Free Download: “Little Red Apples”
This is one of many counting songs I’ve written, which focuses on counting both up to 5 and down from 5. I created simple apple visual aides (using red construction paper and then laminating) which my students can then manipulate as we count.
Click here to download the mp3 and lyrics/chords.
P.S. If you want access to my entire collection of over 200 songs (mp3, lead sheet, and instrumental track), videos, tutorials, and visual aides, plus ALL new releases from Listen & Learn Music, consider joining me over at Listen & Learn Plus!
Time to Rhyme!
Children are surrounded by rhyme: they’re in picture books, songs, nursery rhymes, and on the television shows they watch. And although rhyming comes naturally to lots of kids, the concept itself can seem somewhat foreign.
This was the case with one classroom in particular at my school; a speech therapist came to me looking for song ideas that teach rhyming. I’m sure there are many great ones out there already, but in my usual fashion, I saw this as the perfect opportunity to write a new song.
A rhyme is when you repeat a sound again,
It usually happens at the end
Of a line in a song or poetry,
Now let’s try it, you and me.
Time to rhyme, fill in the blanks if you know
The missing word, ready, set, go!
During class we sit in our seat,
We do not stand up on our (pause) feet.
We brush our teeth before we go to bed,
Then on the pillow we rest our (pause) head.
CHORUS
In the winter, snow will fall,
We can make a round snow- (pause) ball.
In the spring, a flower grows,
We can smell it with our (pause) nose.
CHORUS
Look outside and see the sun,
Shining down on every- (pause) one.
Following all the rules is cool,
When we’re swimming in the (pause) pool.
A rhyme is when you repeat a sound again,
It usually happens at the end
Of a line in a song or poetry,
Thanks for rhyming along with me.
Not only does this song explain (very briefly and basically) the definition of a rhyme, but it gives the students several opportunities for correctly rhyming given words. The sentences give a context for the missing word, and most of my verbal students have been successful at completing the rhymes so far.
The fun thing about this song is that you can always change the sentences in each verse to appeal to your own students, or to make the rhymes easier or harder as needed. Better yet, let the kids write new sentences! Coming up with rhymes is one of my favorite aspects of songwriting; it’s a challenge, but a fun one.
Do you know of any other songs that teach rhyming? One of my favorites for flexing my students’ rhyming muscles is “Down by the Bay”
Sunday Singalong: Mother’s Day Edition
I have a lot of people in my life to celebrate today. There’s my mom, of course, but then I also have my stepmom, aunt, grandma, mother-in-law, grandmother-in-law, and all of the moms and moms-to-be I know (like my sisters and friends). If you’re a mom, I hope you’re doing something nice for yourself – or even better, being spoiled by those who love you. Enjoy your special day!
Have Passport, Will Travel
A Fender Passport 500 Pro, that is, which will hit the road with me for gigs and performances from now on. I was so excited for it to arrive that I immediately took it out of the box and tried it out. My new sound system has completely taken over one of our spare bedrooms, as you can see:
The sound is a little overwhelming in this space, but it’s perfect for the bigger venues in which I perform around Springfield. The Passport is quite an upgrade from my little Ibanez amp (which I actually featured as my first-ever Friday Fave). Here’s my previous set-up:
It looks so very sad in comparison! But there really is no comparing the sound output of the two systems, not to mention the capabilities of each. The Passport has an eight-channel mixer, CD-quality .wav and mp3 file playback, and even a port that lets me record my performances with CD quality (.wav) straight to a USB flash drive. How cool is that? The best part is that the speakers attach to the mixer, which makes it super easy (and surprisingly light!) to transport:
I’ll be posting a few more pics on my Facebook page, so be sure to stop by and check them out. My next gig just happens to be next weekend, and I can’t wait to put my new sound system to use. Speaking of, I’d better go rehearse (in my newly converted rehearsal space). Ciao!
Friday Fave: Hand Bells
You know the feeling when you find a $20 bill in your coat pocket? Well that is how I felt when I remembered that I had purchased this shiny little 8 Note Hand Bell Set
This discovery came at the perfect time, because I was racking my brain for new ways to engage one little girl in her weekly music therapy sessions. The lightbulb went off as I opened the box ‘o bells and found that on the top of each handle, there is a letter (representing the note in a C scale) and number (representing the bell’s position in the scale). This, along with the great big sound they produce and their bright colors, held so many new possibilities.
