Weekly Summer Camp Updates

Baby Classes (0 to 18 mths): Dancing to "Them Bones," playing with the sensory balls, and a mini-Sign and Sing class at the end of each regular class--we certainly did have "Busy Days" this week! Special thanks to Lili for letting me dance with her five week old little guy. That was a treat!

Toddler Classes (18 mths to 3.5 years): Bees, butterflies, and caterpillars-oh my! We had fun catching our little bees as they buzzed about the room. Exploring the "butterfly wings" parachute was another highlight; remember, butterflies fly up & down, and sometimes even shake all around.

Preschooler Classes (3.5 yrs to 5 years): We've become very good at packing our bags and "driving" to our weekly destinations, with stops for red lights and school zones. It was very impressive to hear all the singing going on this week--great job! And, excellent job using the sticks this week as you flipped "pancakes."

Big Kid Classes (5 years to 7 years): Sharp, wide, skinny, round, and tall--you heard them all in the music and put the sounds to paper (see picture above from Alex in the Monday class). Your lummi stick skills have become quite good--sticks flying everywhere (in rhythm) to the sounds of "Ven Dura."

Chicago Convention Tidbit

Looking over the agenda for the Kindermusik Convention to be held in October in Chicago (still hoping to manage a visit my friends in Duluth, by the way!)...

I'm excited because Dr. Daniel Levitin is one of the speakers. From the convention agenda:

Daniel Levitin, Ph.D. is author of This is Your Brain on Music (Dutton/Penguin, 2006). He will lead a General Session on his book, This is Your Brain on Music, and the value of music education. Dr. Levitin earned his B.A. in Cognitive Psychology and Cognitive Science at Stanford University and went on to earn his Ph.D. in Psychology from the University of Oregon, researching complex auditory patterns and pattern processing in expert and non-expert populations.

Visit his web site to read of his research, articles on his work, even what's on his iPod.

I'm sure his presentations will give me lots of information and ideas to share with you and our educator team.

Kindermusik in Laredo Newsletter

Our newest issue of the Kindermusik in Laredo newsletter went out today. As always, e-mail or use the subscription form at the right to be added to the mailing list.

Highlights from this issue:

• Babies in a Music Class? All About Village
  
• Summer Camp Updates...Even more camps starting in July
  
• Do You Believe In Music? An Essay Contest
  
• VBS at First Baptist Church
  

Congratulations, Sarah Beth!

Sarah Beth's baby is here!

Cass & Sarah Beth Sobek are the proud parents of a baby boy, born this morning at 2:30 A. M. Cass Kingdon is 18½ " long and 6 pounds 13 ounces. Both little Cass & Sarah Beth are doing well.

Sarah Beth is looking forward to experiencing Kindermusik Village as a mom this fall. She also can't wait to begin teaching classes with us again.

Can You Inherit a Southern Accent?

I'm from the South. I like cornbread and soup beans, (old) country music, and I know all the words to "Rocky Top" (which seemed to be required repertoire for every single marching band or pep band I joined in high school and college). But I never really have had much of a Southern accent, unless I'm tired.

Dad has a Southern accent.

Mom has a bit of one.

All my friends in school had definite Southern accents. Well, almost all of them--we did have a few exchange students and Northern transplants.

But not me.

Maybe it skips a generation because Noah has developed a beautiful Southern accent. I love hearing his sweet little boy voice say things like, "I like to play the bells," and it comes out sounding like "Ah like to play the bayls."

It probably has more to do with hearing his granny and papaw talk than any actual inherited tendency. And, I suspect that I'll hear it less and less as he grows out of his little boy voice and patterns of speaking. But, even so, it is nice to hear a little taste of home every once in awhile.

An Essay Contest: Do You Believe In Music?

"I believe in music because it connects us despite our differences. My greatest joy in my work at Kindermusik International is watching a class of children, each their own unique person, each with their own impulses and behaviors, become one as a masterful teacher takes them through a single class. We build unity using music."

(Michael Dougherty, Kindermusik CEO, full text here)

Do you believe in music? Has it changed your life in some way? Has it been an important part of your child's life? We would love to hear about your experiences.

Submit your written essay on why you believe in music, between 300 and 500 words, to the e-mail address info@kindermusik.com.

Kindermusik will contact you with the opportunity to record your audio essay over the phone using the Grammy Award-winning Process Recording Studio.

Audio essays will be featured on the Kindermusik Convention web site, at this year's Kindermusik Convention in Schaumburg, Illinois October 17-20, and in additional Kindermusik projects.

Please submit essays by Friday, July 27th.

