This summer has looked very different than I had initially planned, as I’m sure is also true for you. In a normal, non-pandemic world, my kids would be busy with various summer camps and spend one full day each week with their babysitter so that I would have dedicated work time…but this is not a normal, non-pandemic world at the moment.
Instead, the 3 of us have spent each and every day together, mostly at home with some pool days thrown in to keep us all sane. That of course translates into me not getting as much work done (like, barely even a fraction of it) as I had originally hoped, but I’m giving myself grace — as we all should during the year 2020.
That said, I have managed to write and record a few new tunes, as well as breathed new life into a good handful of songs I wrote in my earlier professional years. You can check out all of the latest songs over in the store, but I wanted to feature 3 of them here for you. Hopefully you can get some use out of them as we enter the last full month of summer!
Knock Knock, Little Fish
When I was going through my instrument closet and came across a wooden fish-shaped percussion instrument, this song title came to me immediately. After writing the song and trying it out with my students for the first time just a few days later, the tune stuck in my head and has been there ever since!
“Knock Knock, Little Fish” provides opportunities to address these objectives:
– Improve fine motor skills
– Increase ability to duplicate a pattern
– Increase ability to utilize palmar grasp
– Increase sustained attention
Brainstorm other kinds of fish and add your own verses, or give each participant in the group a turn to answer the “knock knock” call and reply with their choice of fish. Pair with visuals for a multi-sensory experience!
Shake It Up
“Shake It Up” is a song for shakers, but it is so much more than that. I wrote it at the beginning of this summer as a conversation starter, inspired by the many conversations being had around Black Lives Matter and other timely social justice issues. The lyrics are meant to question the status quo and spark motivation to make changes for the good of ALL people. I hope this song is helpful as you explore those topics with your students and clients when appropriate.
“Shake It Up” provides opportunities to address these objectives:
– Improve fine motor skills
– Increase understanding of social justice issues
– Increase feelings of group cohesion
You’re more than welcome to adapt the words of the song as your conversations evolve, sharing concrete ways to “shake up” the status quo and make a meaningful difference in our world.
Yummy Summer
Summer is my favorite season for SO many reasons…one of them being the food we eat throughout this season! Watermelon, corn on the cob, salads, and ice cream just taste better in the summer, am I right? Those are the four foods featured in the song, though I frequently collaborate with my students and clients to include their favorites as well.
“Yummy Summer” provides opportunities to address these objectives:
● Increase seasonal awareness
● Increase sustained attention
● Improve sequencing skills
● Improve object identification
What are YOUR favorite summer foods? Get creative by writing additional verses for this song, featuring other delicious summer goodies!
I have several more new songs in the works that I’m pretty excited about, so I will share them with you soon. In the meantime, enjoy these last few days of July. And if there are any topics you would like to see here on the blog, please let me know! Over these past few months, I’ve experienced some writer’s block and would love a little inspiration. What would be helpful for you? Leave a comment or send an email to rachel@listenlearnmusic.com. Thanks as always for reading!
