Category Archives: Family Fun

18 Musical Freebies for Hispanic Heritage Month

18 Music Freebies HHM

Whether you’re teaching at school, homeschooling or unschooling, who doesn’t love to find fun freebies that help you celebrate special months of the year?

For Hispanic Heritage  Month;  celebrated between September 15th and October 15th, here are 18 great ways to discover new instruments, make musical crafts, learn about traditions and celebrate the beauty and rich diversity that Hispanic cultures have brought to the world.

Check out these TPT freebies below:

INFO SHEETS AND CRAFT ACTIVITIES

What Is Hispanic Heritage Month – Free Info Page https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/What-Is-Hispanic-Heritage-Month-Free-Info-Page-4031947

josef cajons 22Make And Play Your Own Cajón Box Drum

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

Make And Play Your Own Recycled Guiro

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

Color a Cajón Box Drum Online

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

Color a Guiro Percussion Instrument Online

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

What is a Quijada (Jawbone Instrument)

https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/What-is-a-Quijada-Jawbone-Instrument-1406336

HHM Mini poster freeHistory Of The Song – La Cucaracha

https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/La-Cucaracha-Quick-History-Of-The-Song-5499455

Freebie Quijada Monster Faces for Egg Carton Craft

https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Freebie-Quijada-Craft-Monster-Faces-5988382

MINI-POSTERS

Celebrate Hispanic Heritage With Music – Mini-Poster

https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Celebrate-Hispanic-Heritage-With-Music-Free-Mini-Poster-1430823

zamponas colorZamponas Mini-Poster

https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Zamponas-Panpipes-Mini-Poster-5297583

Guitar Mini-Poster

https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Guitar-Color-Mini-Poster-5300381

COLORING PAGES

Mariachi Guitar Coloring Page

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

Color The Chapchas

https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Color-The-Chapchas-An-Instrument-from-The-Andes-650050

Color The Zampoñas

https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Color-the-Zamponas-Panpipes-From-The-Andes-650601

bombo-coloring-pageColor A Bombo – A Drum From The Andes

https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Color-A-Bombo-A-Drum-From-The-Andes-650642

Color The Cuatro From Puerto Rico

https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Cuatro-National-Instrument-of-Puerto-Rico-Free-Coloring-Page-3485455

Skull RosieDay Of The Dead Calaveras (Skull) Freebies

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

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

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

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Remote Learning…Watch Moana, Then Try Musical Crafts And Activities!

Screen shot 2017-03-02 at 4.00.45 PMIf you’re staying at home, it may be a great time to combine some of your favorite movies with fun and creative learning activities. We’ll be posting about several movies, but this time… we invite you to watch Moana and then learn more about South Pacific culture through these crafts, coloring pages and activities.

 

“Beach In A Bottle” Rattle

This is such an easy and fun craft! Start with a clear recycled water bottle and create your own “beach” that will change as you play it, swooshing from side to side or up and down. Don’t have sand? Substitute salt or white sugar. Add whatever you have on hand: small shells, pebbles, beads, bits from broken necklaces… hidden treasure?

“Clean Up The Beach” Straw Rattle

Start with a clean, clear recycled container and add any plastic straws you may have accumulated, cut into tiny “beads” or bits. Not only are you keeping plastic out of landfills and the ocean, this rattle is very subtle and quiet, perfect for playing along with any of the Moana songs or your favorite soundtrack!

Pu’ili Rhythm Sticks 

pu'ilil guyAlmost every culture in the South Pacific has a version of the hula dance tradition.  One of the coolest percussion instruments seen in the hula are pu’ili rhythm sticks made out of bamboo.  The tops of the sticks are cut so that they rattle in a unique way when tapped together.

Since most folks don’t have a bamboo grove growing next to their home, below is a link  to a craft version that uses either toilet paper rolls or paper towel rolls. Both are colorful, fun and make great rhythms!

Here’s a video where you can see pu’ili in action!

River Rocks As Instruments

Another instrument that can be heard in the hula are ‘ili ‘ili. These are smooth river rocks tapped together as percussion.  Since rocks can be found anywhere, this makes a great way to explore the idea of making music from found and natural objects!  Here’s a video, but check out the complete post below for more tips about turning stones unto tunes!

Color A Ukulele

The sound of the ukulele rings out across the waters throughout this region. Color your own version and imagine the sea and the surf tickling your toes!

What Was That Big Drum Seen on Moana?

Pacific Island Slit DrumRead the post below to find out and see some beautiful examples of these log or split drums, just like the ones seen in the secret cave of the movie!

