Learn about Music with Fun with Composers! I was first introduced to the Fun with Composers series several years ago by my friend, Kathy. My kids love music, and I was looking for some music-based activities to do with them. Fun with Composers brings classical music to life by combining story and song. Dancing Bugs, […]
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*I was not compensated for this post, but I did receive a pre-view copy of the book * When I was asked to review a new parenting book by Shimi Kang, I was all onboard! I run a website for families, so I was sure my followers would be interested; I am a member of […]
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Learn about Music with Fun with Composers! I was first introduced to the Fun with Composers series several years ago by my friend, Kathy. My kids love music, and I was looking for some music-based activities to do with them. Fun with Composers brings classical music to life by combining story and song. Dancing Bugs, […]
https://i0.wp.com/valleyfamilyfun.ca/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/Book_images.jpg?fit=%2C&ssl=1ValleyFamilyFunhttps://valleyfamilyfun.ca/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/vff_logo2-300x69.pngValleyFamilyFun2015-10-07 14:56:032019-02-03 13:02:00Fun With Composers
*I was not compensated for this post, but I did receive a pre-view copy of the book * When I was asked to review a new parenting book by Shimi Kang, I was all onboard! I run a website for families, so I was sure my followers would be interested; I am a member of […]
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I was first introduced to the Fun with Composers series several years ago by my friend, Kathy. My kids love music, and I was looking for some music-based activities to do with them.
Fun with Composers brings classical music to life by combining story and song. Dancing Bugs, Ringmasters and Snobby Pears are just a few of the fascinating characters you will meet. Each well-known piece draws children into the intriguing world of classical music as they quickly embrace drama, song, movement, instrumental play and art.
Here’s how it works. Each set contains about ten songs. Accompanying each song is a creative story to read. Read the story, and then listen to the song. Lyrics, to go with the story, are sung over top of the classical piece that involve action, movement, dance, theatre and fun! Back in the book, there are activities (art, games, etc) that go with each song and story. There is also information about each composer. The piece is also on the CD without the words so that you can listen to it each way. You do not need any musical background to use these books!
Kathy was a local music teacher for years, now a classroom teacher, and had been to a professional development workshop with Fun with Composers creator, Deborah Ziolkoski. She left the workshop in love with the series, and has used it in her elementary classroom ever since. Now that she is a classroom teacher, she still uses it, as it “is great for learning not only about music, but it’s a great physical activity, good for learning and for imaginative play.” In fact, her class just performed the Ballad of the Spring Chicks last week in the school assembly to learn about spring!
I started using Fun with Composers with my boys at home when they were about two or three years old. We are still using the same activities, but each time I introduce more age-appropriate activities. It’s a fun way to spend the afternoon – looking for trolls in the Hall of the Mountain King, Russian dancing, or having a horse race with Old Joe!
Now, my kids have such a great ear and a high level of music appreciation. If we are out and hear a piece of classical music, the kids start to sing the lyrics over top, or say, “That’s Beethoven!”
Fun with Composers is a great resource for classroom teachers, music teachers, day care instructors, homeschoolers, or just for families who want to learn more about music at home. And, best of all, it’s Canadian!
Fun with Composers has a couple of different products of interest. All books have a PreK-Grade 3 edition, and a grade 3-7 edition.
Just for Kids: These books are designed primarily for families to use at home. We have Volume I and Volume II (our personal favourite). Books come with a CD and activity book. These books cannot be ordered online from the website, but by directly contacting the author. deborah@funwithcomposers.com.
DISCOUNT for Valley Family Fun followers! These books are being discounted as a special one-time offer! Regular retail was $24.95 each now $14.95 each or two for $20! When you order from Deborah, be sure to mention the Valley Family Fun offer!
Teachers’ Guides: You can get them in hard copy (shipped) or by instant download. For every teacher – includes everything you need to bring out the musical maestro in any student! The flexible guides are easy to integrate into a curriculum, providing teachers with a wide range of themes, music, and composers to choose from. Teachers have always been fascinated by how easy it is to adapt lessons to any grade level. Music and concepts have been creatively woven into the lessons to keep the emphasis on imaginative fun! These are designed specifically for teachers. You can preview the book on line.
