Category Archives: Babies and Music

Que Llueva – A Favorite Rhyme From Ecuador

Children’s nursery rhymes are a wonderful way to bond with your child. They are perfect for sharing and encouraging a second language and also for parents who may feel shy about singing to their child.

We are excited to have this first guest post in our Children’s Rhymes From Around The World Series contributed by Linda Lopez-Stone. Her blog, Hispanic Mama, Empowering Through Heritage And Language, can be found at the links below.

que-llueva-image

My favorite time of the year in Ecuador is winter. This is the season when families visit the beach and kids spend more time playing outdoors since schools are closed. Because of the country’s location, winters in the coastal area of Ecuador are hot and rainy.

I remember how the rain felt as the perfect combination for those hot afternoons of outdoor play with the kids of the neighborhood. As soon as we started feeling the first drops of water, we would sing with joy: “¡ Que llueva! ¡ Que llueva!” (Let it rain! Let it rain!)

The rain was also very welcomed by the farmers. It meant that their cosechas (crops) were going to be lucrative. This was especially important for a country where a considerable portion of its economy was dependent on agriculture. I bet the farmers were also singing with excitement: “¡ Que llueva! ¡ Que llueva!”

Although I do not live in Ecuador anymore, I still get excited when I see the first signs of the rain. It symbolizes the joy of my childhood and reminds me of the hope of many people in Ecuador. The rain would always make me happy!

Que Llueva – Spanish Lyrics
¡ Que llueva! ¡ Que llueva!
El quetzal está en la cueva.
¡ Qué llueva! ¡ Qué llueva!
El quetzal está en la cueva.
Los pajaritos cantan
Las nubes se levantan.
Que sí, que no
Que caiga un chaparrón.

Let it Rain – English Lyrics
Let it rain! Let it rain!
The Quetzal is in the cave.
Let it rain! Let it rain!
The Quetzal is in the cave
The little birds are singing
The clouds rise up.
Oh yes, oh no
Let there be a downpour
Oh yes, oh no
Let there be a downpour

Here’s a version of Que Llueva that adds 5 extra verses. It starts with the quetzal bird in the cave and then adds verses with a condor, a turtle, a snake, a llama and a deer! The repetition is wonderful for learning the song and building vocabulary in Spanish.

- Linda López-Stone    Linda is a Latina millennial mom and a bilingual writer sharing stories about bicultural and bilingual life in Raleigh, NC. Discover her blog at: http://hispanicmama.com/

Links and Resources

Que Llueve – Sheet Music From Mama Lisa’s World (a slightly different version of the song) http://www.mamalisa.com/?t=es&p=557

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Posted in Babies and Music, Classroom Music, Early Learning With Music, Favorite Songs, Hispanic Music, Multicultural Music, Silly Songs

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Sing a Song In The Ladino Language!

ora-de-coverThis week we welcome a guest post from Sarah Aroeste, a wonderful  musician who writes and sings in the Ladino language. She’s teaching us a beautiful little song about the family from her children’s  album – Ora De Despertar. If you speak Spanish, many of the words and sounds will be very familiar. If you don’t speak Spanish or Ladino, you’ll still love learning, singing and sharing the song “My Famiya” (My Family).

My Ladino Family By Sarah Aroeste

Being a songwriter in an endangered language can present many challenges. Not least of which is that many people have never even heard of said language, Ladino, let alone children! Also known as Judeo-Spanish, Ladino is a hidden gem of world culture. Based in 15th century Castilian Spanish, Ladino is the language that developed out of the Jewish expulsion from Spain in 1492. When Jews, among others, were kicked out of Spain for not practicing Catholicism, they took the Spanish they had been speaking and combined it with bits and pieces of languages taken from the countries where they ended up settling, primarily across the Mediterranean and North Africa. With Spanish at its core, Ladino includes words in Portuguese, French, Italian, Arabic, Greek, Turkish, Hebrew and more. It is truly a pan-Mediterranean language, one that was spoken for hundreds of years by thousands of people. And it still exists today! It was the first language of my grandfather, and now I am doing all I can to ensure that it survives for my children, too.

