Hello Parents, Teachers, and Caregivers,
We sincerely believe that all children are born with a tremendous desire for musical expression and with an unlimited capacity for musical joy. We are excited to present these “Music Shine Guides” to support that expression and joy through research supported activities. These guides include helpful tips about making the viewing experience more engaging for your children and can be done in a classroom, in a living room, or in a playroom setting. For more suggestions, please check-out our special feature “Lisa & Linda Chat with Parents” on the DVD’s. Have fun with your children and in every moment, let your music shine!
Suggestions for all tracks –
- Move to the beat – Clap, bounce, tap, and dance to the steady beat
- Sing – Sing-a-long to the melody using la, la, la.
- Instruments – Keep a basket of instruments close by for spontaneous music making
- Creative Play – Keep a basket of dress up clothes, stuffed animals, and puppets close by for spontaneous creative play
Especially for Babies & Toddlers -
- Gross Motor to Fine Motor – encourage clapping with whole hand, then three fingers, then two, then one. They’ll soon be ready for piano lessons!
- Left/Right Hemisphere – The more you cross from one side of the brain to the other, the more balance your will have. It increases the flow between the logical self (left hemisphere) and the creative self (right hemisphere).
- Encourage this by doing movements cross laterally. For example, tap your knees, then tap opposite knees. Clap your hands, and then tap your opposite shoulders. With infants, tap their feet to their opposite hands.
- A New View - When you are holding your baby, change their position frequently to give them a new view. This dramatically increases their view of the world, which increases brain activity. Hold them over your shoulder while you bounce, then hold them facing forward. Now that looks different!
 Have ready – a basket of hand instruments, a basket of dress up clothes, balls of various sizes, jump ropes, stuffed animals
Track 1 – Let Your Music Shine
Move - Sign Language for the words “music” and “shine
Sing – Sing-a-long to our theme song
Instrument – Dig in your instrument basket and have fun shining and playing along
Track 2 – Brahms Fast and Slow
Move – Clap to the changing beat, fast and slow. Try criss-cross tapping on your knees!
Creative Play – Pretend you are going to a concert! Dress up and have your ticket ready!
Track 3 – The Symphony Woodwinds
Move – Clap the rhythm of “The Symphony”
Sing – Sing-a-long to “The Symphony” while you clap!
Creative Play – Pretend to play the instruments in the woodwind family as they appear on screen
Instruments - Blow with the Woodwinds! (kazoo, recorder, slide whistle)
Track 4 – Let’s Have a Playdate
Move - Sign Language for the words “playdate” (playful) and “together” (friends)
Sing – Sing-a-long to this child-friendly DVD theme song
Track 5 – Jump to Brahms
Move – Jump Rope or clap to the steady beat. Try jumping on one foot, then the other!
Instruments – play to steady beat
Track 6 – Bounce to Brahms
Move – Bounce a ball or tap to the steady beat. Try bouncing balls of different sizes!
Instruments – play to steady beat
Track 7 – Dance and Sway
Move – Swing a stuffed animal or sway your arms to the steady beat.
Move – Try dancing with a friend!
Creative Play – Dress up and pretend you are dancing at a fancy party
Track 8 – Let’s Have a Playdate
Move - Sign Language for the words “playdate” (playful) and “together” (friends)
Creative Play – Pretend with a friend that you are performing this song on stage
Track 9 – Swing to Waltz
Move – Move your arms back and forth to the waltz beat. Try dancing with a scarf!
Creative Play – Can you make up words to this swinging song?
Track 9 – Cradle Song
Move – Rock your stuffed animal to the steady beat
Sing – Sing-a-long to this classic melody on la-la-la. Can you sing your Mom, or Dad, or dog or cat to sleep?
Track 10 – Ride a Horse
Move – Rock from front foot to back foot as if riding a horse
Creative Play – Dress up and pretend you are in a parade riding your horse
Instruments – Use hand percussion to keep the steady beat. Keep the “ClipClop” rhythm with coconut shells!
Track 11 – Hide and Seek
Creative Play – Play along with this hide and seek game
Sing – Can you sing in German? (Guten morgen, mein kind – Good morning, my friend)
Track 12 – Chase to Concerto
Move – Run in place to the steady beat
Sing – Can you say the repeated rhythm while you run? (TA titi TA titi TA titi TA titi)
Creative Play – Pretend you are chasing a friend and catch them at the end of the song
Instruments – Tap the fast steady beat on your favorite hand percussion instrument
Track 13 - Let’s Have a Playdate
Move - Sign Language for the words “playdate” (playful) and “together” (friends)
Creative Play – Make up your own movements to this song
Track 14 – Move along to the Symphonies
Move – Clap, bounce, roll, and jump to the steady beat of these four symphony pieces
Creative Play – Move your arms and pretend to be the “Conductor” with Kim!
Sing – Stand and join in the announcement of “Symphony Number ONE!”, “Symphony Number
TWO!”, etc. Can you say it in Spanish (uno, dos, tres, quatro)?