DISCOUNT for Valley Family Fun followers! Teacher Guides will be 10% off – now $70 plus tax! These are available to order online.
French Guides: Fun with Composers has now been translated into French! Great for Music Specialists, Classroom, Core French, Immersion, Francophone and Homeschooling Parents!
Watch Fun with Composers in action!
Want to give Fun with Composers a try? Download this free lesson plan for Marriage of Figaro by Mozart, where kids can pretend they are magical chefs!
Here’s Daniel following these activities and making his soup.
Watch for these great products coming out this summer: FUN Yoga and Movement Games for Kids and a great book on music games called “F-U-N ‘N GAMES GALORE!” By Sue Harvie!
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*I was not compensated for this post, but I did receive a pre-view copy of the book *When I was asked to review a new parenting book by Shimi Kang, I was all onboard! I run a website for families, so I was sure my followers would be interested; I am a member of a book club where we often read and discuss parenting books like Boys Adrift or Little Athletes Big Leaders; and I have a degree in psychology, so I am naturally interested in human behaviour! This book seemed like a perfect fit for me. The Dolphin Way suggests that parents should be more like dolphins and less like tigers. Before I read the book, the kids and I looked up some facts about dolphins and tigers.
Dolphins– They are playful animals– They are most active after a rest– They live in groups called podsTigers– Biggest and most ferocious of the cats– Live in solitude– Use their weight to knock prey off balance– Bite down on the throat of prey until the animal suffocatesThe boys determined that dolphins were less mean, more helpful (not hurting other animals), more playful, and don’t abandon their children. My seven-year-old son drew this picture to illustrate.
I think that Shimi Kang might be on to something in The Dolphin Way! In her book, Kang offers sound research and examples from her own life or practice as medical director for Child and Youth Mental Health for Vancouver to support her idea that parents need to be more like dolphins.
Kang says, “The dolphin parenting model is about guiding rather than directing, encouraging rather than instructing and teaching by example.”
Further, she says that the “dolphin way of life is about emphasizing the importance of play, exploration, social bonds, altruism, contribution and family and community values.” Whatever we do with our children, we need to make sure that it incorporates a cognitive quotient, or CQ for short.
These four skills are going to be essential for the future success of our children. They include: – Creativity– Critical Thinking– Communication– CollaborationTo help develop this CQ, children need lots of time to play (like dolphins), to explore and to investigate. In a world where children are highly structured and over-programmed they are often left with little or no down or free time.
The Dolphin Way recommends that parents stop overgathering for their kids. Which means, don’t sign them up for every activity. I know that this is a conversation that my friends and I have every September: What activities are we signing are kids up for? It is a constant worrisome feeling, wondering if you are putting them in too many activities, but if you don’t, will they be the only child who can’t skate or isn’t playing hockey?
Don’t they need to be well-rounded?
The Dolphin Way offers great advice on this common parenting dilemma to help you make the decision. In fact, we used the advice just this week when our oldest son wanted to sign up for a robotics club. I worried that it was just one too many activities for him, despite the fact that I knew he would love the challenge of it. Looking over the club’s description, I knew it offered so many of the important CQ skills: creativity, critical thinking and collaboration. We are going to give the robotics club a try!
Dr. Kang is a big proponent for free-time for kids that does not involve screen time. For me, I know it is so tempting to let the kids play on the computer to get some work done (which is what they are doing now!), but kids need to learn how to play.
This is one aspect that I thought The Dolphin Way should have covered: how do you go about getting your kids to play? Some will instantly find an activity, but to some this is a foreign concept. I know with my boys, after the computer is turned off, it usually takes them about 15 minutes to really get involved in creative play.
I have learned from trial and error to ignore the pleads for the computer and the initial arguing about what to do, because when they find their groove, they will play for hours.
We are lucky to have a neighbourhood gang of both boys and girls. The girls want to play fairies and the boys ninjas. They have come up with a collaborative game, by communicating with each other, called Ninja Fairies that has become a favourite in our backyard!
If you are looking for a new take on parenting that doesn’t involve adding more things to do, or feeling guilty about what you are doing, then definitely check out The Dolphin Way by Shimi Kang.
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