In that spirit, I wanted to create materials for families to make learning Ladino as easy and fun as possible! The Ora de Despertar (Time to Wake Up!) project includes all-original Ladino songs with themes ranging from morning rituals, mealtimes, parts of the body, animals on a farm and much more. There’s also an animated cartoon series, songbook, and teaching guide! I want to make sure that anyone who is interested in learning about this important part of world culture will have the resources to do so—in a catchy, engaging way!

So here’s a song that is easy and fun for all to learn—My Famiya (My Family!). I wanted to teach some basic words about some family members (son, daughter, mother, father), as well as some basic pronouns (me, you, we). I also wanted to teach people how to say “I love you” in Ladino! Te kero bien. Try it! If you can say that, then you’ve pretty much got the song covered.

The song is very repeatable, and I suggest pointing to yourself for the “Yo” verse, pointing to a neighbor for the “Tu” verse, and then dancing all together for the “Mozotros” verse. Most importantly, you should just have fun with whoever you’re singing it with!

03 Mi Famiya from Sarah Aroeste on https://vimeo.com”>Vimeo.

My Famiya – Lyrics:

Te kero bien, sos mi kerido, sos mi kerido ijiko

(I love you, you are my dear one, you are my dear son)

Te kero bien, sos mi kerida, sos mi kerida ijika

(I love you, you are my dear one, you are my dear daughter)

Te kero bien, sos mi kerido, sos mi kerida kriatura

(I love you, you are my dear one, you are my dear child)

 

Te kero bien, sos mi kerida, sos mi kerida mama

(I love you, you are my dear one, you are my dear mother)

Te kero bien, sos mi kerido, sos mi kerido papa

(I love you, you are my dear one, you are my dear father)

Vos kero bien, sosh mis keridos, sosh mi kerida famiya

(I love you, you are my dear one, you are my dear family)

 

Yo yo yo…Tu tu tu…Mozotros mozotros mozotros…

(Me, me, me…You, you, you…We, we, we…)

 

For more songs and information on Sarah, check out her website at:  www.saraharoeste.com

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Posted in Babies and Music, Early Learning With Music, Family Fun, Favorite Songs, Hispanic Music

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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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Kaleidoscope Rattles

kaleidoscope rattle and shayHave you ever looked through a kaleidoscope to see an ever-changing array of beautiful colors?

Here’s a fun little rattle that creates a lovely flow of colors when it’s played. And it’s nice and quiet so it’s perfect for music-making with a large group of children or for kids who have noise sensitivity. It’s also one of our favorite projects for creating with kids on the autistic spectrum as it’s fun to make, easy to control and the sound is soothing and not harsh or abrupt.

Here’s what you need to make your own kaleidoscope rattles.

Supplies

Clear Recycled Plastic Bottles (like from water or juice) with a lid
Q-tips
Washable markers
Electric tape (for sealing the rattles)

What To Do

Clean and dry the plastic bottles thoroughly. You can do this easily by rinsing them out and placing them upside down in a regular glass or a jar.

Kaleidoscope Q tipsNext take the washable markers and color the tips of the Q-tips any color that you like.  Color as many as you like and drop them into the bottle.

Every so often, shake the bottle to see if you like the sound. The tone of the rattle will change each time you add another Q-tip to the container!

When you’re satisfied with the array of color and the sound of the rattle, put the lid on and seal it up with electrical tape to keep the contents inside.

Time To Play!

kaleidoscope tableShaking the rattle around in a circular motion displays a wonderful changing series of colors.  But since this is a rattle, you can play it any way you like. Shake it up and down, side to side or get up and dance with it!

Shake it along with a favorite song that you love to sing. Or play along to recorded music. Make several and compare the sounds as well as the colors as you enjoy your handiwork.

Have fun and keep making music!

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

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Noisemakers New Years Eve Craft!

Octopus rattle on greenHow will you celebrate New Year’s Eve?

It’s almost impossible to think of New Year’s Eve without some kind of noise-makers! Many adults have fond memories of banging on pots and pans, blowing toy horns and generally marking the arrival of a New Year with lots of sound and merriment!