Summer Camp Updates

Our baby classes visited an imaginary park this week, complete with slides, swings, and see-saws. We listened for bumblebees, squirrels, birds, and ducks and learned the ASL signs for those. We danced, did lots of singing, played instruments, and read our Busy Days books.

Toddler and mixed-age classes had fun with plants and rain this week. It was a good week to do this theme because the children could go outside and sing their new rain songs, talk about how much plants like the rain, and look for rainbows. (***Proud mama alert***)Noah woke me up this morning by singing "Colors of the Rainbow."

Preschoolers were at the cottage this week in their "On The Road" class. We made breakfast drum corps-style--cooking to the rhythm with much flipping of our sticks. We experienced a leaky cottage with raindrops on our heads (and figured out how to make a musical rainstorm). We even learned how to be frogs...and what they REALLY sing (hint--it's not Gang goo).

Our big kids explored the music and instruments of Malaysia this week through a traditional story, "The DeerMouse and the Crocodile." Favorite activities included the lummi stick rhythm games, dancing "Down the River," and making a crocodile to take home.

P. S.--Welcome to our new class members that joined us this week!!

Chucks...

...are the best shoes I've found to teach in. I splurged on this lovely pair last night (only $5.00) and wore them to teach five back-to-back classes. No sore feet from jumping and swooping and dancing and all those other wonderful movements we do during class.

**************************
Trivia about your Kindermusik teacher: I had a hot pink pair of these Converse shoes in middle school to match my ultracool hot pink denim jean jacket. Hmmmm...wonder if mom kept that jacket?
**************************

More Rain in Laredo

"Rain, Rain, We like rain. All the plants are glad you came."

Our Creatures in My Backyard camps have been exploring the world of plants this week. We've been little seeds, snug in the ground. We've been climbing in tall, tall trees. We explored musical instruments that sound like rain.We danced like plants in the wind and the sunshine. We even made a musical rain storm and felt real drops of rain on our hands. And, at the end, we had fun digging in the dirt and planting our own seeds to take home.

Noah, of course, just had to dance in the rain after class yesterday.

Proud Mama

One of the benefits of being a Kindermusik teacher is that Noah gets to attend classes (with his dad) several times a week. He knows all the songs because they have become a part of our home life--our soundtrack for bedtime and bathtime and times in between. And, he especially enjoys spending time with his dad each week singing, dancing, and exploring instruments.

Most of the time, they behave themselves during class. Sometimes, though, I find a picture like this on my digital camera.

Welcome, Teacher Clair!

Clair Herrera, the newest member of our educator team, will officially start teaching next week. Clair brings to us a background in both music and early childhood education. She is also a Kindermusik mom and has attended several semesters of Teacher Sarah's classes with her two young children.

Clair is excited about working with our little ones in the ABC Music and Me program. We're glad to have her join us!

Mom's Morning Out

Two scenes from playtime at the Mom's Morning Out Program, Kindermusik by Sarah Flack, Laredo, TX

Our fearless pilot testers (moms and kids) are all enjoying their weekly playgroup. With a student/teacher ratio of 5:3 and a carefully planned morning of activities, this has been a good way for our 2's and 3's to have a first taste of time away from mom. The little ones have especially enjoyed the ABC Music and Me component of the morning. ABC is Kindermusik's curriculum designed for use in a preschool, learning center, or Mom's Morning Out environment.

Shhhh! It's a Secret!

Well, not now. After Ethan's birthday party last Saturday, lots of people have found out that we do Kindermusik at parties.

Here's how it works:

We are happy to come to YOUR Laredo location and provide up to 45-minutes of musical fun. For the best possible experience, we ask that there be at least one adult participating with each child. We can accommodate most any theme with songs, music, and instruments that fit the theme. Some popular themes have included animals, fairy princesses, pizza(!), and race cars.

Party activities are fun for all ages but geared to children up to age seven. We've found, though, that older children (and the adults) often have just as much fun as the younger children. Groups of no more than 12-15 children work best. We schedule parties on demand, with two weeks advance notice preferred.

For more details or to schedule your party, e-mail Sarah Flack at kmbysarahf@aol.com.

Oh, Mister Sun

Big and small, our children were fascinated with the Mister Sun ("...Sun, Mister Golden Sun. Please shine down on me...") book used during the Creatures in My Backyard camps this past week. Their favorite part seemed to be when the Mister Sun puppet popped out and later went "hiding behind a tree." That's my favorite part, too.

For those of you who asked me about purchasing a set for home, the book and CD are available at the Kindermusik store .

A Parent's Perspective of a Kindermusik Class

I enjoy reading blogs written by parents. It makes me feel better to see that other moms and dads have stressful moments with their children, too.

