Little Beans Café Classes

It’s time to register for Little Beans Café classes. This winter, I teach a music and movement class for children 6-24 months. Class will be Tuesdays at 11:00 am, starting on January 14th and run for an eight-week session.

This is a fun, laid back class. Each class has the same format so the kids know what to expect, but we explore a new theme each week. That ensures that the adults aren’t singing the same songs every week. I also introduce basic musical concepts with catchy songs and instruments. This class also comes with an hour of playtime in Little Beans' amazing play space.

My goal is to send parents home with lots of new songs to sing with their child.

You can register for a drop in class or the whole eight-week term.

If you are interested in joining in the fun, register for the class at the Little Beans Café website.

I hope to see you there!

Getting Ready for Big Family Events

Happy Thanksgiving to all! I hope all my readers get to spend this turkey and football filled holiday with the people they love. Many of you might be taking your children to an event with a whole lot of family members they rarely see.

How can we help them feel comfortable? How exactly do you explain a second cousin to a three year old?

Start today. Pull out those photo albums or pull up facebook. Find pictures of all the people you are going to see. Explain “This is mommy’s cousin Sarah. She is your cousin too. Sarah lives in Texas. That’s where Grandma lives too.”

You could try singing a little song about the people in the pictures. I personally learn names faster when I sing them. (That is why each of my parent-child classes has a name song in it!) Try “Mary Wore Her Red Dress” with the people in the pictures. (Lyrics and link to the tune are below.)

Maybe your child could draw a picture for each person that is going to be at your feast. Helping your child create something for each person that will be at your feast will give your child a reason to speak to each person and something to talk about.

You might also want to think about how you can set your child up for success at the big meal. Are there going to be other children there? Is your child going to be the only young person? Should you bring books or crayons? How long are the adults going to be sitting at the table? Is football the main event? You know your child better than anyone. What is a quiet activity that will keep them interested while the boring adults have a conversation over coffee and pie?

A little forethought can help your child have a great Thanksgiving. Setting them up for success will help you be thankful for their good behavior!

Happy Thanksgiving. Let the hand-traced turkey making begin!

Mary Wore Her Red Dress
Mary wore her red dress, red dress, red dress.
Mary wore her red dress all day long.

Change the song to be about your family:
Grandma wore her green shirt, green shirt, green shirt.
Grandma wore her green shirt all day long.

Here is a link to Raffi version of  Mary Wore Her Red Dress on Amazon. You can listen to enough of it for free to get the tune or you can buy the song and support a great children's advocate. 

Thanksgiving Songs

Thanksgiving day is quickly sneaking up on us! It is time to decorate with turkeys and gourds. It is time to talk about what we are thankful for. It is time to roast a turkey and mash potatoes!

Here are a few songs to get your kiddos in the Thanksgiving spirit!

What are you Thankful for?
(Tune: Do Your Ears Hang Low?)

What are you thankful for? What are you thankful for?
What is it that you love and you always ask for more?
On Thanksgiving day, “thank you” is what we say.
What are you thankful for?

David’s thankful for his mom. He is thankful for his mom.
He wants us to know, he really loves his mom.
Oh Thanksgiving day, “thank you” is what we say.
What are you thankful for?

*The Bold words are to be changed for each child.

I am Thankful
(Tune: Michael Row Your Boat Ashore)

I am thankful. Yes, I am. I say, “thank you!”
I am thankful. Yes, I am. I say, “thank you!”

I always ask with “please.” “Please” and “Thank you!”
I always ask with “please.” “Please” and “Thank you!”

*I use sign language with this song. I sign "thank you" and "please."

Gobble, Gobble
(Tune: Have You Ever Seen a Lassie?)

Oh, gobble, gobble, gobble, 
Fat turkeys, fat turkeys. 
Oh, gobble, gobble, gobble, 
Fat turkeys are we. 
We walk very proudly and gobble so loudly, 
Oh, gobble, gobble, gobble. 
Fat turkeys are we.

Turkey Wears His Red Feathers 
(Tune: Mary Wore Her Red Dress)

Turkey wore his red feather, red feather, red feather. 
Turkey wore his red feather, all day long!

*When I sing this song, I use my felt board and Mr. Turkey. I let the children take turns helping me put all the feathers on.

Happy Singing and Happy Thanksgiving!

Gracious Children

Thanksgiving is sneaking up on us. It is the time of the year when we think about all the things we are thankful for. Sometimes this is a hard task for adults… is it crazy to ask our children to express what they are thankful for?

In my weekly music classes I attempt to give children the vocabulary needed to express their thanks. When I teach infants we work on the signs for “please” and “thank you.” Older children learn them too.

Most importantly, I model gracious behavior. I thank children by name when they do something kind or helpful. I let them know that I appreciate their behavior. I look them in the eye and say, “thank you.”

Besides using daily manners, children can also learn to appreciate greater things in life. Maybe starting a dinner-time or bed-time routine would be a great way to get your children thinking about all the wonderful things they have in their life.

Start by telling your child what you are grateful for. “I am grateful for a warm house when it is cold outside. I am grateful for a smart caring daughter. What are you grateful for?” Go back and forth. Get those little brains thinking.

Learning to appreciate what we already have is a great key to achieving happiness. What a wonderful gift you are giving your child when you help them see all the beauty in their life and all the wonderful things they are blessed with.