Tag Archives: family fun

Are you Un Poco Loco about Disney’s Coco?

miguel and guitar

Have you fallen in love with Disney’s Coco?

This beautifully drawn and animated new movie follows a young boy whose desire to follow his heart and make music takes him all the way to the land of the dead – and back again.  No spoilers here but I can tell you that the movie will delight the youngest to the oldest members of your family.  And it definitely will leave you singing!

One of our favorite songs from the movie is called Un Poco Loco, meaning a little bit crazy. Although it’s not a traditional mariachi song – it’s a new song composed by Germaine Franco and Adrian Molina – it has the wonderful feel and sense of humor of classic songs from this style.

If you speak Spanish, you’ll probably laugh and giggled throughout the song that weaves back and forth through both languages. If you don’t, I’ve shared the lyrics as a cheat sheet with the English translations listed next to the Spanish words.

And, do you want to continue the musical fun after you’ve seen the movie and sung along with this song? Below are several additional activities you can do to learn more about the marvelous music and magic of Mexico!

Un Poco Loco (A Little Bit Crazy)

Miguel sings – What color’s the sky?

¡Ay, mi amor! ¡Ay, mi amor! (Oh! My love, oh my love)

You tell me that it’s red

¡Ay, mi amor! ¡Ay, mi amor! (Oh! My love, oh my love)

Where should I put my shoes
?

¡Ay, mi amor! ¡Ay, mi amor! (Oh! My love, oh my love)

You say, “put them on your head”

¡Ay, mi amor! ¡Ay, mi amor! (Oh! My love, oh my love)

You make me un poco loco (a little bit crazy)

Un poquititito loco (a little, little bit crazy)
poquititito loco (little, little bit crazy)

The way you keep me guessing, I’m nodding and I’m yessing

I’ll count it as a blessing
, That I’m only un poco loco!

 (a little bit crazy)

Héctor sings: 
The loco (crazy) that you make me

It is just un poco crazy (a little bit crazy)

The sense that you’re not making

Miguel sings:
The liberties that you’re taking

Miguel and Héctor sing: 
Leaves my cabeza (head) shaking

You are just un poco loco (a little bit crazy)

Un poquititi-ti-ti-ti-ti-ti-ti-ti-ti-ti-ti-ti-to loco!
(A little, little, little, little, little, little, little bit crazy!)

Mariachi Guitar Coloring PageLinks And Resources

Color A Mariachi Guitar - https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Mariachi-Guitar-Coloring-Page-2511636

Calaveras! Freebie Skull Coloring Page https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Color-the-Dia-De-Los-Muertos-Calavera-Skull-Freebie-4934285

Skull RosieCalaveras! Freebie Skull Coloring Page https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Color-the-Dia-De-Los-Muertos-Calavera-Skull-Freebie-2-4934327

Make a Guiro – https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Make-Your-Own-Latin-American-Guiro-1230266

Three Music Crafts For 5 de Mayo - http://www.tinytappingtoes.com/uncategorized/3-great-music-crafts-for-cinco-de-mayo/

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Play Music On The Porch – This Saturday!

Porch day music iconWe’re excited to share news of a great new day and a great way to bring the family or community together – through music! Check out this guest post from the good folks at Play Music on the Porch Day.

What if for one day everything stopped…and we all just listened to the music?

Imagine, if you can, one day where the sounds of arguments and fighting are replaced with sounds of unity.

One day where those who normally build walls against each other, instead build bridges; note by note.  One day where common ground can be found regardless of your race, religion, culture or differences. For there is a sound that rises above it all.  One day where language is not a barrier. For, what is being communicated porchmusic pixtranscends our many different languages and each person feels in their heart what is understood by all.

A day where all can find shelter, unity and a greater understanding of each other. Where we can celebrate the diverse sounds our world holds.  Play Music on the Porch Day is offering a platform to do just that.  We believe everyone has their own unique sound, let the world hear it.

Join us and share your music and let yourself shine! Together we can light up the world with music!

