August 18, 2009
August 4, 2009
Essay Contest
Posted by Kindermusik International today:
Announcing our 1st VERY SHORT ESSAY CONTEST! Send entries with the theme, “KINDERMUSIK FRIENDS” (interpreted however you like) to blog@kindermusik.com by Wed, Aug 19. Best entry to be featured on Kindermusik’s Facebook page and “Minds on Music” blog, along with a photo. Winner receives $25 gift certificate to our online store.
August 3, 2009
Your Child’s Health & Safety is #1
Over the past 10 years of teaching young children, we have taken precautions to keep our classrooms as safe and “germ free” as possible. We clean our instruments after class, discard and replace worn items, and keep our classrooms as hazard free as possible.
I wanted you to know that I have also joined in Kindermusik International’s Healthy & Happy initiative which is created to help protect you and your children from the spread of viruses like the H1N1 flu (also known as the “Swine Flu”).
By collecting facts, checklists, and prevention tips from the Centers for Disease Control, Kindermusik is making sure I am more prepared than ever to provide an environment much less likely to allow viruses to spread.
- · I am continue to disinfect toys and instruments, but will do so now at CDC standards to continue to prevent transmission.
- · I continue to have hand sanitizer available for each child at the start and end of each class (under parent supervision with younger children).
- · I receive updated information on virus prevention and trends from the CDC.
Your child’s health and happiness is important to me. Please contact me so I can answer any further questions to make you feel at ease in coming to class with us!
Debbie
August 1, 2009
July 28, 2009
Body Percussion
In our classes we show the children how to use their bodies to create sounds. We have lots of fun experimenting with fast & slow, loud & soft. We even give names to the sounds and rhythms we create. For a fun rainy day activity – try this:
July 24, 2009
52 Alternatives to TV
This is a great find. A deck of cards (thus the 52) and each one has a project, game or activity that gets your child up and moving, thinking and creating.
Pin Pictures
Materials: pencil, dark-colored paper, tape
With the tip of a pencil, carefully poke holes in the paper to make a picture or pattern. To view your pinhole picture, tape it to a bright window or shine a flashlight through it onto the wall.
We’d love to see some of your examples. Take a picture of your creation and upload our Facebook page!
July 23, 2009
July 22, 2009
Raising Kids Who Love to Read
There was a question in Mamapedia about motivating resistant readers. This is a common concern regarding school age children.
To harried parents few things sound more luxurious than a quiet weekend away – no cell phones, no TV’s – with a pile of unread books. To the vast majority of our children, few things sound more torturous. It’s not that millennial kids don’t enjoy reading. Most do. It’s just that an abyss of high-tech alternatives have left them yet to discover reading offers a world of excitement that could put their iPhones to shame.
But reading isn’t just entertaining, it’s the foundation of education. Reading enriches the imagination, builds vocabulary, teaches grammar, and makes students better spellers and writers. Studies consistently show better readers get better grades than less proficient readers, and are ultimately better positioned to succeed in our fast-paced, achievement-oriented society.
And with summer reading assignments looming, the challenge of getting our kids to dive into books becomes that much more pressing. Here are some suggestions toward ensuring your kids reap and enjoy the bountiful benefits of reading this summer and far beyond.
