Time for a Haircut

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Certain situations can bring on anxiety to children, especially those with autism or any other disability. Among those situations are visiting the doctor or dentist, venturing into a large public place, and our focus today: haircuts.

The song I wrote for this occasion tells the story, step-by-step, so that children know exactly what to expect on their trip to the barber or salon. It goes like this:

My hair is getting too long,
And that’s why I’m singing this song.
So after a while, when I need a new style,
I’ll tell you what I do:

I get a haircut, haircut.
First comes the shampoo.
Then sit in the chair, where they’ll cut my hair,
And when the trimming’s through,

Time to blow dry and brush my hair,
Say thank you and goodbye.
It’s easy and fun, and now that it’s done,
I have a ‘do that looks brand new!

Your hair is getting too long,
And that’s why I’m singing this song.
It’s been a while, time for a new style,
Now you know just what to do!

Counting Pumpkins

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It’s time for the first official installment of “Counting Time” – which you can read more about here. This month we’re counting pumpkins, which I’m sure will not come as a big surprise to you all :)

Each month, the “Counting Time” tune stays the same but the items we count will change. You can listen for yourself:

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

One, two, three, four, five,
Six, seven, eight, nine, ten.
Again!
One, two, three, four, five,
Six, seven, eight, nine, ten.

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

Faster is Better

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When I was a child, I loved songs that sped up as I sang them – songs like John Jacob Jingleheimer Schmidt and The Song That Never Ends. I found a great song in the “Learning Through Music” songbook called I Don’t Care if the Rain Comes Down, which my students absolutely love.

However, we’ve been singing it for months now, and I decided it was time for a new slow-to-fast song. I just wrote it, so it hasn’t been tested and approved yet, but I’m not too worried. I stuck with the formula, and this is what I came up with:

I know a song that starts out slow.
I like to sing it everywhere I go.
My friends join in an then we begin
To speed it up a little bit.

Keep up with me, keep up with me
Sing it loud or sing it quietly
Whatever you do, don’t fall behind,
Or else we’ll have to rewind.

So there you have it. The only problem with songs like these is that the kids always want to sing it faster, even when I’ve reached my maximum guitar-playing speed. But as long as they’re having fun, that’s what matters :)

It’s a beautiful Sunday afternoon, but I’ve been inside recording and working all day. The beginning of each month is a little busier than usual, but soon things will settle down and I’ll have a little more time for relaxing. Oh, the life of a music therapist!

What’s Big and Orange?

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A hint: you’ve probably seen them cropping up in your neighborhood, as they are in high demand at this time of year. Pumpkins, of course! There are pictures of pumpkins and jack-o-lanterns lining the halls of my school, and I just might have to go pick one out this weekend. Here’s a song my students and I have been singing lately all about these fall fruits:

What’s big and orange,
And grows on the ground,
And has a shape that’s nice and round?
Every fall we pick one out,
Have you guessed what I’m talking about?

Pumpkin, Pumpkin on the vine.
This one’s yours, and this one’s mine.
Let’s take it home and soon it will be
A jack-o-lantern for all to see!

Pumpkins are also good to eat,
Pumpkin pie is such a treat.
We’ll roast the seeds and we’ll have a snack.
I need another pumpkin, so let’s go back.

Pumpkin, Pumpkin on the vine.
This one’s yours, and this one’s mine.
Let’s take it home and soon it will be
A jack-o-lantern for all to see!

And there you have it! You just might find yourself humming this cheerful little tune as you pick out your own pumpkin in the next couple of weeks.

Today it is October

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Wow! Fall is in full swing, and today we begin the 10th month of the year. 2008 has flown by so quickly…is it just me, or does time speed up with each passing year?

October is almost synonymous with pumpkins, scarecrows, harvest, cool weather, and of course, Halloween. Though it is not my favorite “holiday” (much to the dismay of my dad, who is quite the Halloween enthusiast), I always put my lukewarm feelings aside and join in the fun – especially when it comes to my students! They love singing about bats, witches, ghosts, and goblins, so this month I have several new songs on tap.

Today it is October,
The tenth month of the year.
Summertime is over,
and autumn weather’s near.

Today it is October,
The leaves are turning brown.
The air is getting chilly,
And soon the leaves fall down.

Today it is October,
The tenth month of the year.
Summertime is over,
and autumn weather’s near.

Today it is October,
It’s time to celebrate
Fall festivals and Columbus Day
Oh, I can hardly wait!

Today it is October,
The tenth month of the year.
Summertime is over,
and autumn weather’s near.

Today it is October,
It’s time for Halloween.
Candy, spooks, and costumes,
And all those scary things.

Today it is October,
The tenth month of the year.
Summertime is over,
and autumn weather’s near.