Over the next few days, we’re sharing some simple, recycled crafts you can make with your children to ring in the New Year with joyful noise!

Crazy Octopus Rattles

These recycled rattles are easy to make and hold for even the youngest of Octopus rattle supplieschildren. They’re fun to shake without being overly loud. The supplies are found around any home and include wrapping paper (or toilet paper rolls), tape, colorful tape and ribbon or yarn.

How To Make It

Cut the wrapping paper rolls (or toilet paper rolls) into smalls sections. If you like, add stickers to the little sections or you can even paint them, if you have the extra time!

When the sections are ready, reserve two sections for the handle. Cut lengths of yarn or ribbon about 12 – 18” long, making each one slightly different in length. Then, the child can string each of the remaining sections onto a length of yarn or ribbon. The adult can help thread the yarn through one remaining section and octopus rattle halfway throughtape it into place. Although this might look a bit messy during the process, it will be covered up by the handle when the project is complete.

When you’ve strung a number of sections (8 for an octopus) you can add the handle. Cut the last section and slip it over the section where the yarn or ribbon is taped to form a sturdy handle. Cover the handle with colorful electrical tape, fancy duct tape or washi tape to look more decorative for the New Year!

How To Play

Shake it up… shake it down. Shake it all around. Especially at midnight or the hour you’re marking as New Years Eve! Make several with different colors or materials. Add some extra jingle bells, if you like.

And have a merry, musical New Year’s Eve!

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Posted in Babies and Music, Early Learning With Music, Family Fun, First Instruments, Homeschool Musical Fun, Musical Crafts

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Shake Them Skeleton Bones!

skeleton pngJust in time for Halloween, here’s a cute kid’s version of the African-American spiritual song, Dry Bones (or Dem Bones). It’s really fun for this time of year plus a great way to learn or quiz the bones in the human body.

And, don’t you just love when you can dance around, make music and learn something new all at the same time?

LYRICS TO THE SKELETON BONES SONG

Them Bones, them skeleton dry bones
Them Bones, them skeleton dry bones
Them Bones, them skeleton dry bones
Let’s shake them skelton bones

The toe bone’s connected to the foot bone
The foot bone’s connected to the ankle bone
The ankle bone’s connected to the leg bone
Let’s shake them skeleton bones

The leg bone’s connected to the knee bone
The knee bone’s connected to the thigh bone
The thigh bone bone’s connected to the hip bone
Let’s shake them skeleton bones

The hip bone’s connected to the back bone
The back bone’s connected to the neck bone
The neck bone bone’s connected to the head bone
And… shake them skeleton bones

Them Bones, them skeleton dry bones
Them Bones, them skeleton dry bones
Them Bones, them skeleton dry bones
Let’s shake them skeleton bones

Then backwards…From the head bone to the toe bone

Who Wrote The Dry Bones Song?

Do you remember the actual Dry Bones or Dem Bones song? Here’s more about the actual song that’s being parodied here.

Who Wrote The Dry Bones Song?

https://makingmulticulturalmusic.wordpress.com/2015/10/25/the-story-behind-the-dry-bones-song/

Guitar Chords For “Dry Bones”

http://www.chordie.com/chord.pere/www.gospelmusic.org.uk/a-g/dry_bones.htm

The Dry Bones Song By The Delta Rhythm Boys http://multikidsmusicvids.com/?p=1535

Links and Resources

Craft a spooky Halloween rattle based on a real jawbone instrument! http://www.tinytappingtoes.com/classroom-music/shake-them-rattles-and-bones/

Two Great Interactive Halloween songs – In English and Spanish

http://www.tinytappingtoes.com/babies-and-music/halloween-musical-fun-in-english-and-spanish/

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Posted in Babies and Music, Classroom Music, Early Learning With Music, Favorite Songs, Halloween, Homeschool Musical Fun, Silly Songs

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Halloween Musical Fun – In English and Spanish!

This week we’re excited to have a Halloween guest post from a wonderful children’s artist who delights audiences near her home base in Florida – and around the world.  Meet Alina Celeste and check out  two of her favorite picks for English and Spanish Halloween musical fun!