One blog that I visit from time to time is Missy Mey , written by one of my Kindermusik moms. She is a creative, thoughtful person with a little guy that is cute as can be. Reading her blog reminds me of when my Noah was little, and I had to worry about sleep and getting him to eat. (Yes, I do kind of miss those days. Sometimes.) Plus, she quilts and does all kinds of other artsy things, and sometimes she even posts really neat pictures from her photography class portfolio.

She and her little one had their first Kindermusik toddler class yesterday, and I was thrilled to read her take on the class. I really appreciate that she took the time to write that post!

Reason Number 37

Or, Another Reason Why I Love My Job....

Received from a Kindermusik parent earlier today:

"We are still enjoying the Magic Flute. I think the girls have it memorized. Rebecca was telling me the other day she was so thankful for your class -- if she had not been in it she would not have known about The Magic Flute. She is planning to act it out with her cousins this summer :). Your influence is going to travel the country :). Thank you!!!"

Summer Camp Season is Here!

What a wonderful, fun week we've been having at the studio!

Our baby classes (0-18 mths) explored cage bells, lollipop drums, and other instruments & learned to dance the "Mama Paquita" dance. We've especially enjoyed all the dads and grandmas that have been attending (sometimes with mom and baby, sometimes with baby alone).

The toddler classes (18 mths to 3.5 yrs) loved flying like robins, playing shakers, and making feather pictures this week. We loved the giggles and smiles during our Mister Sun story.

Preschoolers (ages 3 yrs to 5 yrs)went "On The Road" this week as they did the "Windshield Wiper Dance" and explored rhythms patterns both on their bodies and with drums. We had a great time learning the "Bottle of Pop/Fish and Chips/Trash" sequence with the hoops--really good job, preschoolers & moms!

The big kids (ages 5 to 7) loved the Bremen Town Musician story and the related songs and dances. They did a nice job using the lummi sticks for some pretty advanced rhythms. And, I heard a tale that a certain brother and sister used the stick puppets to re-tell the story to mom and dad, complete with sound effects.

We have LOTS of new faces in our camps this summer. Welcome! We're glad you've joined us. And, welcome back to our friends from past semesters. We're glad to see you again.

1316.66 Miles

Back to Laredo! We start driving today.

Tell Me A Tale

Something about storytelling just seems to resonate with children. Perhaps you have memories of cuddling close and looking at books together. Or, spending an afternoon sampling a story here, a story there at the library. Or, even making up special bedtime stories that feature your little one as the hero.

Noah's imagination, like that of many preschoolers, is coming alive. And with that increasing imagination comes many, many stories. In the video, you'll hear and see his storytelling skills as he tells us about his experience at the stingray pool in Gatlinburg. (In case, you're wondering--he didn't really fall in!)

I'm excited because I get to teach "Tell Me A Tale," the Kindermusik summer camp for children, ages 5 to 7. We had so much fun exploring the art of storytelling with stories from around the world, percussion and body rhythms, and lots of instruments and dancing last summer.

Storytelling is fun and has several benefits for children, including:

provides young students with models of story patterns, themes, characters, and incidents to help them in their own writing, oral language, and thinking; nurtures and encourages a sense of humor in children; helps put children's own words in perspective; increases knowledge and understanding of other places, races, and beliefs; and serve as the most painless way of teaching children to listen, to concentrate, and to follow the thread and logic of an argument.*

---------------

For more storytelling:

Storytelling by Children

Storybook Online Network (A Storytelling Community for Children)

Children 1st

Storytelling for Oral Language Development

The Educational Benefits of the Art of Storytelling

----------------

*Scott, Patricia. "Storytelling: A guide to the art," P.E.N. (Primary English Notes) 49, New South Wales, Australia: Primary English Teaching Association, 1985. 9pp. [ED 263 552]

And One For Me

Trip to the Aquarium

This is the photo album of yesterday's trip to the Ripley's Aquarium in Gatlinburg. We're touching a horseshoe crab in this picture. What a neat creature! We learned that it isn't really a crab; it's something closer to a scorpion (but much friendlier).

I couldn't help but think of the songs from the Spring semester Family Time class--"Whimsical Whales," "Charlie Over The Ocean," and "Ocean Listening Walk." Too bad I didn't have my iPod with me...Looking forward to seeing all my musical families soon!

One for You

This picture is the view from the Ober Gatlinburg Tram. Beautiful scenery but for me, even more stressful than the Alpine Swings at Dollywood.

Reason one--I'm scared of heights.

Reason two--Have you ever seen a tram? Imagine a big heavy metal and glass box that can hold up to 120 people. Now suspend that big heavy metal and glass box that can hold 120 people from three cables that look to be the thickness of telephone lines. That's a tram.

