Fun With Composers
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, 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.
Do you live in New Brunswick or know someone who does? Fun with Composers also does birthday parties there!
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!
Sign up for the Fun with Composers Newsletter to find out about these and other great ideas and products.
Parenting the Dolphin Way
*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 pods Tigers – 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 suffocates The 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 – Collaboration To 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.
It will inspire you to play more, re-balance yourself, and become a better parent and role-model for your children. They will thank you for it! The Dolphin Way is available through Penguin Books.
Monster Jam Halifax 2014
Since infancy, Thomas (almost six) has been obsessed with Hot Wheels. He has Hot Wheels sheets, shirts, backpacks, a lunch bag, and a Hot Wheels car carrier. Inside are hundreds of Hot Wheels cars and Monster Jam trucks. He is a living and breathing expert.
So, when I heard that Monster Jam was coming again this year to Scotia Speedworld (in Halifax near the airport), I knew I had to look into it! Not sure what I mean by Moster Jam?
Maple Leaf Monster Jam®, stars the biggest performers on four wheels: Monster Jam monster trucks! The twelve-feet-tall, ten-thousand-pound machines will bring you to your feet, racing and ripping up a custom-designed track full of obstacles to soar over or smash through! Monster Jam provides a massive night’s entertainment tailored perfectly for your family’s budget, and these colorful, larger-than-life beasts are sure to capture the hearts of both young and old.
Check out this video from a previous Halifax show!
Here’s what I found out about the Halifax show:
Monster Jam is coming Saturday, May 31st and Sunday, June 1st with shows at 1pm and 7pm on Saturday, and a show at 1pm on Sunday.
Tickets for the show Reserved – $30 Adults / $25 Kids (ages 2 – 12)
General Admission – $20 Adults / $15 Pizza Pizza Kids Tickets ( ages 2- 12)
All tickets $2 more day of show.
Plus, you can purchase tickets to join the Pit Party, too!
AND, if you book in advance HERE you can get a discount through Valley Family Fun for $4 off each general admission ticket on every show!
Just enter the promo code MUM4
Only valid on Adult General Admission tickets. Excludes Front Row, Gold Circle, TAP, and VIP tickets. No double discounts. Additional Fees May Apply. Weekday is defined as Monday thru Thursday. Weekend is defined as Friday through Sunday. Limit of four (4) per purchase.
Now, that makes it an even more affordable family-friendly adventure! Because we’re so close in the Valley, we can easily go down for a day trip to enjoy the show! No excuses not to go!
YOU CAN WIN 4 tickets to the Saturday, May 31st, 7pm show! Enter daily until the draw date of April 24.
For an extra ballot, leave a comment below about why you want to go see Monster Jam and who you would take!
Loving a Second Child
A Journey to Motherhood
**This post is a compilation of articles that I wrote six years ago for the Valley Shopper while pregnant with my second child**
I am sitting here starting to fill out a baby memory book for my soon-to-be born second child. The question for the parents to answer is: How did you feel when you found out I was on my way?
My husband and I talked a lot about what we would say. The only conclusion was that we didn’t know how we felt, or how we feel today, with just weeks to go before the baby is to be born.
Neither my husband nor I are highly emotional people. We always knew that we wanted to have children, but wanting and actually having are two different things. When we found out we were pregnant with our first child, yes, we were happy, but we weren’t overly emotional. We avoided telling people, just so that we wouldn’t have to talk about “the baby” for the next nine months. Denial seemed to be the best coping strategy for us. My husband grew up surrounded by babies, but I had never had much exposure. I really was never “into” babies, and really have no desire to hold anyone else’s. If I felt like this already, how was I going to handle having one of my own? How would I know what to do? Was I capable of being a baby person?
Then in 2006 Daniel was born. The moment that Daniel was put on my chest, the love was instantaneous. It felt completely natural. Having Daniel in our lives far exceeded our expectations.
Now, we are about to have our second child. My husband and I agreed on having at least two children (I say two, and he says three). But, now as the time is drawing closer, we’re not sure how we feel about having another person join our family.
Second and subsequent pregnancies are different than the first one, at least in my experience and in the opinions of some of my friends. With the first pregnancy, you can probably spout off how many weeks along you are, and all the relevant details. This time, most days I was lucky if I could remember that I was pregnant! My method of keeping track of how many weeks I was, was by listening to my first-time pregnant friend and adding eleven weeks.