Screen shot 2015-10-13 at 11.28.36 AMAutumn is always a crazy time for teachers, parents and homeschooling families. Most people are still adjusting to a new school year and there are so many holidays and events! Halloween is a fun one, and lends itself to all sorts of lesson plans and crafts. I’ve recently posted these two songs on my YouTube page, they were always a big hit with my students and their families.

The first song, One Little Owl, is an old English Folk song, it has a slightly sad and spooky feel even in its original form, so it seemed an obvious transition to put Zombies, Ghosts and Witches in the tree along with the owls and bats. I love having the kids suggest what else should be in the tree; I’ve gotten everything from Dinosaurs to Trucks to Princesses, and all are welcome! Everyone’s favorite part is the end, when the poor tree can’t take anymore.

The second song uses the melody from Alouette, one that nearly everyone knows. I came across it when I was looking for pumpkin-themed songs. I was teaching a Spanish language music class at the time, so I translated it for them. I’ve found since that I like the Spanish version better!

This song is such a fun, simple way to learn some basic vocabulary. It might even spark a conversation; my students and I often discuss what they and the pumpkin do and don’t have in common, which is always entertaining. Unexpectedly, I’ve had several mothers of infants tell me this is the only song that will calm their children! I have no idea why but I’m glad it helps.

ABOUT ALINA

Aline screensnapAlina Celeste is an internationally touring Family Musician and Teaching Artist based in Miami, Florida.  She posts songs and storytimes on her popular YouTube channel twice a week.  View and/or subscribe at: www.youtube.com/alinacelestemusic.

You can find more about her on her website: www.alinaceleste.com  or become a Twitter fan at @tiaalina.

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Posted in Babies and Music, Classroom Music, Early Learning With Music, Family Fun, Favorite Songs, Holiday Songs, Homeschool Musical Fun, Multicultural Music

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Four Fun Kids Music Videos For Christmas And Hanukkah!

Over the past few years, we’ve had fun creating simple videos to some of the world’s favorite Christmas and Hanukkah songs.

We hope you enjoy them and wondered if you have a favorite holiday video pick?  We’d love to feature it and share it with our readers, too!

Here’s our four most popular videos for the holidays:

Feliz Navidad

Jingle Bells

The Classic Dreidel (or Dreydl) Song!

Learn about the dreidel game and the meaning of the Hebrew letters on the wonderful spinning top here:

A Hanukkah Song From Spain

Check out this video for a lovely bilingual song (Ladino and English) about Hanukkah fun in Spain – Ocho Candelikas

Links And Resources

Listen to these four songs on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/album/7Jl8awV8rWHIZzJbcudDaa
Add To Your Apple Music Playlist: https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/celebrate-season-multicultural/id344193347

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Posted in Babies and Music, Early Learning With Music, Family Fun, Favorite Songs, Holiday Songs, Multicultural Music

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Sing A Song About Your Child – For Christmas or Hanukkah

12 daysWhat child does not love hearing their name in a song?

A fun way to get ready for Christmas or Hanukkah with your small child is to create a simple song about the holidays using your family’s activities or your child’s name as part of the lyrics. Even if you feel you’re not a particularly creative parent or a seasoned songwriter, you’ll definitely get some holiday cheer out of writing a homemade version of either of these two tunes!

Create Your Own 12 Days of Christmas Carol!

Did you know that the 12 Days of Christmas song was originally a memory game? When it was sung, each person added a verse and had to recall the previous items on the list. Although you probably heard it with the same list of items as seen below, you can get inventive and make up a version with things that are special to your family or your classroom. Here’s the most popular version of the items for the 12 days:

1 A Partridge in a Pear Tree

2 Turtle Doves

3 French Hens

4 Calling (or Colly) Birds

5 Golden Rings

6 Geese A-Laying

7 Swans A Swimming

8 Maids A-Milking

9 Ladies Dancing

10 Lords A-Leaping

11 Pipers Piping

12 Drummers Drumming

What can you substitute?  Check out the post below to see how one classroom in the Caribbean came up with a very funny version for the holidays from their island home:

http://www.tinytappingtoes.com/uncategorized/write-your-own-12-days-of-christmas-carol/
dreydl use this oneWho’s Dreydl is It Anyway?

