Winter 2014 Family Newsletter
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
"Ridin' in the Car" Live!
|
Enjoy singing and dancing to "Ridin' in the Car," performed live by the Music Together Band, including Uncle Gerry, Grandma Yvette, and---of course---Mommy and Daddy. Children will love the little car zoom-zooming across the screen!
In 2011, families from around the world sent in video clips for the "Ridin' in the Car" compilation music video. Check it out---it's lots of fun!
Then, download the "Ridin' in the Car" karaoke mix and record your own version of the song to share with us on Facebook. |
|
March Is "Sing With
Your Child" Month
| Each March, we celebrate Sing With Your Child Month, a special time to commemorate the importance of singing and making music as a family. Your voice means so much to your child---regardless of how you think you sound!
During March, visit the Music Together SWYC Month web page and our Facebook Page for weekly giveaways and music-making activities to try at home. And ask your center director if an event is being planned in your area.
Don't forget: the easiest---and most important!---way you can celebrate SWYC Month is to sing a favorite song with your family. |
|
|
On January 28, 2014, legendary folk musician Pete Seeger passed away at age 94. You're probably familiar with his ballad for social justice, " If I Had a Hammer," or perhaps you saw him sing " This Land Is Your Land" with Bruce Springsteen at President Obama's 2009 inaugural celebration.
Mr. Seeger deeply believed in the power of group music-making, which he demonstrated throughout his eight-decade career. In addition to his work in support of civil rights, environmentalism, and peace, he also wrote many songs for children and was one of the founding members of the Children's Music Network, an organization that many Music Together teachers belong to. Pete Seeger's impact on the world will be heard for many years to come, through his own music, the folksongs he popularized, and the voices of the countless musicians whom he influenced. We each honor his legacy as we sing together and teach our children the value of community music-making.
Learn more about Pete Seeger and hear his music:
|
|
|
The Beat Goes On! Music Together Intergenerational Classes
| |
by Kate Battenfeld
 On a sunny Tuesday afternoon at the Las Villas de Carlsbad retirement and assisted living center in Carlsbad, California, a large group of senior residents, children, and parents jam and sing to a rousing rendition of "When the Saints Go Marching In" as part of their weekly intergenerational Music Together class. Resident Lola Larson is particularly animated. Drum in hand, she stands and marches with a broad smile on her face. "This music program is the greatest," she says. "It helps the children feel the beat in their souls!" Lola, age 89, knows a thing or two about the beat: as a child in the 1920s, she danced and sang in The Little Rascals films, which were directed by her uncle, well-known producer and director Hal Roach. For Lola and many other elders, the Music Together class is an opportunity to be introduced---or reintroduced---to the joy of community music-making.  PRINT ARTICLE (PDF) |
From Our Research Team
| |
In addition to supporting young children's overall development, music-making can also profoundly impact the well-being of the elderly. After you've read the above article about Music Together intergenerational classes, here are a few more resources to help you learn more.
- Science Daily article: Report on the study that found links between memory and listening to familiar music.
- HuffPost article: Summarizes ways music can positively impact the elderly.
- Alive Inside documentary: Sundance Award-winning documentary that explores how music can help Alzheimer's and dementia patients. The 6-minute clip (below) of an elderly man responding to music is from the film. We encourage you to watch it; it truly shows the power of music.
- Music and Memory: Nonprofit organization that works to bring music into the lives of the elderly. Their work is featured in Alive Inside, and the website has lots of great resources on aging, memory, and music.
|
~ Spring Shopping Special ~
Free train whistle with $30 purchase
| |
 Whoo-whoo! All aboard! Receive a free four-note wooden train whistle ($4.00 value) with your order of $30.00 or more at the Music Together national online store.
For your free gift, enter the coupon code SPRING2014 at checkout.
This limited-time offer expires May 30, 2014, and may not be combined with any other offers or discounts.
|
|
Music Together at Home: Dramatic Play with "Jack in the Box"
| |
Your family can have lots of fun with the chant "Jack in the Box." All you need is a cardboard box or two, your voices, and your imaginations. (P.S. You can also try these activities while singing "Pop! Goes the Weasel.")
 With a big cardboard box: Find a cardboard box large enough for your child to fit inside with the top flaps loosely closed. If you'd like, cover the box with wrapping paper or craft paper your children have decorated. Then, have your child get inside and close the flaps. Recite the chant, replacing "Jack" with your child's name. On the "YES, I will!" phrase, encourage your son or daughter to jump up and out of the box. No box? No problem! Try a laundry basket or hamper---or just cover him with a blanket.
With a small cardboard box: You can also try this activity with a smaller box (a shoe box, for example) and one of your child's stuffed animals. Cut a hole in the bottom of the box, flip it over, and hide a stuffed animal inside. When reciting the chant, replace "Jack" with the animal's name, and "pop" it of the box on the "YES, I will!" phrase.
On a snowy day: Snow has blanketed much of the US this winter! If you still have snow in your area, here's a fun idea to try while playing outside. Tie a piece of string to a little stuffed animal or figurine, name it "Jack," then take it outside to a snow pile. Holding onto the string, plop "Jack" into the snow and chant: "Jack in the box / still as a mouse / deep down inside / his little SNOW house / Jack in the box / resting so still / will you come out...." Then tug the string to pop "Jack" out on "YES, I will!"
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
