Singing and Dancing Back To School!

Everybody clap your hands!

It feels good to be back to school:  familiar routines, new little friends AND the joy of introducing them to my musical world!  I’m Miss Carole of Macaroni Soup –Active Music for Active Learners!

The start of a new school year is exciting for some children, scary for others.  It takes all our best teaching techniques, patience and empathy to get everyone moving forward positively.  Moving – that’s the operative word for this month’s blog!

Stamp your feet!

Music & Movement can be the perfect distraction for children to forget their worries and join in.  Or not – some may watch at first.  It’s been my experience that if I wait, give them an encouraging nod and smile, wait some more – they DO get the confidence to get up and move.

I start with a Welcome/Hello song.  Then do a zipper song with sitting movements (“Sticky Bubble Gum” is always a big hit!)  Then – LET’S GET DANCING!

Jump up high!

Here’s one of my favorites: “Everybody Clap Your Hands!”  I learned it from the legendry Ella Jenkins.  She doesn’t claim to have written it – “It’s just an old, old song,” she told me.  But it’s transformative – no child can resist it!  There’s nothing really to teach – just follow the instructions built into the song.

 

NOTE:  Be sure you do the song, too!  Model participatory behavior.  Hear the song clip HERE.  It's track #4.

LYRICS:     Everybody clap your hands

                 Everybody clap your hand

                 Everybody, come on and clap your hands!

Turn real slow!

V.2   Stamp your feet!

V.3   Jump up high!

V.4   Turn real slow.

V.5   Wiggle around!

V.6   Clap and stamp! (2 things at the        same time!)

V.7   Clap, stamp & turn (3 things!)

V.8   Sing – with your tongue sticking out (4 things!):

        "Everybody sing along!"

Sing...with your tongue sticking out like this!

Put your tongue back in!

Yup – it gets really silly at the end with tongues wagging as you sing, clap, stamp and turn around!  That’s the fun of it – and school should be FUN!

NOTE:  Take a second to have everyone put their tongues back in – tap your fingers to your lips.  It’ll make everyone smile!

Need a Welcome/Hello song?  More starter movement songs?  

Check out my blogs:

December 2016:  Welcome/Bienvenidos!

August 2013:  Sing Your Way Through the First Week of School

August 2014:  Start School Singing: Week 2!

August 2016:  Back to School Singing!

March 2016:  Thumbs up for “Singing in the Rain!”

OR go to the archive on my website’s
Song Of The Month page for:

August 2011:  “Hello Everybody, How Do You Do?”

January 2011:  “We Like to Say Hello!”

August 2007:   "Sticky Bubble Gum"

November 2006:  “The Wiggle Song!”

And finally – I am sorry to have been absent from PreK and K Sharing for so many months.  The surgical repair of my hip’s labrum meant changing priorities in order to meet classroom, concert and professional development commitments.  But I’m back – almost 100%!  Please contact me if you’d like me to come to your school, library, church or conference.  I’m in Chicago, but I travel all over the world to bring developmentally appropriate music & movement to those who work with young children!

Yours for a Song!

“Miss Carole” Stephens

Macaroni Soup – Active Music forActive Learners!
 carole@macaronisoup.com

Winter Warm-Up Song: "Hat & Jacket, Pants & Boots!"

                  Hello from balmy Chicago!  

Miss Carole of Macaroni Soup here, anticipating tomorrow’s predicted 60 degree temps in FEBRUARY and persisting on singing WINTER songs!  I know the East Coast has had 3 blizzard-y storms in the last few weeks.  I know the West Coast has seen some truly chilly weather.  

So – this one is for all of you experiencing cold AND those like myself who actually like cold and snowy weather!  Even if you don’t, what better than to sing about it from indoors!

I’m guessing most of my readers know the tune for “Head & Shoulders, Knees & Toes”.  This will be simple if you do – the lyrics fit perfectly!  

