Empathy between children and the world is a main developmental objective for preschool children. They don’t differentiate between themselves and others. Cultivating relationships with animals, both real and imagined, is one of the best ways to foster empathy during early childhood. Children want to run like deer, to slither along the ground like snakes, to be clever as foxes, and quick like bunnies (adapted from Sobel, David. 1999).

Does this sound like anything we have been doing in our Kindermusik classes? The Watch Me book from the Wiggles and Giggles class gets kids off to a great start. What other books, poems, words or songs can inspire your child to move like a …

From Wade Denning & Kay Lande’s Halloween Games, Songs and Stories (Golden Records, LP-242, 1969)

I put this up on the blog a couple of years ago and it has been one of the most popular posts for 2 years now!!

Here are some fun songs and fingerplays. Thanks to my fellow Kindermusik teacher, Merri Williams in GA.

Pumpkins on the Ground (To the Tune of: Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star)
Pumpkin, pumpkin on the ground
(crouch down)
How’d you get so big and round?
(stretch arms out wide to sides and then make a circle)
Once you were a seed so small,
(pretend to hold a seed)
Now you are a great big ball!
(make huge circle with hands)
Pumpkin, pumpkin on the ground
(crouch down)
How’d you get so big and round?
(stretch arms out wide to sides and then make a circle)

Jack-O-Lantern
I am a pumpkin, big and round
(make huge circle with arms)
Once upon the time I grew on the ground
(point to ground)
Now I have a mouth, two eyes, and a nose.
(point to each)
What are they for, do you suppose?
(scratch head)
When I have a candle inside shining bright
(hold up right index finger)
I’ll be a Jack-O-Lantern on Halloween Night
(bragging gesture)

Halloween Witches (to the tune “Ten Little Indians”)

One Little, two little, three little witches
(fold up hand and count three)
Fly over haystacks
(fly hand up and down)
Fly over ditches
Slide down moonbeams without any hitches
(glide hand downwards)
Heigh-ho! Halloweens’ here!

One Dark and Stormy Night
Late one dark and stormy night,
(use spooky voice)
Three little witches were stirring a pot,
(pretend to stir a pot)
Two little ghosts say, How d’ye do?
(lower voice)
Go tiptoe, tiptoe, tiptoe
(say in a whisper)
Boooooooooo!
(very loud)

Have a safe and fun Halloween!

Why Kindermusik? For the creative and educational benefits

Village (2 – 20 months)
Feathers/ Do-Si-Do

Feathers introduces Baby to a delightful range of songs, movement activities, object play and vocal play relating to our feathered friends. The Australian Kookaburra, the African Ostrich and many more birds from across the world are featured in songs, dances and poems. Both jazz and classical selections, a Yiddish folk song, a Muskogean melody, and Mother Goose rhymes set to music are just a few of the colorful and exciting pieces introduced in this curriculum.
Do-Si-Do stimulates a wonderfully unique experience of rhythm and movement including a Virginia Reel, a combination Tango, Cha-Cha! and a “move-to-it” poem. Other activities range from chime ball play to instrument exploration and more. Music selections draw from many traditions, including African American, Mexican, Romantic, Scottish, South African and Southeast Asian. Dust off your shoes and dance with us!

Our Time (1.5 – 3.5 years)
Wiggles & Giggles

Wiggles & Giggles is all about movement (wiggles!) and fun, funny words and sounds, and emotion (giggles!). This unit is about humor, laughter, silly sounds and words, and movement. It features songs, activities and literature books surrounding the ever exciting themes of taking a bath, animal movements and love for family and friends. At Home materials include two home CDs, a Home Activity Book, two books (Pete and P.J. and Watch Me!), and an original home instrument–Zig Zag Blocks to rub, tap, clack and create lots of fun zig zaggy sounds and play.

Imagine That! (3.5 – 5 years)
See What I Saw

See What I Saw takes the child on an imaginary trip to Grasshopper Park where he sails down the park slide into adventures with swings, trees, a lake, a sailboat and much more. Musical concepts such as tempo, glissando, accelerando and dynamics will be developed. The music is multicultural – jazz, classical, traditional folk and game songs, as well as music from Canada, Greece, Mexico and West Africa. Two musically driven literature books, along with the home activity book, extend the class into the home setting. Each child receives three books, a home instrument (Kindermusik Slide Whistle), two CDs, and a Grasshopper Park Play Set. Students new to Imagine That! receive a Kindermusik backpack.