Poor Noah. I gripped him with all the strength a near-panicky mom has. At one point, he wiggled out of my grasp and leaned within a couple of feet of the (very) thin doors. He seemed rather surprised that his mama could grab him so quickly.

Another Day of Vacation

We visited Dollywood yesterday. Noah was thrilled because he was tall enough for almost all the rides this year. I wasn't so thrilled, especially when he wanted to ride the Alpine Swings. Though it was completely safe, I had visions of him falling out of the swing, down to the ground that seemed to be miles below us. I held him tightly to the seat for the entire ride. Needless to say, he prefers riding with his dad.

Teacher Sarah has a new friend

Smoky Mountain Deer Farm

Click on the album to view our pictures from the Smoky Mountain Deer Farm & Exotic Petting Zoo. This is a place that we always make time to visit when we're in Tennessee. The animals are healthy, happy, and friendly. The lady staffing the pony ride area was a delight to talk with and very patient with both the animals and Noah.

P. S.--Yes, the camels are my favorites. They have such personality (and even a bit of an attitude). I also really enjoy the emu couple.

Laredo Kindermusik Summer Camps

We're kicking off the start of another exciting summer of Kindermusik camps! With over twenty-five camps designed especially for babies, toddlers, preschoolers,and big kids meeting in both the day and evening, you can be sure to find one that fits your schedule. Themes include "Busy Days," "Creatures in My Backyard," "On The Road," and "Tell Me A Tale." For more information or to schedule a free preview class, call us at 753-8199 or visit our website at http://sarahf.kindermusik.net . Families with special needs are welcome.

Camp season begins June 11. All camps limited to 8 children per class.

On The Road Again

Still on vacation...we're on our way to Gatlinburg, Tennessee to visit my in-laws. As you can see, Noah is his usual self.

All the travel has been great for getting me in the mood for our Kindermusik summer camp for preschoolers: On The Road. This camp is a musical adventure that will teach your preschooler classic road trip games and songs--looking for shapes in clouds, singing "Do Your Ears Hang Low?," and more--as we travel to a cottage, a beach, a carnival, and a campsite. This camp is a favorite with our preschoolers; many of our previous campers have been asking me when they get to go "On The Road" again. So, while I'm on my own road trip, I'm playing the CD and getting geared up for sharing this with our new groups of campers.

Teacher Sarah's Vacation

Bays Mountain Park Kingsport TN

Today we visited one of our favorite parks in Tennessee: Bays Mountain Park.

It was a great place to get ideas for our "Creatures in My Backyard" Kindermusik summer camp. And, to see Teacher Sarah holding an alligator snapping turtle and Noah's patented "scary face," check out the picture album above.

Teacher Sarah's Vacation

Still in Tennessee...We visited the Mountain Music Museum earlier today and may go downtown to listen to some local bands on Broad Street a little later.

From the Mountain Music Museum website:

"Singers and musicians from the middle Appalachian region have contributed enormously to the rise and perpetuation of Mountain Music, Bluegrass and Country, including many within a short drive of the official Birthplace Of Country Music: the twin cities of Bristol, VA-TN.

In July 1927, musical history was made just a few steps from the famous state line that divides the two Bristols. A gentleman by the name of Ralph Peer came to town on behalf of the Victor Talking Machine Company on a mission to record some of the unique Mountain Music that the area was so rich in.

Over the course of the next two weeks, Peer recorded the sounds of The Stoneman Family, Jimmie Rodgers, and arguably the most influential group in music history, The Carter Family. Those now-famous "Bristol Sessions" represented the birth of what we know today as Country Music.

While the performers who participated in the Bristol Sessions never obtained wealth on a grand scale like today's entertainers, the influence they had on the world of music is simply beyond compare. The legendary career of the Carter Family proved that a good living could indeed be made by performing music, and a large portion of the huge catalog of songs attributed to A.P. Carter have been performed by singers and musicians in virtually every musical genre. And there probably isn't a guitar player alive today who hasn't made an attempt at Mother Maybelle's "Wildwood Flower".

Of course there are many other music legends who hailed from the Birthplace Of Country Music region including the great Tennessee Ernie Ford, a Bristol native. There are also dozens of lesser-known, but just as important singers and musicians who have had a tremendous amount of influence on the world of Mountain Music. Ralph Blizzard, Patsy Cline, Dr. Ralph Stanley, Janette and Joe Carter...the list just goes on and on!"

Mountain Music Museum & Gift Shop
500 Gate City Highway, Suite 140
Bristol, Virginia 24201