Then make sure you make a visual to show.  I drew these simple pictures, slipped them into page protectors and taped them together.  I can show just one picture at a time, then pull it out to show all the pictures.

LYRICS:

Hat & jacket, pants & boots, pants and boots!

Hat & jacket, pants & boots, pants and boots!

When it’s cold and we go outside to play, we wear

Hat & jacket, pants & boots, pants and boots!

WHAT TO DO:

1. Walk through the motions, touching hands the part of the body covered by each piece of clothing.

2.  Sing the song slowly to start.  Children should be able to follow along easily.

3.  It’s going well?  Increase your tempo JUST A LITTLE.  Your students will be very excited by even the smallest speed change, so keep the increments of going faster small.  Repeat at least 3 times for maximum fun!

Most of you do not know that on December 14 I had surgery to repair the tear in my right hip’s labrum.  I couldn’t work for 6 weeks, wearing a brace from hip to knee round the clock during that time.  Crutches were not easy for this first-timer.  BUT, I’m recovering (9 months to 100%) little by little, and am happy to be back in classes, concerts and workshops.  What really lit up my weeks at home were thoughtful gestures by friends and fans. 

Watch this video – “Hat & Jacket, Pants & Boots” sung enthusiastically by the children at the Fox Valley Park District Preschool in Aurora, IL.  Thanks to all involved in making and sending the video. 

                                       ENJOY!

Now it’s your turn!  It’s easy – go for it!  Guaranteed to warm up any room and bring on the smiles and giggles!

If you’d like to own my cd with this and many other wonderful songs for all four seasons, it’s on “Season Sings!”  It’s available HERE.

Yours for a WINTER-Y Song!

“Miss Carole” Stephens

Macaroni Soup! Active Music for Active Learners!

JUMP JIM JOE - a perfect partner dance!

...and tap your toe!

Now that cooler/wetter weather is moving in to stay, it’s a good time to get movement and dance options going to keep those little brains and bodies tuned up and ready to learn!  Miss Carole of Macaroni Soup here, and I’m sharing a terrific partner dance that my older 3’s through 7’s love: “Jump Jim Joe!”  This dance is very popular at my Family Concerts, as it’s fun for ALL ages!

Usually I introduce dancing in this order:

1. Dancing as an individual in a group

2. Dancing in a circle

3. Partner dancing

4. Dancing with props/manipulatives

Hopefully you’ve done some dancing that is in the first two styles** so that your students have a sense of group dynamic, cooperation and personal space.  Now let’s up the ante on cooperation – to do a partner dance you must work together with another person, touch them appropriately and stay in time with the music.  It also means that the teacher must learn the dance so that he/she can teach and demonstrate it to the students effectively.

THE SONG:

listen, echo!

Jump, jump, jump Jim Joe

Nod your head and shake your head

And tap your toe!

‘Round and ‘round and ‘round you’ll go

Then you find another partner

And you jump Jim Joe!

I use the echo technique to teach the song – I sing a line, students sing it back to me.  Then I demonstrate with a student as my partner what the song looks like.  Hear a clip HERE!

I picked a great volunteer - he could JUMP!

THE DANCE:

Line 1: Face your partner and hold hands. Jump 5 times (on the beat).

Line 2: Partners nod, then shake their heads

Line 3: Tap toe to the side.

Line 4: 2-hand circle around

Line 5: Leave your partner and go find a new partner!

Line 6: Hold hands with your new partner.

Once you have demonstrated the dance, invite your students to stand and pick a partner.  Some classes struggle to pick partners quickly – help them out.  I explain that “you’re not going to keep that partner, so don’t worry about who you start with – you’ll be moving on quickly!  Walk through the dance slowly, singing enthusiastically and clearly.

When your students understand the pattern of the dance, and that the pattern just keeps repeating to make a sequence, you can pick up the tempo a smidgen.  When they’re really secure, maybe add the recording – but it’s lively, so don’t rush into it!  It’s on my “Dancing Feet!” cd – check it out HERE!