Register to be added to the map:tinyurl.com/Register4PMOTPD and you can join this amazing group of people ready to make some great music on the 26th!

porch music map

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Posted in Early Learning With Music, Family Fun, Favorite Songs, Music And Community, Special Needs/Kids of All Abilities

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Silly Songs For Kids – Do Your Ears Hang Low?

Adorable girl hearingSinging or learning a silly song with your child is a great tension reliever, a fun way to play with language and creates great family memories.

I bet you know the first part of this classic silly kids song.  But, do you know all the verses?  How about these two?

Do your ears hang wide?
Do they flap from side to side?
Do they wave in the breeze
With the slightest little sneeze?
Can you soar above the nation?
With a feeling of elation?
Do your ears hang wide?

Do your ears fall off?
Does it happen when you cough?
Do they lie there on the ground?
Or bounce around at every sound?
Can you stick them in your pocket
Like a little Davey Crockett?
Do your ears fall off?

The lyric sheet below has the six most popular verses and – I warn you – they are not the easiest thing to sing. Try the words and the hand motions and see if you don’t end up laughing hysterically at how hard this simple little song can be!

What About The Hand Motions?

Naturally, lots of popular kids songs are also action rhymes.  These types of songs are prefect for learning coordination and motor skills – at any age!

I’ve seen quite a few sets of hand motions for this song.  The most popular set of boy scout hand motions are described here:   http://www.scoutorama.com/do-your-ears-hang-low-song

Go Ahead, You Can Sing It!

Some moms, dads and caregivers feel a bit ashamed about singing out loud.   They tell me they don’t have the best voices or can’t carry a tune in a bucket.  No worries.  Most people can manage to hear a tune and most kids will not behave like judges on American Idol… they just want to have fun with you!

And; by the way, the sweetest thing a child will ever hear if a loved one’s voice – so go ahead and belt it out!

A Cute Video Version

Versions of This Song To Avoid

After performing this song for years, I’ve been informed that there are profoundly colorful versions from the US military and one set of off-color lyrics sung by English rugby players.  If you’re looking this song up for your child, you may wish to avoid any of these.

Links and Resources

Find the complete lyrics sheet and printable PDF here:
https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Do-Your-Ears-Hang-Low-Lyric-Sheet-2566376

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Posted in Annoying Songs, Babies and Music, Early Learning With Music, Family Fun, Silly Songs

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You Can Play the Spoons – Just Like On “Dog With A Blog”!

tyler jamesAlthough we don’t watch a lot of t.v., our family has a soft spot in our hearts for any program with adorable animals, especially cute talking animals. So it was no wonder that several of my readers mentioned that a recent episode of “Dog With A Blog” featured the teen named Tyler playing the musical spoons, a topic that we’ve shared several times on Tiny Tapping Toes. And he did a terrific job!

But, if you look closer, he was using two connected spoons, like the ones you see below.  And that sure does make playing the spoons a lot easier. In fact, there’s a big behind-the-scenes look at Dog With A Blog tonight (Thursday, September 24, 2015) and we really hope they share some of their musical spoon outtakes!

Are you intrigued by the spoons? Here’s a quick run-down of tips for playing any kind of spoons you might find!

TWO CONNECTED SPOONS

Ok, this one is simple. You hold the spoon in one hand and tap either side on your knee and your opposite hand. Go back and forth until you create a beat! To get tricky, go back and forth between your hand and any other object, like your shoulder, someone else’s shoulder, the chair you’re sitting on, you get the picture, right?

In short, you’re making a beat by tapping the connected spoons against your hand on one other surface. With a bit of practice, you can make this sound amazing!

TWO UNCONNECTED SPOONS

This is the original way of playing the spoons and does take a bit of coordination. Check out our step-by-step post here and you’ll also find how to make that cool “trill” or “b-r-r-r-r-r!” noise with your spoons”.

http://www.tinytappingtoes.com/tag/how-to-play-the-spoons/

TAPPING SPOONS WITH TINY TOTS

Okay, the last two were rather tricky and required lots of motor skills to accomplish. You can also feel free to play the spoons with young children by using them like rhythm sticks. Tap them gently together to make a beat. Sit opposite your child and tap the spoons together, making a beat while singing a song or playing music. Have your child match your movements to make the beat, too!

