This week we explored bath time games that will help your children develop fun-tub and learning skills.  Whether using cups, sponges, or rubber ducks in the tub, your children can use bath time for developing reasoning skills. Splashing, making bubbles, or pouring water allows your children to use various action schemes to discover what he or she needs to know about an object—and build problem solving skills, too. You can also sing the words to our book, Head, Shoulders, Knees, and Toes as you wash away the day. Use a variety of motions for washing, such as scrubbing, rubbing, tickling, bouncing, digging, etc. and you will make each bath time a new experience and a new adventure. You can also use a favorite song to signal to your children when it’s time to get in the tub, and when it’s time to get out of the tub.

Our late summer and fall schedule is finished and can now be viewed at: http://www.bravamusic.net/kindermusik-classes.html. Below are two ways you can save: 

• Recommend a family to our Kindermusik program. If they enroll, you both receive $10 off the price of tuition for that semester. 
• Enroll by August 6 and receive $10 off.

If you want to enroll your child in a class, but want to wait until August 6 to make the deposit, please let me know. Classes fill quickly and I want to make sure our current students get the spots they want.

I look forward to seeing all of you on the 30th.

SuzAnne and our new cat Tugger Puff
Charles, we’ve been given a lot of gifts from our students but never a four-legged one! Barry now has the son he’s always wanted.

 

One thing I didn’t do with my girls that I wish I would have is to make clean-up a natural part of playtime. It’s a little hard at this stage to make it more than a chore (yet they still have to do it). This week’s activities have so many practical and whimsical applications to life around your house. Simple, fun songs you can sing together will make clean-up time fun, and make this important ritual—which is a necessary part of being in a family—a fun, musical activity.

One goal in every Kindermusik Family Time class is to help children move to music in lots of creative ways. The brain has a plan for development that involves specific and intensive motor activities to make full use of our complicated nervous system.  This means showing your toddler how to hop on one foot, and giving him/her lots of room to practice. The same is true for a preschooler. Most will learn by watching their friends and they’ll practice, practice and practice.By exploring a variety of movement in everything you do—even as you clean around the house—you help your children understand what it means to play an important part in your family. So don’t forget to “go into the kitchen and take a peek,” jump, hop, swing or swoop! 

Here are some words to In My House that can be used in the bathtub. ”In my bath I like to play; with a splishy splashy splishy splash all day.”

You can make your own “Washing Machine” like the one we used in class with a 2-liter bottle, drops of soap, water, and a few scraps of fabric.  

I hope you all have a great 4th! Below you’ll find the songs we sang in class and a recipe I make every Fourth just for our 2nd daughter.

SuzAnne

Fourth of July Songs

It’s America’s Birthday!       
Sing to “London Bridge is Falling Down”

 

Beat a drum, march along, march along, march along.
Beat a drum march along, It’s America’s birthday!

 

Wave a flag, sing a song, sing a song, sing a song.
Wave a flag sing a song, It’s America’s Birthday!

Fireworks go snap,snap,snap! Crack,crack,crack! Zap,zap,zap!
Fireworks make me clap! On Independence Day!

 

Fun Fireworks Sounds
(Chant)

 

 

Boom Bang! Boom, bang, boom bang!
Rumpety, lumpety, hump!
Zoom, zam, zoom, zam!
Clippety, clappety, clump!
Rustles and bustles And swishes and zings!
What wonderful noises Fireworks bring!

 

 

I’m a Little Firework
To the tune of “I’m A Little Teapot”

 

I’m a little firework
Up in the sky.
I dance and I shimmer
Way up, up high.

 

Sometimes I’m red.
Sometimes I’m blue.
But I always sparkle
Just for you.

 

Blueberry Chills

24 Vanilla Wafers
8 oz. Cream Cheese
1 cup whipping cream
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 can Blueberry pie fillingSpread crushed wafers into the bottom of a cookie sheet. Beat cream cheese, whipping cream, and powdered sugar until smooth. Pour over crumbs. Freeze. Add 1 can of blueberry pie filling. Freeze for 2 hours before serving.

This week in class we participated in songs, signs, and activities around the theme of mealtime. During Toast, Toast we practice Inhibitory Control which is the ability to move or stop moving in response to a cue. This ability is an important step toward developing coordination and self-discipline.We also take time in almost every class to listen. Unlike hearing, listening is an intentional act.  It is a learned skill. Our listening activities are brief, focusing on one sound at a time. This allows the children to practice the skills of attention and engaged listening.Below I have some facts about Sign Language and game playing. Before we get into that I want to share some family resources with you.

http://www.bravamusic.net/resources.html We will constantly be adding to this page as we find different activities, vacation spots, recipes, books and etcetera, that are of interest to families. Check back often for fun ideas.http://www.bravamusic.net/africam.html Our family has greatly enjoyed this live webcam in South Africa. We’ve seen baboons, kudus, wildebeests, elephants, and much more. The best time to view this site is between midnight and noon. Be careful! It’s addicting.www.shiawasseecountyfair.com I have it on good authority (from one of our KM families) that this is a great fair. Below is the information our KM mom sent to me.August 5th-11th.Well worth the $3 adult/ $2 kids (6 and up)!

Check out the Entertainment link for the free shows tent and FREE Draft Horse Pull (on Monday).

GREAT 4-H barns!!

Very easy to get to:  I-69 to Durand exit, go right (north) to Hibbard Rd.  Left on Hibbard.  Will be on left 2-3 miles(?).

I’m pretty sure there is a sign to Fairgrounds before you turn on Hibbard.

Keep reading below for more information about Sign Language, games, and the class schedule.

We’ll see you on Monday!

SuzAnne

The Benefits of Sign Language for the hearing child:

Recent studies show that children who use words and signs together display higher literacy rates than children who don’t. Even hearing children who are not exposed to signs until the preschool years go on to display enhanced vocabulary, spelling, and reading skills over non-signing children.  

• While the average 12 month old will have 3-5 spoken words, a signing child will have 25 signs and 16 words.
• At 18 months, the average child will have 10-50 spoken words. In contrast, a child who signs will have 79 signs and 105 words.
• In addition, signing children begin to form little sentences at 11-14 months. Compare this to non-signers, who do not begin to combine words into short sentences (e.g., “Da-da car”) until 20 months old on average.

The Importance of Games: 

I am not a game person. My children love games, though, and we use them a lot in their schooling and even in their music practice. Playing games within a family allows children to develop social skills in an emotionally secure environment. Games develop good school skills as well. In one study, preschool children taught with games and songs tested 10 to 20 points higher on IQ tests; by age 15 those same children had higher math and reading scores. Through games your children learn the importance of taking turns, sharing, and playing just for fun.  For a new twist, divide your family into two groups and play the game as teams—be sure to include the Kangaroo puppets, too.
 

Remaining Class Dates: July 2, 9, & 16 (Makeup July 30 if needed)