Here’s a video at a library show in Colorado – kids of all ages and adults really enjoying themselves!  You can do it, too!  Let me know how it goes!  And remember – this one’s great outdoors, too!

** If you haven't done dancing in the first two styles, check out my blog from MARCH 2016 for "Singing in the Rain" (Style #1) and FEBRUARY 2016 for "Looby Loo" (style #2)

BIG NEWS!  My new recording, “WELCOME!” will be released shortly!  There are 29 songs, dances, poems and fingerplays to engage and invite your children to sing and move!  It will be available for purchase soon at www.cdbaby.com.  Keep checking back – definitely by December 1!

Need a workshop or keynote for a conference? Want educational content that also accesses early literacy skills, physical control and is FUN?  Contact me – I’m now booking for 2017-18!

Yours for a Partner Dance!

“Miss Carole” Stephens

Macaroni Soup! Active Music for Active Learners!

Go Back To School SINGING!

Hi there!  I'm Miss Carole of Macaroni Soup, and it’s that time again!  Many students are already back in classrooms, and those that aren’t will be there soon.  Preschoolers and Kindergarteners look forward with anticipation, excitement and sometimes a little anxiety.  How do we make the first weeks less stressful and more engaging? 

                               MAKE MUSIC!

Children of all abilities enjoy the experience of making music – singing, dancing, and playing rhythm instruments.  It’s never wasted time!  

• Healthy social interaction and emotional connections made in those first weeks will last all year long.  
• Plus active participation in music is a great platform on which to build early literacy skills such as rhyme, pattern, sequence, vocabulary, and phonological awareness (that's the short list!)
• Children need to connect the neural pathways in their brains in multiple ways - Active Music provides yet another access point.

I love to put a simple little ditty such as “Back To School” into their heads.  It’s a positive message about school, and takes less than 15 seconds to sing!  It's also a steady beat - you can clap it joyfully as you're singing!

  

BACK TO SCHOOL!                           By C. Stephens c.2016

Back to school, back to school            

I’m so glad we’re back to school!

Learning something every day

School is where we learn and play!

Now what’s next?  Add something with motions that are easy to follow and repetitive.  A “zipper song” is perfect – the song repeats itself verse after verse, changing the motion each time.  Think “Old MacDonald Had a Farm” – the animal and animal’s sound changes but the song is basically the same.  

Here’s one of my favorites:

THE WIGGLE SONG

Tune:  “For He’s a Jolly Good Fellow”

My hands are starting to wiggle

My hands are starting to wiggle

My hands are starting to wig-gle

Around and around and around!

Easy, right?  Do what the song tells you to do, turning around in place on the last line.  Now sing it again with “foot”.  Next?  “Hips!”  Yup, it’s Elvis Time!  “Head” – sing it softer so that they do a gentler shaking of their heads.  It’s safer!  If you have space to really get the wiggles going, end with:

Now all of me is a-wiggle

Now all of me is a-wiggle

Now all of me is a-wig-gle

Around and around and around,

Sit down!

Need more help? You can hear a clip of this song on my "Sticky Bubble Gum" cd or on its' Song Of The Month page - HERE, where you'll find even more instructions.  

Next?  What could be more fun than singing the alphabet in different languages?  Um, I mean animal languages!  “There’s a Dog in School” by Bill Wellington is such fun, AND it’s also a zipper song.  Children will get the hang of it quickly.

What are we going to do?

THERE’S A DOG IN SCHOOL

(on my “H.U.M.” cd – listen to it HERE)

There’s a dog in school – OH NO!

What are we going to do?

As long as there’s a dog in school

He’ll have to learn his alphabet, too!

(woof the traditional ABC song – the whole thing!)

For motions – I put hands to cheeks, a la “Home Alone” face for “oh no!”  Questioning hands to sides for second line.  Waggle pointer finger for third line, and hands on hips for fourth line.  But you can make up your own motions, too!

