Cleaning Up

by | Uncategorized

Clean Up Album CoverGood morning! It’s Monday, but hey, we’ll make the best of it :) I had a wonderful trip to Chicago – the parade was packed with people but the weather and the atmosphere definitely made it worthwhile. It was so nice to spend time with our friends, and my husband’s awards banquet was super fun as usual. We returned last night, and after a whirlwind weekend it was a little difficult getting back into the groove.

Today’s song is another new one, and this time we’re singing about cleaning up. I know this is certainly not most kids’ favorite activity, but a song can make just about anything reasonably enjoyable. I wrote this song so that you can add verses to cater to the specific clean-up task being tackled. I included just a couple sample verses (picking up toys and clearing away dishes) but feel free to make changes as needed.

Clean up time, clean up time,
Lend a hand and sing this rhyme.
Clean up time, so do your part,
Ready, get set, now start!

Clean up your toys, put ‘em away.
Put ‘em away, oh put ‘em away.
Put ‘em away, where they belong,
Cleaning up is the name of this song.

CHORUS

Clear away your dishes, take ‘em away,
Take ‘em away, oh take ‘em away.
Take ‘em away, where they belong,
Cleaning up is the name of this song.

Clean up time, clean up time,
You lent a hand and sang this rhyme,.
Clean up time, your part is done,
Cleaning up can be such fun.

Do you know any other clean-up songs? They come in so handy for my students when it’s time to put away instruments or other materials used in music therapy sessions.

Ten Little Shamrocks

by | Listen & Learn Music, Uncategorized

St. Patrick’s Day is just around the corner, so today I thought we’d count shamrocks. If you’re a regular here at Listen & Learn, you should be very familiar with this tune by now. But if you’re new, welcome! Won’t take you long to catch on to this simple tune. It’s counting time, so off we go:

Counting time, it’s counting time,
So let’s all sing this simple rhyme.
Ten little shamrocks in a row,
Now let’s count them nice and slow.

1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10.
Again!
1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10.

How many shamrocks?
Ten little shamrocks.
All lined up in a row.

My husband and I will be in Chicago over the weekend for his company’s awards banquet, which means we’ll also be able to catch the St. Patrick’s Day Parade. It should be a fun day! In the meantime, this is quite a busy week and I have lots to do, so goodbye for now :)

Boys and Girls: We’re All Equal

by | Listen & Learn Music

Did you know that March is Women’s History Month? Well I didn’t, until a teacher brought it to my attention at the end of February. I did a little research, and discovered that Women’s History Month traces its roots back to the first International Women’s Day, which was celebrated in 1911. In 1981, Congress passed a resolution making Women’s History Week a national holiday.

So that is the background for today’s tune, “Boys and Girls”. I wanted to write a song that conveyed the general message of Women’s History Month yet could still be understood by my students. “Boys and Girls” teaches that we all have equal rights, and that we can do many of the same things.

If you’re a boy, or you’re a girl,
Then you should know that we’re all equal.
There are certain things about us that are different, it’s true,
But our rights are the same, for both me and you.

Girls can wear pants, boys can too.
Boys can wear hats, girls can too.
Girls can wear sandals, boys can too.
Boys can wear sneakers, girls can too.
There are certain things about us that are different, it’s true,
But our rights are the same, both me and you.

Girls can be teachers, boys can too.
Boys can be pilots, girls can too.
Girls can be doctors, boys can too.
Boys can be nurses, girls can too.
There are certain things about us that are different, it’s true,
But our rights are the same, both me and you.

Girls can go to school, boys can too.
Boys can go to work, girls can too.
Girls can cast a vote, boys can too.
Boys can cook dinner, girls can too.
There are certain things about us that are different, it’s true,
But our rights are the same, both me and you.

If you’re a boy, or you’re a girl,
Then you should know that we’re all equal.
There are certain things about us that are different, it’s true,
But our rights are the same, for both me and you.

Maybe next year I’ll write a song that goes a little bit more in depth with this topic. Another song to check out is Sufferin’ Til Suffrage (a School House Rock favorite). Enjoy, and happy Women’s History Month!

What Else Do I Need?

by | Listen & Learn Music

If you live in the midwest, you are no stranger to the fact that the weather can fluctuate radically on a daily basis. We started the week in the 30s, and today and tomorrow we’re expecting 60-degree temperatures. I’m definitely not complaining about the warm-up, but sometimes it’s a little difficult to keep up!

Today I headed out the door with a light jacket on over my sweater, but I’m waiting for the day when I’ll need sunscreen and sunglasses, just like the song says.

It’s sunny, it’s sunny,
What else do I need?
Sunscreen and some sunglasses too,
That is what I need.

It’s chilly, it’s chilly,
What else do I need?
Mittens and a jacket too,
That is what I need.

It’s raining, it’s raining,
What else do I need?
Umbrella, rain boots, and slicker too,
That is what I need.

It’s freezing, it’s freezing,
What else do I need?
A winter coat, scarf, hat, and gloves,
That is what I need.

Oh, and if you are wondering, the official countdown to spring is at 15 days. And coincidentally, the first day of spring is also moving day for me! This weekend is daylight savings time, meaning we’ll lose an hour of sleep on Saturday night/Sunday morning. But hey, I will gladly lose that hour if it means more light at night. A sure sign that spring is in the air…hey, I feel a song coming on :)

My Address

by | Listen & Learn Music

If you’ve been reading my blog for the last month or so, then you already know that I am moving soon. I’ve had to tell people or write down my new address several times this week, and I keep mixing it up with my current address or just forgetting it altogether. I am not a forgetful person, but when something like your address is ingrained in your brain, it’s hard to relearn that! But I’m trying. In fact, this is what inspired me to write the song below, which is all about addresses.

There’s a number, and a street, and a city, and a state,
And a zipcode, I give,
When my family or friends or a teacher needs to know
The place where I live.
You put ’em all together and what do you get?
My address, I won’t forget.

My street number is ________
My street name is __________
My city is _________________
In the state of ____________
My zipcode has five numbers, it’s ____________
You put ’em all together, and what do you get?
My address, I won’t forget.

There’s a number, and a street, and a city, and a state,
And a zipcode, I give,
When my family or friends or a teacher needs to know
The place where I live.
You put ’em all together and what do you get?
My address, I won’t forget.

Or at least, I’ll try not to anymore! A week from tomorrow, we’ll be signing the papers that make the house officially ours, and by then I think I will have my new address down pat. In the meantime, I have a busy day ahead full of classes and planning. Have a happy Wednesday!