RESOURCES

Beach In A Bottle Rattle http://www.tinytappingtoes.com/babies-and-music/beach-in-a-bottle-rattle/

Recycled Straw Rattle (Plus Other Plastic Straw Crafts)
http://www.tinytappingtoes.com/ecologynature/28-kids-crafts-to-reuse-plastic-straws/

ukulele color imagePu’ili Crafts https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Hawaii-Rhythm-Stick-Puili-Music-Crafts-4674686

River Rocks As Rhythm Instruments - http://www.tinytappingtoes.com/uncategorized/playing-river-rocks-as-an-instrument-hawaiian-iliile/

Ukulele Coloring Page Freebie - https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Ukulele-Coloring-Page-3017260

What Are Those Huge Drums Seen In Moana? http://www.tinytappingtoes.com/simple-instruments/what-was-that-drum-seen-in-moana/

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Posted in Early Learning With Music, Ecology/Nature, Family Fun, First Instruments, Hawaiian Music, Homeschool Musical Fun, Multicultural Music, Simple Instruments

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Tips For Learning Holdays Songs In Non-English Languages

Screen shot 2018-12-13 at 7.36.20 PMThe winter holidays are a fun time to explore celebrations and traditions from around the world. When you do, why not learn a favorite Christmas carol in another language? You might want to choose a language from your family’s heritage or maybe one from the community around you. Maybe you’re living as an expat in another country and want to embrace one of their favorite songs, or just reach out and expand your linguistic abilities.

Check out these helpful tips on learning a song in another language with your kids or dive right into our version of Jingle Bells in Russian below! Beneath that, we’ve included links to past posts on Rudolf the Red Nosed Reindeer in Japanese and Jingle Bells in Mandarin, plus a fun cheat sheet that shares holiday greetings in 18 different world languages

LANGUAGE LEARNING TIPS

Pick a song that’s fun to sing and has a catchy tune!

Pick a language from your family heritage or one you’d like to learn.

Pick a language where someone you know can help you with the lyrics or pronunciation. Will Grandma help with that song in Italian or Papou help with a carol in Greece?

If learning the whole song is too daunting (language is difficult or your kids are very young), just learn the chorus – that’s usually very easy to master.

Write out the lyrics phonetically. Break them down into easy-to-pronounce syllables.

Praise you kids (or yourself) for exploring a new language. Learning a new language is not easy but encouragement and praise help a new speaker gain both confidence and capacity!

A video of a new song or a live “singing Christmas card” makes a great gift for a grandparent or loved one abroad.

Enjoy the process as you make happy holiday memories.

Now, here’s a version of Jingle bells for anyone wishing to learn a bit of Russian this year!

Links And Resources

Rudolf The Red-Nosed Reindeer in Japanese http://www.tinytappingtoes.com/classroom-music/favorite-holiday-songs-rudolph-the-red-nosed-reindeer-in-japanese

Jingle Bells In Chinese – http://www.tinytappingtoes.com/uncategorized/favorite-holiday-songs-from-around-the-world-jingle-bells-in-chinese/

Happy Holidays in 18 Languages – https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Happy-Holidays-in-18-Languages-2230358

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Posted in Chinese (Mandarin), Early Learning With Music, Family Fun, Favorite Songs, Holiday Songs, Multicultural Music

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We Are Grateful – A Beautiful Book in English and Cherokee

Grateful book Cover

 

This post is part of the Multicultural Kids Bloggers blog hop for Native American Heritage Month. At the end of this post are links to more great posts to check out and enjoy.

This is one of my favorite books both for Native American Heritage Month and thanksgiving. Written by Cherokee author, Traci Sorrel it takes the reader through a year of gratitude for the large and small experiences of life for present day Cherokee people.

Want to win this book? Just enter the giveaway below or read on for more reasons why this book should be part of your classroom or home book basket!

Grateful Book Cherokee PeopleIt’s A Native Book By A Native Author

Growing up In the 1960s and 70s, I recall almost no books about traditional, Native American or indigenous peoples. When they finally started to appear, they were often about native people by non-native authors.  Eventually, the children’s book industry is becoming more aware of the importance of letting colonized, conquered or diverse people tell their own stories. In the meantime, many smaller book companies have come along with the intention of showcasing Native authors and allowing diverse voices to speak and write for themselves. The results are beautiful and authentic books like this one.