    What other kind of animal could be in school?  Let the children make suggestions.  Be prepared for ALL kinds of animals beyond cats, ducks, etc.  Rabbits?  Let’s all HOP the alphabet!  Giraffes?  Well, I had to do a little research on this one!  The zoo docent told me that giraffes have a very long neck, but no vocal chords, so they can’t make a sound.  What do they do?  They nibble leaves off tall trees – one hand in the air making a mouth opening and closing, and sing the words “nibble nibble, nibble nibble, etc!

    Remember to change the gender of the animal, too – “She’ll have to learn her alphabet, too!” I’ve found that there are lots of male pronouns in music for children – cows, cats and more can be females!

B-I-N-G-O!

Now let’s get dancing!  A simple circle or partner dance will be just the thing.  Try “B-I-N-G-O!” for a great circle dance.  Hear it on my “H.U.M. – Highly UsableMusic”  recording, and check out the complete directions on the Song Of The Month page on my website HERE.  Be sure to do the "surprise ending!"

"Jump Jim Joe" - tap your toe!

OR teach “Jump Jim Joe” – a favorite partner dance for 4’s and older – or start with “The Muffin Man Dance” – for 3’s and younger.  Both were featured in my JANUARY 2015 blog – check it out!

Call it what you want – a brain break, energizer, arts exploration – music and movement are a must for developing healthy brains and bodies! 

              Have you had some music today?

Check out my AUGUST 2015 post for more Back-To-School musical ideas!

Yours for a Back-To-School Song!

"Miss Carole" Stephens

Macaroni Soup!  Active Music for Active Learners!

For information about professional development workshops, concerts and classroom visits contact Carole at 847-384-1404 or carole@macaronisoup.com.

Singing and Dancing - OUTDOORS!

  The sun’s in the sky, the breeze is gentle and what could be better than singing and dancing outdoors!  It’s Miss Carole of MacaroniSoup here, and I’ll keep this blog short and sweet.

  Are you still teaching this summer?  Day camp, year-round school, park district program, youth librarian, daycare provider – get outdoors and lift your voices to the sky!

Children love to sing outdoors – it’s freeing!  Plus there’s often more space for movement and dancing.  

SO, what can you do?  Find a performance venue presenting local professionals – libraries, park districts, or city cultural events.  Perhaps you could meet at the venue that day, or if you’re lucky it’s walk-able!  (I’ll be touring in the Denver area in a few weeks – check my website calendar for specifics – as well as performing around Illinois.)

B-I-N-G-O!

Take your students outside your own location – a small patch of grass can be a great place for a circle dance such as “B-I-N-G-O!” or "Here We Go Looby Loo!"  Need a refresher on that one? It was the topic of my February 2016 blog!

The Shaker Hop!

Bring instruments outdoors and get “The Shaker Hop” going (check it out on my April2016 blog)  – or just shake your sillies out, or have a Marching Band or Parade!

Everyone knows “The Hokey Pokey” – put your hand in, put your hand out…children of all ages love it!  Go on - it's in your head!  "You do the Hokey Pokey and you turn yourself around

  That's what it's all about!"

You can use my version - no lefts/rights and not too fast - on my "Sticky Bubble Gum" cd.

Singing in the Rain - "tongue out

Oh Oh!  There’s “Singing in the Rain”, too!  I wrote all about that in my MARCH 2016 blog.  

   “Children” of all ages love this one!

"Singing in the Rain" - bottoms up!

Jump Jim Joe - round you'll go!

Go on – swing your partner in “Jump Jim Joe!”  Find out more about this one in my January 2015 blog!  It's the second song I highlighted in my topic of songs that promote friendship/good social behavior!

ENJOY THE SUMMER WITH A SONG!

 

...AND TAKE IT OUTDOORS!

Yours for an OUTDOOR Song!

“Miss Carole” Stephens

MacaroniSoup! Active Music for Active Learners!

847-384-1404

For staff development workshops, keynotes, family concerts or school events - call or email Carole - she travels!