It’s a simple rhythm and music game with items that everyone has around their house. And; yes, you can use plastic spoons as well!

Russian wooden spoonsWOODEN SPOONS IN RUSSIA

It’s probably not surprising that other cultures discovered these everyday items could be used for as musical fun.Russian musical spoons, known as lozhki (Ло́жки), are the beautifully carved and decorated wooden spoons famous in that region of the world.

If you’d like to check out that form of musical spoons including some truly sensational hand (and foot) work, check out this post and video from Making Multicultural Music, below.

SPOONING FOR VIDEOS!

Want to see musical spoons in action? Here’s one American spoon video and one that features a Russian spoon expert.

Musical Spoons – American Style  http://multikidsmusicvids.com/?p=1519

Russian Musical Spoons   https://makingmulticulturalmusic.wordpress.com/tag/russian-spoons/

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Posted in Early Learning With Music, Family Fun, First Instruments, Simple Instruments

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Turn a Milk Jug Into a Recycled Shekere

recycled shekeres in classDo you know the three R’s? Reduce, Reuse and Recycle.

How about the four “R’s”?   Reduce, Reuse, Recycle… and Rock Out! While you’re going greener and thinking about reducing or reusing plastic, here’s a fun way to turn large containers into child-size versions of African shekeres.

What’s a Shekere?

I wonder if shekeres were “original recycling projects”. Perhaps someone looked at dried gourds and decided they could be made into musical instruments. To do this, a netting of beads (called a skirt) was crafted around the gourd and small beads, seeds or shells were strung in the fiber to create the sound of the instrument. Most music historians believe the shekere began in West Africa but can now be found with variations in size, beadwork, shape and manner of playing throughout the African continent and around the world.

A Milk Jug Shekere

Since you probably have more plastic containers than cleaned and dried gourds, start by finding an empty milk jug, large water bottle or similar item from your recycling bin. Before you begin, make sure it fits nicely into your child’s hands.

Recycled shekere plus paper to beadBeading With Stickers or Markers

Doing intricate crafts like beading is great fun but takes practice and patience, plus motor skills that can be a difficult for small children. Here’s an easy alternative.

If your container is clear and clean, you can place stickers directly onto the plastic bottle or draw “beads” with markers, making colorful patterns or shapes. If there’s a label on the container, you can cut out a piece of poster board or construction paper to fit the container and lay the paper flat. This makes for easy “sticker beading” and a fun way to explore patterns, shapes and colors with your young child.

If you’re working with a classroom of kids or have a limited time to do this project, you can skip the aspect of trying to “bead” the shekere and allow the kids to simply decorate the outside of the container.

Sounding Good!

mini shekere for storeIn traditional shekeres, the sound comes from the beads or seeds rattling on the outside of the gourd. In our recycled version, we’ll need to add something inside the container to create the sound.   Here are some suggestions for a quieter recycled shekere: sand, salt, sugar, tiny pasta (like acini de pepi), seed beads, Q-tips and paper clips. Here are some fillings you can use to create a louder instrument: pebbles, dried pasta, dried beans, popcorn kernels, marbles or pennies.

Once you’ve filled your shekere and you like the sound it makes. Put the cap on and seal it into place with heavy duty tape to keep this project child-safe.

plastic shekereTime to Play

Although a shekere is a rattle, there’s a lot of different ways you can play it. Here are some playing suggestions:

Hold the handle and shake.

Hold both sides and rattle the contents back and forth.

Hold both sides and toss it gently while twisting it.

Hold it vertically and toss it gently from hand to hand.

Peru_Preschool_ShakureSit a short distance from a friend and toss it back and forth.

With a group of children, sit in a circle and toss it from child to child around the circle.

Try any of the above ideas while singing or while music is playing. Try to shake along to the beat.