Sure enough, we had a winner. My student’s interest was immediately piqued as I pulled out the bells, and she complied with nearly all of my directions to do the following:
- Choose and play the appropriate bell as I verbally name a color
- Choose and play the appropriate bell when shown a picture card displaying a color
- Choose and play the appropriate bell as I verbally call a number (1 through 8)
- Choose and play the appropriate bell when shown a picture card displaying a number
- Line up the bells in order of the numbers on top of the handles
Once she had demonstrated her ability to do all of the above, we moved on to sequencing. I would call out two (and then three) colors, and she would then play those bells in the correct order. We did the same thing with the numbers. She absolutely loved switching roles and calling out colors and numbers for ME to play. We spent almost her entire session with these bells, and I had her complete attention (no easy feat, I tell you).
Our next step is to play simple songs by “reading” the notes (notated by color and/or number), and I’d love to come up with some additional ideas. Do you have a set of bells like these? How do you use them?
Get ‘Em While They’re Hot!
Not to mention, on sale! Through Friday, when you purchase a songbook for $25, we will also include the supplemental CD (usually sold separately for $10) and free shipping. Also, a portion of all Listen & Learn songbook sales will be donated to the music therapy clubs of Colorado State University and Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania (you choose which university you’d like to support when you make your purchase).
Listen and Learn: Educational songs for School, Home, and Play contains 24 of my most popular songs. It includes the melody line and chords for songs that address goal areas such as counting, daily care, directions, transitions, friendships, and more, along with activity suggestions for each one. It was developed for other music therapists, educators, parents, or anyone who works with children. I made a video in which I talk more about the book and sing a song from it; you can watch here.
Bucklin’ Our Seatbelts
When I received a request for a seatbelt song via Facebook yesterday, I jumped at this songwriting opportunity. I also asked myself: why hadn’t I thought of it already? Buckling up is essential to our safety, and it’s a habit we learn at an early age. Some kids just need a gentle reminder, and what better way to remind them than through song!
We’re gonna get in the car and take a ride,
So let’s open the door and get inside,
But before we pull away,
And before it’s time to play,
We need to buckle up.
Click, click, click,
We’re bucklin’ our seatbelts.
Click, click, click,
We gotta be safe.
A click for me, and a click for you,
Bucklin’ up is what we do!
What other safety skills can you think of that might make a good song topic? I’ve already written these, but I’d love to add to the collection. And of course, if you are looking for something a bit more personalized for your little guy or gal, you can always opt for a custom song.
While you’re busy brainstorming safety song ideas, I’ll be whipping up several new tunes for you over the next couple of weeks. In May, I begin helping my students prepare for the transition from the regular school year to summer school, or for some, graduation and entry into the “adult” world. It’s an exciting time, and a great opportunity to make music together!
Sunday Singalong: April Showers
This week, I reached out to my readers via Facebook and Twitter, looking for “Sunday Singalong” song suggestions. I received quite a few great requests, including “Shaky Fruit”, “The 3 R’s”, and “Maraca Rock”, but the one I chose was just too fitting to pass up.
“April Showers” has been around for a long time – since 1921, in fact. It was originally recorded by Al Jolson, though Judy Garland, Bing Crosby, Frank Sinatra, and many other singers have versions as well. This song is used more often with senior citizens than it is with young children, but I like it so much that it just may have found a permanent spot in my repertoire.
Not only one, but TWO fellow music therapists requested “April Showers” this week. Kristin Bozard and Janice Harris will receive a free album download of their choice, and YOU can too! All you have to do is suggest a song (via email or blog comment) for next week’s “Sunday Singalong” video.
One more thing, and this is pretty exciting. Yesterday I wrote my 400th blog post! I’ve only been writing this blog for a little over 1.5 years, so I’m pretty amazed at hitting such a high number already. Thanks so much for being a Listen & Learn reader, and here’s to 400 more posts!
Autism & Alleluias
I hadn’t planned on writing a post today, but I just finished reading a book and wanted to share it with you. In Autism & Alleluias, author Kathleen Deyer Bolduc gives us a glimpse into life with Joel, her son. Joel, like so many of the children who touch my life and yours, is diagnosed with autism.
Each chapter tells a story or experience, such as Joel’s touching visit with his grandmother who suffers from Alzheimer’s Disease (a chapter that especially affected me) and his special relationships with friends and caregivers. But of course, as we all know, autism often makes life very difficult. In addition to the good, Kathy candidly writes about the bad and the ugly, including Joel’s meltdowns, struggles with finding the right medication, and the questions about Joel’s future as an adult.
