Counting- V

The leaves are starting to change color here in Maryland- creating a beautiful context in which children can learn. Seasons are a wonderful way to draw from children's awareness of their surroundings to make learning abstract concepts like numbers more relevant. Here are a couple of autumn number songs- one you'll probably know- "5 Little Pumpkins," and one maybe not- "5 Little Leaves."

"5 Little Pumpkins"
5 little pumpkins sitting on a gate
The first one said, "Oh my it's getting late!"
The second one said, "There are witches in the air!"
The third one said, "But I don't care!"
The fourth one said, "Let's run! Let's run!"
The fifth one said, "It's just Halloween fun!"
Then, "OOOooooooo," went the wind, and out went the light
And 5 little pumpkins rolled out of sight.

"5 Little Leaves"
5 little leaves, dancing in the tree
5 little leaves, happy as can be!
Along came the wind-
"OOoooooooooo!"
1 leaf came tumbling down.
4 little leaves, dancing in the tree...
(Repeat until you get to- "No little leaves," - I usually do that verse in a whisper).

In these videos, you'll find slight variations on the words above- the way I do these songs. I also do both songs as a chant, except for "'OOoooooooo!' 1 leaf came tumbling down," for which I sing a little minor-sounding melody. I like the way the videos demonstrate movements to do with the songs. I also use a felt board with 5 pumpkins and leaves so children can have a visual way to keep track of the quantity. Stay tuned for next time- I'll have more autumn songs for you- making this the last number song article (for now). Happy autumn!

Counting- IV

Well, I just got back from a music trip out west, (flew there and back in one day!) and I'm feeling fine (relatively)!! So, today I'm going to write about a number song called Dr. Knickerbocker. Here is the way I've done this song with kids:

Dr. Knickerbocker, Knickerbocker, number nine
I just got back and I'm feeling fine.
Let's put the rhythm in our ________.*
*Repeat until you "put the rhythm" in your hands (clap), shoulders (alternate shoulders up and down),  feet (walk in place to the beat), head (nod), and hips (shift hips right and left).

I've always said the words as a rhythmic chant, and kept the movement going until it changes to a different body part. The words were fun to say and made pretty much no sense at all- kids loved to move and say the words! Sometimes children asked- who is Dr. Knickerbocker? I had no clear answer.

After some searching I found out that Knickerbockers are a type of colonial style pants worn just over the knee, and a man wearing this style of pants (Mr. Knickerbocker) was a symbol of New York- (a la the New York Knicks baseball team). And apparently there were nine original New York Knickerbockers (later shortened to Knicks).

Maybe "getting back" means getting back to home plate? I'm still unsure how "Mr. Knickerbocker" got changed to "Dr. Knickerbocker," but the point is- this is a fun song with lots of movement AND there's more!!!

I just discovered that you can practice counting to the number nine with this song, and that is extra exciting because that makes it a great activity for getting those kids with a lot of energy to focus and count with you. To do this, you "put the rhythm" in the "number nine" itself. Here are two examples of this- one from the Wiggles and one from Alina Celeste.

Here is also a new one by Liz Buchanan that is a counting backwards from 9 song.

More fun with number songs next week!

Using Music to Soothe Young Children- Part II

Hi there- and happy father's day (video of a father soothing a baby with music)! Today I'm going to conclude my talk about using music to soothe young children. Most of what I will share today is the result of asking preschool teachers (through Facebook teacher's groups) what music they use during nap time. Their answers were interesting to me because most of the studies that I've seen on the effects of music on young children are done on babies in controlled hospital environments. Many also focus on the beneficial effects of the mother's voice. Preschoolers are older, may not nap anymore at home, and are away from their home environment and access to familiar voices- they are arguably more difficult to settle than babies at times. However, any preschool teacher will tell you that a quiet rest time is necessary- usually from around 1-3pm each day. It speaks to the genuine power of music to soothe- even if it's recorded, not sung live or by the parents- that it is universally used for nap time by preschool teachers.

Soothing music creates the quiet rest environment so necessary for these youngsters, and many of the preschool teachers that responded to my query swear by certain recordings. They use the same ones year after year because they observe the beneficial effect the music has on helping their students nap. They wear out CDs- purchase new ones- or search for it online- because it's so essential to their nap time. After having having been present at many a nap time over the years, I can understand why a teacher would appreciate such a useful tool, and want to use it time and again. Remember preschoolers are experiencing so much by way of cognitive and social development- having some time to rest and recharge during the day can help those young minds cope and make it to the end of the day as happy campers. 

When sharing their nap time music, most teachers also commented on their own experience with the music as well. Was it something they could tolerate listening to over and over again? Some teachers shared that they had a few different types of music they played for variety- but that they all had a similar effect. A teacher with many, many years of experience shared that in lieu of her usual lullaby recordings, she was playing the relaxing instrumental music she had found that was on her favorite TV show instead (When Calls the Heart- the instrumental version of Christina Perri's A Thousand Years), and was happy with the results. With so many options, albums and ways to listen online, as you'll see below, whatever your musical tastes, finding something that will work for both you and child or children is easier than ever. 

Teacher Recommended Albums-

Rockabye- Lullaby Renditions of your Favorite Band

Jewel Lullabies

Return to Pooh Corner- Kenny Loggins

Putamayo World Lullabies

Fisher Price Lullaby Playlist- Dreamy Renditions of Today's Hits

Fisher Price Christmas Lullabies

Classical Piano Music with Ocean Sounds

Laurie Berkner Lullabies

Sleepy in Seattle

Baby Lullaby- Relaxing Piano Lullabies- Einstein Baby Lullaby Academy

Lullaby River

Teacher Recommended Online Streaming (YouTube, Spotify, Pandora, Apple Music, IHeart Radio, Online Radio)*- 

Search for these artists or types of music- Preschool Nap Time, Lullaby, Delta Wave, Meditation or Spa, Disney Lullaby, Disney Instrumental, Native American Flute, Enya, Piano Guys, Gregorian Chant, Relaxing Music for Deep Sleep, Coral Reef Aquarium Collection, Mindful Kids, Quiet Guitar, Violin or Harp, Brahms's Lullaby for Babies, Caribbean Steel Drums, Jack Johnson (lullabies), George Winston (piano), John Tesh (piano), Marconi Union, Ludovico Einaudi

Classic Radio (online streaming)

Star Wars Piano

Before I go, I wanted to give you a list of some other links to check out. These are artists and projects I recommend learning more about if you are interested in soothing music for children and families, including music in Spanish! Tune in next week for my article on early learning adventures to do during the summer!

Vered 

Sing to your Baby or Cantale a tu bebe 

La Luna- 123 Andres

The Lullaby Project

*I recommend finding something that doesn't have ads (they can startle).

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:)