This Books Showcases Traditional Life

Grateful book 2 pagesDay to day life on a reservation, pueblo or in a tribal area is a bit different than modern life. It tends to be more centered on family, community, farming, nature and traditions. I love how his book shares the rich cultural values that orchestrate daily life in a more traditional community. And it does so bilingually!

It’s Bilingual

This book is in English with Cherokee phrases throughout. As the reader travels through the seasons they learn words for things like grandmother, strawberries, summer, and winter. The notes at the end of the book explain more about the form of the Cherokee language and some of the new words or ideas presented in the book.

Grateful book WinterThe Illustrations Are Gorgeous

This is one of those books that even a pre-reading child will enjoy as they feast their eyes on the illustrations. Kids plant seedlings, grown-ups fish for crawdads, a woodpecker is busy on the nearest tree and bears quietly hibernate under the ground while children throw snowballs above. The colorful, beautiful and interesting pictures are bright and engaging bringing each page of the story to life!

It’s Great For Thanksgiving

This book is about giving thanks. After you’re done, you can answer the question “What are the people in this book grateful for?”.  And you can ask another question:  “What are we grateful for”?  No matter where you live or what your ancestry is, it’s always a good time to be grateful and give thanks.

 

Native American Heritage Month | Multicultural Kid Blogs

Welcome to our sixth annual celebration of Native American Heritage Month! Today our bloggers are sharing posts about teaching children about these rich cultures. See the list of participating blogs below, and don’t forget to link up your own posts as well! Don’t miss our series from last year, 2017, 2016, 2015, and 2014, plus you can find even more ideas on our Native/Indigenous Cultures Pinterest board:

Follow Multicultural Kid Blogs’s board Native/Indigenous Cultures on Pinterest.

Participating Blogs

Faith Seeker Kids on Multicultural Kid Blogs: Honoring Native American Heritage Month with Kids
Discovering the World Through My Son’s Eyes: 5 Tasty Indigenous Recipes
Crafty Moms Share: A Look at Native Hawaiians

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Posted in Early Learning With Music, Ecology/Nature, Family Fun, Native American Music

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Love Bucket Drumming? Try Mini-Bucket Drumming!

Do you have a young drummer in the house?

You’ll love this simple but awesome drum craft! It’s based on the idea of bucket drumming – taking an unexpected item like a paint bucket and turning it into a drum.  But instead of buckets, this craft reuses coffee cans and here’s what it looks and sounds like.

Reduce, Reuse and Recycle a Coffee Can

Start with a regular coffee can, find two unsharpened pencils and tap away. Or kente clothg drum projectyou can print out one of our drum “skins” to color and personalize with your young drummer.

The design we’ve created is based on kente cloth, and each color is symbolic of a trait like beauty and strength.

Two Beaters, Two Heads or Use Your Hands

Try tapping the drum with both sides of the unsharpened pencil. Each will create a different sound. Notice that most coffee cans have a metal side and a plastic one as well. Both sides will also offer a different tone when played. Need more ideas for beaters? Check out our MYO drum beater post below.

rhythm tree playing tubeDrum Roll, Please!

A great way to develop motor skills is learning to create a drum roll. Try this by tapping – slowly at first, but consistently – left stick, right stick, etc. Start slowly and build your speed for an impressive sounding drum roll!

Bang on the Drum All Day

Here are some playing tips and suggestions:

Tap with your hand

Play free form to your favorite music

Tap to the beat of your favorite music

Make several drums and play them together

Make a DIY bongo drum set and try hand drumming (activity pdf below).

Find other objects to add to a drum kit

Pots and Pans?

The classic image of a child at play with drums is one of playing pots and pans. I wwdop - too cool!like to caution parents here that the sound from striking a metal pot with a wooden spoon can be potentially damaging to a child’s hearing – or a parent’s sanity.

Instead of a wooden spoon and metal pots and pans, try cardboard boxes, plastic bowls or containers. If you have a washboard, break that out, too and play if with spoons, a whisk or a wooden spoon.

And – by all means…rock on!

Links and Resources

Kente Drum Coloring Page https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Kente-Cloth-For-A-Drum-Craft-Coloring-Page-4248662

playing bongosKente Drum Activity on TPT https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Kente-Cloth-African-Drum-Craft-3525491

What Do The Colors in Kente Cloth Mean? https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Kente-Cloth-What-Do-The-Colors-Mean-4250185

MYO Bongo Drum  https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Latin-American-Instruments-Make-And-Play-Bongo-Drums-1430615

MYO washboard post http://www.tinytappingtoes.com/babies-and-music/play-a-washboard-with-your-child/

MTO Drum Beater http://www.tinytappingtoes.com/classroom-music/make-a-little-drum-beater-for-a-big-drum/

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Posted in African Music, Classroom Music, Family Fun, First Instruments, Homeschool Musical Fun, Music and Hearing, Musical Crafts, Simple Instruments

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Make a Water Drum In Your Own Backyard

Does this look like fun?