Kathy’s faith led her to the moments of clarity and beauty she details in her book. Even in the most seemingly hopeless situations, she discovers the “alleluias” in them. Sometimes they are buried or don’t appear until days or weeks later, but they are there. One of my favorites was Kathy’s struggle with the fact that her son was being trained as a trash collector during high school. As she meditated on this reality, the words trash man for heaven came to mind. This phrase helped her accept the fact that Joel was humbly and obediently making the world around him a better place, and likewise, let her fully accept and be thankful for his job. (Fun fact: the college music therapy student Joel was working with at the time wrote a little ditty about this job, which became one of his favorite songs).
Kathy’s story is deeply rooted in her Presbyterian faith, but her message – the importance of valuing, honoring, and enjoying the unexpected gifts of children with special needs – is universal. I laughed, cried and related (as someone who works with children who have autism on a daily basis) while reading.
And in the spirit of National Autism Awareness Month, I would love to pass this book on to a Listen & Learn reader. The first person to email me (be sure to include your full name and mailing address, as well as your connection to autism) will receive my copy in the mail this week. For those of you who would like your own copy, you can purchase the book here.
R’s for Earth Day
Happy Earth Day! What are you doing today to celebrate our planet? Every year, the students and staff at The Hope Institute head outside to plant trees on campus property, and luckily we’ll have a beautiful day for doing so. I’ll also be singing the “Good Green Earth” song I shared in my latest Sunday Singalong video as well as another Earth Day-appropriate song, “The 3 R’s” by Jack Johnson.
One of my very favorite albums (which just happens to be full of great songs for kids) is Sing-A-Longs and Lullabies for the film Curious George
Three, it’s a magic number,
Yes it is, it’s a magic number.
Because two times three is six,
And three times six is eighteen,
And the eighteenth letter in the alphabet is R.
We’ve got three R’s we’re going to talk about today:
We’ve got to learn to
Reduce, Reuse, Recycle.
Reduce, Reuse, Recycle.
Reduce, Reuse, Recycle.
Reduce, Reuse, Recycle.
If you’re going to the market to buy some juice,
You’ve got to bring your own bags and you learn to reduce your waste.
And if your brother or your sister’s got some cool clothes,
You could try them on before you buy some more of those.
Reuse, we’ve got to learn to reuse.
And if the first two R’s don’t work out,
And if you’ve got to make some trash,
Don’t throw it out.
Recycle, we’ve got to learn to recycle,
We’ve got to learn to
Reduce, Reuse, Recycle.
Reduce, Reuse, Recycle.
Reduce, Reuse, Recycle.
Reduce, Reuse, Recycle.
Because three, it’s a magic number,
Yes it is, it’s a magic number.
3, 6, 9, 12, 15, 18, 21, 24, 27, 30, 33, 36
33, 30, 27, 24, 21, 18, 15, 12, 9, 6, and
3, it’s a magic number.
I love Jack Johnson’s cool, laid-back attitude; his California surfer style fits in with Earth Day perfectly! I’m curious to find out what everyone else is singing on this special day, so please do tell.
The Ice Age Song
If you’ve seen Ice Age, then you probably recognize these creatures as the main characters. My song is unrelated to the film, but I loved this picture – and the animals just happen to be the right species! “The Ice Age Song” is my attempt at consolidating general knowledge about this prehistoric era in a way that children can understand.
Now, this is not a topic I’d cover as a matter of course. But my sorority’s local alumnae association is hosting a kids camp-in with an Ice Age theme at the Illinois State Museum later this month, and guess who is providing the musical entertainment? I did actually do a search for songs on this subject, but unfortunately came up empty-handed. So I got to work writing my own, and this is what I came up with:
Millions of years ago,
The earth was covered in ice and snow,
No oak tree grew, no grass on the ground.
Only glaciers all around.
The air was cold, the land was bare,
In the Ice Age everywhere.
Wooly mammoths, and cave bears too,
And wooly rhinos, just to name a few.
Were animals who lived back when,
But have become extinct since then.
There were also reindeer with their great big hooves,
And horses, bison and wolves.
CHORUS
35,000 years before now,
The Ice Age people lived somehow.
They hunted with tools they made from rock and bone,
In caves and shelters they found a home.
Fire kept them warm and scared the animals away,
They were able to live this way.
CHORUS
The Ice Age was a time of discovery
For those who came before you and me.
Eventually the ice began to melt away,
And the Earth evolved into what it is today.
Now glaciers and fossils and drawings show,
That the Ice Age existed long ago.
CHORUS
I kept the information pretty basic and straightforward, bearing in mind that my audience will be made up of late-elementary school students. My program comes at the end of the evening, though, so by then, they’ll probably already know all of this and then some. In fact, maybe the kids could help me write “The Ice Age Song: Part 2”. Hmm…now that’s not a bad idea!