What's the potential of underprivileged children compared to children born to affluent families?

By the age of 4 children of professional families had heard 48 million words spoken to them and children of welfare families had heard only about 13 million words.
NPR article on talking to your child- newborn to 4

It's not only words, it's interactions and more. Is it possible to take a group of at risk babies and change their lives through a Kindermusik class that will coach the parents in how to talk and interact positively to their babies? I believe so.

Please vote for my grant idea to teach a Kindermusik class to the teen parents at the YWCA's MotherLove program. Go to this link and vote 10 x per 24 hours. There will be 5 grants awarded. I believe that by getting this class into action I will find other interested sponsors to make this project a permanent program.

I thank you......The babies thank you.

Free Music and Movement for Teen Parents and Their Babies

Help me win this grant! Please go to http://hive2.wizehive.com/voting/view/kindermusik/0/89919 and vote for my proposal 10 times every day till Feb 9th! Thank you friends!

I have been trying to find support for offering a class to teen parents for years! I know the parenting information AND the music will affect the young parents and of course music is magical for the babies...I believe I can help break the cycle they find themselves in.

Thank you for your support!

COOKIES!!!

 

National Cookie Day

Milk and Cookies! Yummy in my tummy! What's your favorite kind?

And since today is NATIONAL COOKIE DAY how about dancing "All Around the Kitchen" and act out your "Cookies" book. Find some recipes in your family activity book.

While you are enjoying your cookies here's an interesting article about how different personalities eat gingerbread man cookies.

Here's a crumb of cookie trivia: 

With all of the different varieties of cookies that are baked around the holidays, National Cookie Day seems to fall perfectly on the calendar!

Did you know that the English word "cookie" is derived from the Dutch word "koekje," which means little cake? Dutch bakers used to test oven temperatures on small amounts of batter so that they would not waste the entire cake mix if the temperature wasn't right. It was not long though before they discovered that these tiny pieces of cooked batter were actually quite tasty! Thus, the birth of the cookie. 

Cookies come in all different flavors, shapes, and sizes. To celebrate National Cookie Day, bake a few batches of your favorite cookies, then invite your friends over to trade cookies and recipes!

Enjoy your time together!

Kindermusik kids grow up ......

Then they play in orchestras like this! I know 'cuz there's one of mine in there!
(Hi Claire!)
Happy holidays all!

Music goes beyond words....

NPR's Melissa Block talks to violinist Lynn Chang, who will be playing at the Nobel Peace Prize ceremony on Dec. 10, honoring Chinese writer and human rights activist Liu Xiaobo. 

Chang said "An artist plays to educate, to entertain, to illuminate, but here, it's a much deeper purpose. We're trying to finish in music where words are left off." 

So beautiful and so true. I hope you will listen to this article as Chang plays his violin at the end. He plays a beautiful tune called "Jasmine Flower" and I could hum along. I recognized it instantly. It's on this CD! If you click below on the picture you can scroll down at the Play.Kindermusik.com site and hear a sample of the Kindermusik arrangement.

 

Isn't this another really wonderful reason to love Kindermusik? Babies who've listened to Kindermusik CDs have experienced a wide, wide variety of music. They already can appreciate the different timbres, tonalities and textures of music from around the world.

Fun in a BOX. Christmas gift....the best.

Here is our fun way of practicing self control...waiting and waiting...and having a great time with a box!

Younger children are just beginning the concept of understanding time, wiating and even making predictions about the future. Time isn't something you can point to! Steven will be better able to wait longer because we allowed him to determine how long he should wait. Playing this game at home will give opportunities for practicing and children love this game so much they may surprise you by keeping you singing the toast song for a looooooooong time before they pop!


A big box or a large piece of fabric is a great holiday gift for a child of this age. The open-ended objects stimulate imagination, creativity and problem solving. AND they leave room in the budget for more KINDERMUSIK! (the gift that keeps on giving!) Studies show that subsequent semesters of Kindermusik help children with inhibitory control and self control in upcoming school years.
Waiting in a box, stop and go songs and games, tapping shakers to a steady beat all help with body control, the beginning of self control (including the ability to think before we speak).

So think before you give them the latest electronic toys that have narrow imaginative possibilities. Think about 15 weeks of musical fun, musical learning, musical togetherness that these children thrive on and you will cherish. Kindermusik....a good beginning never ends.

The new semester will be online next week. Gift certificates are available: email singandtwirl@gmail.com.

Have fun singing and twirling in the kitchen this week!
Yvette

Kindermusik with Yvette begins this week Wednesday!

FINALLY!!! Here we GO!!!
Classes begin Wednesday in Arden: at Skyland United Methodist Church on Hendersonville Rd. See this link for directions.  It is just up the road!

Weaverville classes begin on Friday and the Asheville Arts Center begins Thursday.

There is still space in SOME classes. See the post below for the complete schedule and click on the class of your choice to register on line.
You don't want to miss this fun. If you're new to the idea then email and I'll invite you to visit a class. Just don't let those little ones grow up before you get in!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mIPThKrwVTM