I’m currently running a great music project with 3-4 year olds at Hester’s Way Children’s Centre in Cheltenham. The cyber equivalent would be open source-type projects I suppose. We began with a basic overview and invited staff and children to contribute ideas as we go along, thus building the project together organically.

I adapted Hans Christian Andersen’s ‘The Little Fir Tree’ story and turned it into a song that becomes a mini-play for Christmas. On the way, the children are learning some motor skills, instrument playing skills, singing, focus, and even self-discipline – at age 3 & 4!

Using staff evaluations, and monitoring the participation levels of each child to see what works for them, we’re creating a music project that serves the needs and ideas of the participants.

We begin with a very tight structure to engender confidence, self-esteem, and to enable the quick uptake of new knowledge and skills in order to progress quickly. Importantly, we’re addressing two major areas -Listening and Beat Competency. Both of these areas in my experience provide an enormous impact on children’s ability to learn through experiencing and integrating quickly, providing lasting golden nuggets of self-esteem and competence. the song and sound play activities are providing a context for these experiences as well as a goal to help develop a linear approach.

Above all, the children are having a great time, so are we grown-ups. The children are enjoying the music and the activities which go with running music and sound-supported learning.

At the beginning of the week I was lucky to be invited to go to Uni-Tots in Worcester University to run a training session for the nursery staff there. We began with a two-hour introductory format to experience and explain some of my music and sound-play methods. Next, I’m going into three different age group classes to do hands on sessions with the staff and kids. We’ll finish off with another two hour session to discuss and work around any matters arising and to add more tools so that by the end of the training they shouild be able to happily run their own music sessions for a whole year and more using their own creative ideas. Can’t wait to see the results. Watch this space.

Coming up to Christmas I’m busy preparing my ‘Ear Comes Christmas’ CD Rom. There are ten silly Christmas songs including a Story and Song that become a mini play – The Lonely Christmas Tree referred to earlier. And, I’m including song sheets, chords and printable, photocopiable materials for colouring in and enjoying further the ‘Ear Comes Christmas’  experience. Have a look at www.earlyearsmusic.com if you want further info on this one.

Back soon

Craig

Playing with sound, Playing with sound, it’s easy and fun and profound. So profound that [as some believe] even God did it right at the beginning of everything.

On a much more mundane but still immensely enjoyable level, there are loads of sound games you can play with your children in order to give them a good grounding in sounding. Have a go at this; for a few minutes, whatever sound your child makes, copy it as closely as you can.

Don’t concern yourself about sounding silly or childish – they are just inhibitions given to you by someone else or your own wrong thinking [wrong thinking = any kind of thinking which reduces or destroys a value for you or others]. Just have a go for a few moments and watch what happens. I guarantee your child will be delighted as you use your echoing sounds to acknowledge their own sounds.

I’d love to know some of the effects you get through this game. Do let me know if you can.

Haha

Little Green Things

Good whatever part of the day it is for you!

Any aspect of kids music is up for discussion or comment on my blog.

My new CD is going through test launches in the UK and getting fantastic responses. I’m just figuring out how to give everyone a free song from ‘The Little Green CD: Songs and Activities for Little Green People from Planet Earth.’ Soon as I do, I’ll put a link up here and you can go and have a listen if you like. OK. It’s ready. Go and download it by scrolling to the Compost Bin song in the music player and click on <download> under the title.

There’s a bit on www.myspace.com/thelittlegreencd that I uploaded during early sessions if you fancy a quick listen before downloading. Enjoy!

I hope every ‘green’ family is going to get some joy from this project.

Can I just ask all parents and teachers out there this 2-part question: What kind of kids music do you look to buy and why?