Links and Resources

Hear A Shekere

http://www.dariamusic.com/shekere.php

Color a Shekere Online

http://www.dariamusic.com/color_Shekere.php

Bead an African Shekere

https://makingmulticulturalmusic.wordpress.com/2013/12/04/bead-your-own-african-shekere/

2 recycled smilk jug shekeresMake a Classroom Shekere (From A Gourd)

http://tinytappingtoes.wordpress.com/2013/08/05/easy-gourd-shekere-for-a-child-or-a-classroom/

An Alphabet Shekere Game

http://www.trueaimeducation.com/2012/10/guest-post-learning-letters-with-an-alphabet-shekere.html

Sekere.com – Beaded Sekeres from Master Craftswoman, Sara Fabunmi

http://www.sekere.com

Cultural Value of the Shekere, Article By Sara Fabunmi

https://makingmulticulturalmusic.wordpress.com/2011/10/25/the-cultural-value-of-the-sekere/

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Posted in African Music, Classroom Music, Early Learning With Music, Ecology/Nature, Family Fun, First Instruments, Homeschool Musical Fun, Musical Crafts, Simple Instruments, Special Needs/Kids of All Abilities

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Make Your Own Bolang Gu – Chinese Pellet Drum!

doggy bolang gu

The Chinese Lunar New Year is quickly approaching!   Here’s a fun musical craft for one of the most popular noise-makers played by children at this time of year.

The Bolang Gu (波浪鼓；pinyin: bo lang gu) is a simple instrument also called a monkey drum, a pellet drum or a rattle drum.  It’s  a two-sided drum with small beads or pellets attached to it’s sides. When the drum is played the pellets bounce off both sides and create a really unique sound.  Although these clever little instruments are often used by street vendors and seen as children’s toys, they also date back to ceremonies held in the Song Dynasty of China and are part of religious rituals in Tibet, Mongolia, India, and Taiwan.

Make Your Own Bolang Gu

Bolang gu suppliesMaking your own version of this creative little craft is easy.  The supplies you need for one drum are: 2 paper plates, 1 cardboard paper towel roll, stapler, tape, a bit of string or twine, 2 beads and any materials you like for decoration.

Decorate Your Drum

If you’re going to decorate your plates, it helps to do this first. In fact, it can be a good idea to have many plates and try lots of designs, then select your favorites for the two faces of your drum.

What themes to use for your decorations? Choose any of the Chinese zodiac animals, Chinese calligraphy, Chinese New Year printables or whatever else inspires you! Once your plates are created, move on to the next step.

Assemble Your Drum

Place your two paper plates “back-to-back”. Apply a few staples to hold them in place. Press the top part of your cardboard tube together slightly and insert about 1 – 2 inches inside the paper plates, where you want the handle to be. Bolang Gu halfway craftContinue stapling around the plates until you reach the other side and staple right up to the handle. This should hold it firmly in place, but you can also add decorative tape to make it even more sturdy and to add a design element.

Add the Pellets

Now it’s time to add the beads. Start my making two holes on the right and left side of the drum halfway up the paper plates. Use a hole punch to make your 2 holes or have an adult help by poking the holes in the paper plates with the tip of a nail or an awl. Knot a bead onto a small piece of string, twine or embroidery thread and tie onto each side, leaving about 2 – 3 inches of string. The length of string allows the beads to bounce back and forth to create the signature sound of the drum.

Play Your Drum

Although this little drum looks so simple, there are actually quite a few ways to play it. Place the handle between two hands and “rub” back and forth for the classic sound effect of a monkey drum. Or hold in one hand and rotate the drum back and forth while you move your arm like a dancer. In fact, if you take a look at the video below, the three dancers are using bolang gu as part of a wonderful and energetic dance routine.

Feel free to get just as creative and make up your own moves and inventive ways to make music with your new drum!

Links And Resources

Make a Bolang Gu -  Activity PDF:  https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Monkey-Drum-Chinese-New-Year-Drum-Craft-1748044

colorful brown dog screensnapMake Your Own Chinese Gong – https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Make-Your-Own-Chinese-Gong-From-Recycled-Materials-486935

Year of the Dog Artwork https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Chinese-New-Year-Brown-Dog-Art-Work-for-2-Musical-Crafts-3644746

Color an Erhu – A Two-Stringed Chinese Violin https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/The-Erhu-Chinese-Violin-Instruments-From-Around-The-World-1037355

Gong Xi Gong Xi- About The Song Plus Lyrics https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/A-Chinese-New-year-Song-Gong-Xi-Gong-Xi-3629545

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Posted in Chinese (Mandarin), Classroom Music, Early Learning With Music, Family Fun, First Instruments, Homeschool Musical Fun, Musical Crafts, Simple Instruments

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Go Ahead, Play With The Box – A Little Box Instrument From Peru

cajita on grass (homemade)It’s almost a cliche. A child is given a special present and they prefer to play with the box!