Husbands also seem to be different the next time around – less doting, perhaps. According to several of my friends, husbands seem to have a mysterious pile of work to do when you ask them to rub your back or feet. And, instead of coming home and letting you rest, they realize that they are tired from working all day and are going to sleep. Feeling the baby move? Been there. Done that. Not saying that they aren’t excited, it’s just different.
So, with all of these different circumstances, it would only be natural for the parents’ feelings to be different the next time around, too.
When people find out you are pregnant, the first comment is usually, “you must be excited!” It is a common notion that pregnancy is equated to excitement. However, what if you are not sure if you are excited? What if you don’t know how you feel? This seems to be the part that no one mentions.
The story of my friend’s mom sums up my feelings. When she was pregnant with her second, she went into her first born’s room (my friend) and looked down at her in her crib. She thought, “I love this child with all my whole being. How am I ever going to have enough love to share with another child?”
I also think, “poor Daniel.” He’s used to all of the attention and now will need to share it. As a first born and as someone who needs constant attention, I say that when you are displaced by a second child, you spend the rest of your life trying to make up for the lost attention!
“I totally felt that way,” said a good friend of mine. “I was sad when I left for the hospital. Those feelings started about one month before my second son was born. Every now and then I would just start crying and feel so badly for my first child. The feelings got stronger and stronger. However, at the same time, I just wanted the kid out. But you know what? When they put my new baby on me, I just loved him so much. I didn’t think I would feel that way but I started to cry because I loved him so much. And I knew that my oldest was the perfect kid to be a big brother to the baby.”
Finally, in February 2008, Thomas was born. When they placed Thomas on my chest, it was love at first sight. And you wonder what all the worry was about and you know your heart can be so full of love.
And, this is just the beginning of all the adventures in the Duke household. It’s worth every moment.
Did you ever have these feelings?
Write and tell me about it!
Grammie’s Prize Gingerbread
Sometimes there is nothing better than an old-fashioned recipe! This recipe was a staple in our household and I was so surprised at how much my kids love it! I make it a lot for family parties and always get asked for the recipe. Here we go!
Grammie’s Prize Gingerbread
½ Cup sugar
½ Cup shortening
1 egg
1 Cup molasses
2 ½ Cups flour
1 ½ tsp baking soda
1 tsp ginger
1 tsp cinnamon
Salt
½ tsp cloves
1 Cup boiling water
Cream sugar and shortening
Add beaten egg, molasses, and then dry ingredients
Add hot water last.
Beat until smooth.
This batter is soft but makes a fine cake.
Put in an 8×8 pan at 350degrees for 35 minutes. I bake everything in a bundt pan, or also have a cute gingerbread man pan and silicone moulds. Using these will vary the cooking time. Watch carefully.
Serve warm with whipped cream!
Grow with Art
There are two parts to the program.
1. Art Rental
The Grow with Art Society owns over two hundred framed reproductions of major works of art, and many Nova Scotia artists. Each picture has the biography of the artist attached to the back. These works of art are hung in the hallways at the Community College in Kentville.
Youth are invited to walk around looking at the paintings, and can take one home for the month for only $2.
We have had everything from the Mona Lisa to Van Gogh and Alex Colville hanging on our walls. One determining factor is size. The bigger the better – according to the boys!
We have a designated wall in our house where we hang the boys’ paintings, and they look upon them with pride.
Art Workshops
Every month, children attend a two hour program led by a recognized Valley artist. The type of art is completely different each month and can be anything from painting with watercolours to making puppets.
Early childhood education students from Kingstec help out, so each child receives special attention.
The cost of the workshop is only $2. Parents can drop their kids and leave, or can stay and work with the children. Because our children are younger, we usually stay to help, and we can leave if we are finished earlier because of the shorter attention span.
How it Works
When you arrive, there is a registration table in the main foyer. If it is your first time, you need to pay a membership fee of $5 for the family.
You can choose to attend the art workshop or not. Sometimes, if we are having a busy day, we just go and swap our paintings and leave. However, the kids do love the workshops and we make an effort to go.
Teachers/Daycares
If you are a classroom teacher or run a day care, art kits are also available to rent. These are resources for art appreciation or art instruction.
If you live in the Kentville area and your kids have an interest in art, or you’d like to nurture a love of art, the Grow with Art program is definitely worth checking out.