Young Child (Kindergarten & 1st grade)

Semester 1 broadens the child’s musical experience through the introduction of the glockenspiel. Learning how to keep a steady beat plus reading and writing musical notations will help a child lay the initial groundwork for musical success!
In Semester 3, children are introduced to stringed instruments with their very own dulcimers. Along with the dulcimers we will continue to play our glockenspiels while we focus on call and response, improvisation, meter, notation and a touch of Tchaikovsky. Themes this semester are Music of Appalachia, Music of the Sea and Native American Music.

PIANO LESSONS

Private and Group lessons are available for older children and adults

This is really cute – and so true! I get these questions all the time!

The Fall Kindermusik Schedule is now up and running! You can download a registration form, register online or give me a call with any questions. Check it all out here.

The climate crisis IS the greatest crises facing the world today.

The average American household generates 55,000 pounds of carbon dioxide annually. Compare that to the average household in Brazil or Sweden and it will make you want to cry for our country.

We can make a difference, starting here in Oxford, but we need to work together.

Engage your friends, family, alderman, future mayor & senators in a conversation about this great crisis. Consider taking action through participation in Low Carbon Diet Eco Teams. To learn more, visit www.empowermentinstitute.net/lcd. Also on this website learn about the “Journey for the Planet” school curriculum.

To quote the former chairman on the fed, Paul Voelker, “If we don’t solve the global climate crisis, economies around the world will collapse”.

It’s not just a feel-good thing; it’s a crisis of critical nature.

Be a part of the solution, not the problem.

Thanks for listening all week & have a great weekend.

This is my final email and a challenge to each of us.

Fondly,

Leighton McCool

Here is Leighton McCool’s latest installment:

Driving a car is the most polluting act an average citizen commits.

A human on a bike, however, is extremely efficient and a true gift to our environment.

***

Let me clarify here, I am more guilty than many of you. I drive an SUV (ouch), I have no choice as I frequently carpool 6 to 8 kids a day. What I am saying is that each of us do our part, when we are able.

For anyone who came to the grove yesterday, you may have seen the comparison of the US carbon footprint to Brazil and many other eco-friendly countries. It was a frightening demonstration.

If you’ve ever been to Amsterdam and seen the millions of bikes on the streets, it’s a beautiful site. Many, many, many more bikes than cars. It’s not unusual (in fact it’s the norm) to ride your bike on a date to the movies, a concert, etc. They have a Ride ‘n Share program where you simply grab a bike from a rack, donated by the government (or shall I say the taxes payers dollars) and ride it to your destination. There is never a shortage of bikes. Now how’s that idea
for our tax dollars? I’d sure support it.

Consider breaking out your bike today. Oxford’s bike shops are offering free tune-ups in the grove today from 10AM till 2PM. If your bike is ready to go ride it to work or school today. If you stop by the square on your bike (next to City Hall), the Oxford Cycling club is giving away free coffee and lots of great knowledge.

Let’s all join together to make Oxford a more friendly biking and walking community. Are you in???

Between 500 billion and a trillion plastic bags (Kroger type bags) are used every year worldwide and unfortunately for our planet, that same bag you receive today will stick around (literally) for thousands of years polluting the earth. They don’t biodegrade. Paper bags aren’t much better as they require twice the energy to make. The solution. Get some reusable bags, now available at Kroger and everywhere else in town. Keep them in your car and use them when you go to the grocery or anywhere else. Then maybe someday Oxford could follow the lead of
countries that ban or heavily tax the use of plastic bags. Even San Francisco banned plastic bags in March 2007 and several other US cities have followed suit. Perhaps a project for our next mayor and board of alderman???

This week in Kindermusik classes we are handing out bags also. If you are not currently taking classes but would like a bag just give me a call!
***

Tomorrow is EarthDay and WorldFest. Come out to the grove anytime between 9AM and 6PM. We’re giving away free reusable bags from Kroger, free environmentally friendly light bulbs, lots of education, entertainment and fun for all.

We’ll have a carbon footprint station set up where you can personally determine your carbon footprint and learn how to reduce your monthly bills and carbon footprint immediately.

Kelley Norris is playing on the plaza from 11AM till 1PM. Consider riding your bike up or hopping on the new city bus and join us for lunch in the grove. Food vendors are set up.

At 4PM, Natasha Bankhead is conducting a demonstration on crocheting beautiful handbags out of (these otherwise harmful) plastic bags. Beautiful doll clothes can also be made from these bags. So bring your crochet needles (the largest you can find) and be prepared to learn a new craft. Children welcome!!!

A Moon bounce, powered by the city’s solar powered generator, will be in the grove and plenty, plenty more. If you can’t get by during the day, bring the kids after school, I promise it will be fun & educational for all.

I hope to see you tomorrow!!!