But, did you know that in Peru, there are two different types of boxes that are actually used as instruments?  We’ve already shared a post about a cajón, a box drum from Afro-Peruvian culture that you can make at home (link below). Now we’d like to show you another box instrument called the cajita. Making and playing a cajita is a wonderful way to develop motor skills, explore rhythms, discover new music and just plain have fun!

WHAT IS A CAJITA?

The cajita is a small, hexagonal box that comes from Afro-Peruvian culture. Originally, it was used to collect donations in Catholic churches. The altar boys wore the donation box around their necks as they collected the offerings. Then; after they removed the money intended for the church, they used the box as a percussion instrument.

josef plays cajitaHow did they make music with a cajita? They opened and closed the lid for one sound. They took a small stick and tapped the sides and top, for another sound. They opened the lid and “stirred” the inside for still another type of percussion. And then they mixed all those different sounds together.

Since it might be a bit hard to imagine, here’s a short video with two cajitas and one cajón (box drum) that will demonstrate what it looks and sounds like.

MAKING A HOMEMADE CAJITA

Making a wooden box cajita requires special materials as well as woodworking tools and skills.  A bit easier to create is a cigar box cajita which is sturdy enough to be played like the real thing, but can be made from some basic materials and supplies found around almost any home.

Here’s what you need to create a cigar box cajita.

SUPPLIES

Cigar box
Small knob and matching screw (knobs from kitchen cabinets or small dressers work perfectly)
Hammer and nail or awl tool (to make a hole for the knob to be inserted in lid)
Two dowels or sticks – about 8” in length
Materials for decorating such as paint, construction paper, stickers, glitter and glue

DECORATE A HOMEMADE CAJITA

homemade cajita (inside)If you’d like to decorate your cajita, begin this project by personalizing the cigar box. You can paint it, decoupage it, add stickers, construction paper or glitter and glue to make it unique. Since you’ll be opening and closing the lid, you may want to decorate the inside as well as the outside.

Next, add the knob so you can easily lift the cajita’s lid up and down. To do this, the adult can help with the process of hammering a small nail or using an awl to pierce a hole in the lid of the box. Position that hole in the exact center of the box, about an inch or so away from the edge of the lid that opens up. Once the hole is created, it’s easy to insert the knob in the top of the box and use the screw to tighten it into place. Now you should be able to open and close the lid of the box easily.

Finally, cut two wooden dowels. One will weigh down your box so you can play your instrument without the cajita bouncing up and down.  The other will be the playing stick that you use to tap and play your instrument. If possible, cut the first dowel to a length just a bit short of the inner width of the box.  Glue the dowel in place in the inner front of the box and leave it to dry. In the meantime, cut and decorate your second dowel. This one can be any length that is comfortable to hold in your hand while playing.

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERATIME TO JAM

Now the musical fun begins. If you’ve watched the video above and are ready to dive right in, then skip this section. If you prefer some playing tips, here are some good suggestions to get you started.

Get to know your cajita by tapping the sides and the front and making a rhythm pattern. Notice how each sound is a bit different. Try something like “front, front, side. Front, front side.” Try a similar pattern with the sides and the top. Later, add the sound of the lid opening and closing. Since this can sometimes feel like “rubbing your stomach and patting your head”, it’s best to start with simpler patterns and then work up to more complicated ones. If working with younger children, it can be good to let them explore the instrument before trying to play specific patterns.

You can also put on any type of music and allow your child to create a beat that goes along with it.

A CAJITA JAM AS A GROUP

After getting the hang of creating rhythms with a cajita, you can play as a group, with several cajitas or with different instruments playing together as well. This can be a fun way of building rhythm in a classroom or a homeschool setting because each child or person hears how their musical part plays an important role in the overall beat.