If you’re learning about Hanukkah or getting ready to celebrate this special holiday, you can adapt the popular dreydl song to include your child’s name. Simple and yet truly delightful, substitute your child’s name for “I”.  In other words, instead of singing “I have a little dreydl”, try “David has a little dreydl” or:

Sarah has a little dreydl
She made it out of clay
And when it’s dry and ready
Her dreydl she will play

Oh dreydl, dreydl, dreydl
She made it out of clay
And when it’s dry and ready
Her dreydl she will play

You can find the complete set of lyrics plus an explanation of what the Hebrew letters mean on the free dreydl coloring page below.

So whether you’re spinning a top or lighting a tree, you can easily give a special child in your life the gift of a perfectly personalized song!

Resources

Write Your Own 12 Days Song:
http://www.tinytappingtoes.com/uncategorized/write-your-own-12-days-of-christmas-carol/

Free Dreydl Coloring Page and Song Lyrics
http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Dreidel-Coloring-Page-985694

Dreydl Song and Activity From TeachersPayTeachers (.99)
http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Dreydel-Dreidel-Song-and-Game-Activity-921898

Sheet Music For The Dreydl Song From TeachersPayTeachers (1.99)
http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Oh-Dreydl-Dreidel-Sheet-Music-966158

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Posted in Babies and Music, Classroom Music, Early Learning With Music, Family Fun, Favorite Songs, Holiday Songs, Uncategorized

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Beautiful Rainbow World – A bright, soul-filled photography book of global children – Sing-along and smile!

BRW Book CoverWe’re pleased to share this guest post from two  multicultural moms who created a lovely and inspiring photography book of a rainbow of world children. 

The Beautiful Rainbow World book is the culmination of a long road of dreaming.  We; Lynne Raspet and Suzee Ramirez, had been planning to create a children’s book since the birth of our first daughters (now 15+ years and four more kids between us later). Issues of race and diversity were always a part of our consciousness. With our family being very multicultural (European, Asian, African, and Indigenous American) the only truth we knew was that each of us comes into this world to love and be loved. We decided to create a photography book for children that included kids from all around the globe. Our friend Daria agreed to collaborate with us and let us use the lyrics to her song “Beautiful Rainbow World” for the text. (To extend the book, Suzee added a second verse to the original song with Daria’s input and permission.) Beautiful Rainbow World is an 80 page 7”x 7” book that appeals to adults as well as children. Awesome bonus ~ Daria’s song is available as an mp3 download for each copy of the book sold. The soul-filled photos will draw in each reader ~ the smiling faces and sparkling eyes will speak to your spirit. You will put down this book feeling better than when you picked it up… We are so excited to see our dream project become a reality!

The Beautiful Rainbow World Book is available from:

Multicultural Kids (http://www.multiculturalkids.com/peaceful-green/beautiful-rainbow-world/)

And Amazon:Beautiful Rainbow World

About Suzee and Lynne -   Creators of The Beautiful Rainbow World Book

We are sisters. Together we own Multicultural Kids, providing products that encourage children to discover and appreciate the amazing world and its people. Lynne is a mom of four who bounces all over the country with her Air Force pilot hubby and loves discovering new places to travel and adventure everywhere they live. Suzee has two lovely animal and nature-loving girls and is married to her fellow entrepreneurial husband. She enjoys yoga, being creative, traveling, and everything outdoors. Our paths have included teaching (Lynne was a bilingual English/Spanish kindergarten teacher) and graphic design (Suzee has been in this field for many moons and also was partner in a design group prior to owning Multicultural Kids). We feel as though all of this experience gives us a very unique perspective in this genre of publishing connection to children’s literature and the design aesthetic being very aligned with our lives’ journeys.

Connect with Multicultural Kids here:  (http://multiculturalkids.com/)

 

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Posted in Babies and Music, Classroom Music, Early Learning With Music, Family Fun, Multicultural Music

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