Track 15 – Reprise Brahms Fast and Slow
Move – Dance with the music
Sing – Sing-a-long using the lyrics
Creative play –Take a bow when the curtain closes!
 Have ready – a basket of instruments including a variety of drums, oversized boots or shoes, puppets, stuffed animals, toy binoculars.
Track 1 – Let Your Music Shine - Karibu Rafiki (Swahili for “Welcome Friends”)
Move - Sign Language for the words “music”, “shine”, and “friends”
Sing – Sing-a-long to our theme song
Instruments – Play the steady beat on any instrument and “Let Your Music Shine”
Track 2 – Singin’ Safari
Move – Can you “swing, run, or climb” to the steady beat of the music?
Sing – Echo sing to this DVD theme song.
Instruments – Name the instruments you see in the video that you would like to play
Creative Play – Pretend you are an animal singing this song. What animal are you?
Track 3 – Travelin’ Safari
Move – Walk in place to the steady beat of the music as we go travelin’
Sing – Sing along with the melody as we go travelin’
Instruments – Play your instrument while you walk and sing
Creative Play – Pretend you are going on a Singin’ Safari with us. What would you bring along?
Track 4 – If Ya Wanna Be An Iguana
Move – Suggested movements that match the lyrics:
You’ve got to have a tongue that’s real fast - slurp tongue in and out
You’ve got to move real slow through the grass - crouch low and move arms slowly as if you are crawling through the grass
You will creep and crawl on four feet - your whole body, arms outstretched, moves up and down to the steady beat
And swing your scaly tail to the beat - pretend you are swinging your very heavy tail to the steady beat of the music
You are the coolest lizard in town - pretend you are the coolest lizard
Sing – Sing along!
Creative Play – This is a great song to pretend you are an iguana. How would you move if you were an iguana? Make up your own lyrics!
Track 5 – My Dancing Shoes
Move – Dance to the joyful rhythms of this marimba song
Instruments – Play along to the steady beat or rhythm on a shaker, a drum, or a marimba
Track 6 – Travelin’ Safari
Move – March in place to the steady beat of the music as we go travelin’
Sing – Sing along with the melody as we go travelin’
Instruments – Play a different instrument while you march and sing
Creative Play – Pretend you are looking for hippos on Singin’ Safari.
Track 7 – The Elephant
Move – Put on your oversized shoes and walk like an elephant to the steady beat of the music
Creative Play – Pretend you are an elephant who can sing through your trunk. What song would you sing?
Track 8 – Hana Ho!
Move – Jump, march, or dance to the playful music of the didgeridoo
Creative Play– Pretend you are playing the didgeridoo and leading a parade all around the room.
Instruments – Can you make a didgeridoo out of a paper towel roll, a plastic tube, or something else?
Track 9 – Travelin’ Safari
Move – Can you walk backwards to the steady beat of the music as we go travelin’?
Sing – Can you sing and walk backwards at the same time?
Track 10 – The Lion
Instrument – Explore the sound of the “ROAR” on a piano, a keyboard, or a percussion instrument. Would it be loud or soft?
Creative Play – Pretend you are a lion and “roar” with the sound of the piano
Track 10 – Lion in the Sun
Move – Walk like a lion on all four legs to the steady beat of the music
Move – Can you do the sign language for “Glory”?
Creative Play – Can you act out these lyrics from the song?
Give myself a bath
Playing with our tails
I wander off awhile
I give my roar
Sing – Sing a long “ROAR” whenever you hear the word in the song
Track 11 – Chai’s Lullaby
Move – Rock back and forth with your stuffed animal, puppy, or baby doll to the steady beat of this lullaby.
Move – Can you do the sign language for “dream”?
Creative play – “Close your eyes and dream” of all you can be…and what makes you happy!
Track 12 – Travelin’ Safari
Move – Can you walk and turn around to the lyrics of the song?
Instrument – Sing and play your favorite instrument to the song
Creative Play – Join with your friends in a Travelin’ Safari march through the imaginary tall grass
Track 13 – Orangutana Boogie
Move – Dance and swing your arms to the bouncy beat of this boogie song
Sing – Sing the chorus with your orangutan voice
Instruments – Play the steady beat or rhythm on your favorite drum
Creative Play– Can you act out these lyrics from the song?
Pluck some fruit from your favorite tree
He is shy or so it seems
Looking at me with eyes so round
Let’s hear your calling sounds
Track 14 – Singin’ Safari Reprise
Move – Create your own movements!
Sing – Sing along in your voice and when you see Rangy, in your Rangy voice
Instruments – Play your favorite instrument or make your own.
Creative Play – Make up your own Singin’ Safari with different instruments that sound like animals. What instrument sounds like a bear? What instrument sounds like a bird?
References:
Talk to the Deaf, Lottie Riekehof
First Steps in Music for Nursery and Preschool, John M. Feierabend, 1995 |
