on to listeners. Children get to observe and participate in new art being made- sparking their own developing imaginations as future innovators. They mimic you and naturally try their own hands at doing exactly what you are doing for them.

This creative modeling is a valuable gift children's singer songwriters give to young children. It is well known, but cannot be said often enough: Children in their first six years of life experience more cognitive and social development than at any other period in their lives. It makes sense, then, that this would be the time to model creativity, as well as empathy, two crucial skills needed to be successful future adults in well functioning communities.

As for the palatability of new children's music- whether or not a parent or teacher (not just the child) would enjoy the song- that's up to the individual, as is all art, really. Children's singer songwriters have essentially two spectrums they could choose to serve, the young, developing mind, and the mature one with established tastes. That will be the subject of my next blog entry- so stay tuned!