An easy way to start a jam is to have one person – like the cajita player – play a very simple pattern such as opening and closing the lid. The next person adds another sound, the third and forth, add their own simple parts. If you check out this jam, you’ll see how the rhythm starts on one instrument (a quijada jawbone), the cajita is added next and finally, a large cajón (or box drum) joins in.

Links and Resources

What Us A Cajita? https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/What-Is-A-Cajita-Latin-American-Percussion-Instrument-1388694

Make Your Own Cajón Box Drum – Free From TeachersPayTeachers

http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/The-Cajon-Make-And-Play-Your-Own-Box-Drum-1236616

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Posted in Classroom Music, Early Learning With Music, Family Fun, First Instruments, Hispanic Music, Homeschool Musical Fun, Musical Crafts, Simple Instruments

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Best Instruments For Young Children – A “Play By The Numbers” Dulcimer!

dulcimer black + white coloring pageThis simple and satisfying “first instrument” is a lot of fun and  introduces any child or grown-up to the basic skills needed to play any fretted, stringed instrument such as the guitar, ukulele or mandolin.

Play For A Child, With A Child, Or Let The Child Play!

Learning an instrument with a child is a great way to teach them about the learning process.  It can be helpful for a child to see that every person continues to learn throughout their lifetime and how that process works.  Watching you try to play and struggle a bit, then persist, and succeed teaches persistence, patience and determination.  Learning a simple instrument – even with the ups and downs involved – is a great way to bond with a child while building musical skills at the same time!

josef and dulcimerPlay By Numbers

Play-By-Numbers song sheets for the tin can dulcimer or any dulcimer are just as easy as they sound.   Each number corresponds to a “fret”, one of the long spaces you’ll find on the fretboard of your instrument.  To play, push down gently but firmly at the center of each fret and then strum or pluck the string with the other hand.

If the songbook says 2, then press the 2nd fret in the middle and strum until you get a good sound.  Get the picture?  And if you see a “0”, that simply means to pluck or strum the instrument without holding down any fret.

Play By Numbers Songs

Want to start with an easy song?  How about “Mary Had A Little Lamb”?

5   4   3   4   4   5   5    5             4   4   4        5   7   7
Mary Had A little Lamb, Little Lamb, Little Lamb

5   4   3   4           5   5    5
Mary Had A little Lamb,

5        4      4           5      4     3
It’s fleece was white as snow

“Happy Birthday” By The Numbers

Here’s “Happy Birthday” on the Appalachian lap dulcimer.  Numbers for both “Happy Birthday” and “Feliz Cumpleaños”, a Spanish version of that song, are below.

0               1      0      3   2        0           1   0          4    3
Happy Birthday to you.  Happy Birthday to you.

0              7    5          3       2      1                         6     5        3         4     3
Happy Birthday, dear (add their name), Happy Birthday to you.

0             1  0   3  2      0      1   0    4  3
Cumpleaños feliz, te deseamos a ti.

0               7 5  3  2  1   6     5   3  4      3
Cumpleaños felizes, te deseamos a ti.

Have any questions about these instruments?  These are two instruments I really enjoy playing so I’d be happy to answer your questions.  Drop me a line in the comments section below.

Links And Resources

Freebie Dulcimer Coloring Page (Follow Me On TPT for more freebies like this!) https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Appalachian-Dulcimer-Free-Coloring-Page-3863460

Post On The Tin Can Dulcimer
http://www.tinytappingtoes.com/classroom-music/best-first-instruments-for-kids-a-tin-can-dulcimer/

Hear A Dulcimer   
http://www.dariamusic.com/dulcimer.php
Hear A Dulcimer Song   
http://www.dariamusic.com/dulcimer.php
Color A Dulcimer (Online)  
http://www.dariamusic.com/color_Dulcimer.php

 

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Posted in Early Learning With Music, Family Fun, First Instruments, Homeschool Musical Fun, Simple Instruments, Special Needs/Kids of All Abilities

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Best “First” Instruments For Kids – A Tin Can Dulcimer!

bean can instrumentIf you can count, you can play this instrument.

It’s just that easy!

This simple one-stringed instrument made from a humble tin can is a great confidence booster for either young kids or adults who may doubt their musical ability.  Constructed like an Appalachian (stringed) dulcimer, you can play any note up and down the fretboard and sound great!  And check out the “play-by-the-numbers” songs or songbook and you’ll be able to master songs you recognize literally within minutes.  What fun!

It’s Bigger Cousin – The Dulcimer

The stringed dulcimer from Appalachia is a really similar instrument made with a wooden body and a few more strings.  If you’d like to see one, color one or hear one being played, check out the links below. This tin can instrument simplifies it even more.  There’s only one string to play and a long fretboard marked with numbers.  To play it, you read the numbers to the song and push down the correct fret with your fingers.

fretboard yellowWhat’s A Fret?  Don’t Fret About It!

Okay, pardon my pun here.  The frets are the long spaces on the  fretboard.   When playing the instrument, push down gently but firmly at the center of each space – or fret- and then strum or pluck the string with the other hand.

So if the songbook says 3 – 4 – 5.  They press down of the 3rd fret in the middle, the 4th fret in the middle and the 5th fret in the middle.

And if you see a “0”, that just means to pluck or strum the instrument without holding down any fret.

can and picks yellowPick-Ing It All Up!

You might want to pluck the one string with your fingers, but most folks prefer a pick.  That’s a tough piece of plastic shaped in a teardrop or triangular shape used to strum over the strings.  Some picks are softer and some are harder.  If you have a few picks from a music store, try them out and see which ones you like the best.  It not, cut up a milk jug or a similar piece of tougher recycled plastic (like a coffee can lid) and make your own.

What Does It Sound Like?

The tin can instrument is a ton of fun.  Check it out here as we play the first song we learned on it – “Oh When The Saints Go Marching In”.

Links And Resources

Hear A Dulcimer
http://www.dariamusic.com/dulcimer.php

Hear A Dulcimer Song
http://www.dariamusic.com/dulcimer.php

Color A Dulcimer (Online)
http://www.dariamusic.com/color_Dulcimer.php

 

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Posted in Classroom Music, Early Learning With Music, Family Fun, First Instruments, Homeschool Musical Fun

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More Annoying Songs To Sing (Or Avoid)!

Screen shot 2014-07-07 at 1.00.10 PMHere are more of our reader’s top choices for songs they love to hate!  Silly, repetitive and definitely earworms, these songs might be fun to share during a ride in the car – or not!

Both of these are “infinite loop” songs. The first one comes from a reader in Northeastern Pennsylvania, where they have plenty of bears and mountains.

The Bear Went Over The Mountain

The bear went over the mountain
The bear went over the mountain
The bear went over the mountain
And what do you think he saw?

He saw another mountain
He saw another mountain
He saw another mountain
And what do you think he did?

Back to… verse 1

And who could forget that not-so-merry old kind of England?

Henry The 8th

I’m Henry The 8th, I am
Henry the 8th, I am I am
I got married to the widow next door
She’s been married 7 times before
And everyone was a Hen- er – y
Wouldn’t be a Willy or a Sam (oh no!)

I’m an 8th old man, I’m Henry
Henry the 8th, I am I am
Henry the 8th, I am I am

(Spoken: Second verse, same as the first
A little bit louder and a little bit worse)

That last part really says it all!

And although these songs are not “infinite loops”, here are two more songs that kept coming up in our readers comments.  The first was  Magdalena, Hagdalena- or one of her many incarnations.  You can read about all of them, right here:

http://www.tinytappingtoes.com/family-fun-2/magdalena-hagdalena-and-her-many-aliases/

And “Do Your Ears Hang Low?” and it’s many, many verses.  You can find a post about that one, here:

http://www.tinytappingtoes.com/babies-and-music/silly-songs-for-kids-do-your-ears-hang-low/

And,  let us know if we’ve missed any of your favorites…!

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Posted in Annoying Songs, Babies and Music, Family Fun, Favorite Songs, Homeschool Musical Fun

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