This musical water play is based on an actual instrument called a gourd water water gourd drumdrum. Found both in Africa and in the ancient Mayan culture of Mexico, this drum has a completely unique and amazing sound that is deep and resonant and can be heard for long distances. Here’s a picture of an actual gourd water drum.

Originally made from a bushel gourd as the bowl and smaller gourd pieces as the stand and the floating resonator, we’ve come up with a fun way to try this at home that ghana gourd drummakes for great play, especially when the weather is hot!

First, take any kiddie pool and fill it with about 1-2 inches of water. Next add round items gently into the surface of the water. Last, tap them with homemade beaters like an unsharpened pencil, wooden spoon or make your own beater by wrapping electric tape around one end of a stick or a wooden dowels.

Tips For Drummers

Tap gently, and listen for the sound. Each floating drum head will sound different try. Which sound do you like?

If the floating drum head has sunk into the water, you’ll lose the quality of sound.  Lift it up and set it back on the surface if the water to continue playing.

kiddy pool water drum (Tacony)Put on your favorite summer songs and tap along with the music.

If you enjoy this unusual drum and want to play more -  look for other potential floating drum head at places like yard sales, garage sales and thrift stores. It’s a great way to continue this fun and exciting sound and sensory activity.

Can You Step Into The Pool While Drumming?

Sure! They did it in the video and play session pictured above. Go ahead, as long as it’s okay with mom, dad or whoever else is watching.

Links and Resources

MYO Drum Beater – http://www.tinytappingtoes.com/classroom-music/make-a-little-drum-beater-for-a-big-drum/

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

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Four Fun Activities For Chinese New Year!

I’m part of the Multicultural Kids Blog Hop for Chinese or Lunar New Year! I hope you enjoy these activities and also get a chance to check out all the other great posts below! There’s lots to do, read, create and explore at this exciting time of year.

Here are four fun and easy ways to introduce or celebrate Chinese New Year with your child.

Explore The Chinese Zodiac

Chinese Astrology screensnapEvery year at the Lunar New Year we enter a different sign of the Chinese Zodiac. In February of this year, we leave the year of the dog and enter the Year of the Pig. People born this year known as “Pigs” or belonging to the pig and have certain special traits, lucky numbers, unlucky number and lucky colors. In fact, if you were born in 2007, 1995, 1983, 1971, 1959, 1947 or 1935 – you’re a pig, too. The next year of the pig will occur in 2031.

But wait – there’s more. We’re not just going into the year of the pig, we’ve left the year of the brown Earth Dog and are heading into the year of the Earth Pig. Each year’s zodiac sign is not only one of the 12 animals, but also possesses the trait of one of  the five elements – Wood, Water, Fire, Earth and Gold (Metal). Because there are 12 signs and 5 elements, each specific year’s animal such as a water dragon or a Fire Rooster will only come along once every 60 years.

In case you were wondering, the 12 signs of the Chinese Zodiac are: Rat, Ox, Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Sheep, Monkey, Rooster, Dog and Pig.

If you’re exploring the Chinese Zodiac, here are some fun activities:

Discover this years animal symbol from the Chinese Zodiac.

Discover your birth year’s symbolic animal from the Chinese Zodiac.

Discover which element is attached to your birth year’s symbolic animal.

Look at the special traits associated with your birth year’s symbolic animal. Do they describe you?

Look up the lucky colors from your birth year’s symbolic animal.

Look up the lucky numbers from your birth year’s symbolic animal.

Look up the unlucky numbers from your birth year’s symbolic animal.

Try any of the steps above with a friend or family member.

Make a chart or drawing of your family’s symbolic animals. Is mom a dragon? Is your baby brother a snake?

Color The Earth Pig!

year of the pigUp for some coloring? Below under “resources” is a link to this freebie coloring page of a pig created in the style of Chinese paper cutting. This is a fun design or decoration you can use in your Lunar New Year celebration.

Make Your Own Gong!

You can use your colorful pig artwork to make your own gong from a pie plate or disposable pan. It isn’t hard to Daria's homemade gongfind materials to recycle in any home that can be used for the gong, the striker and a support for a homemade gong. Make is as simple or elaborate as you like. We went all-out and managed to hang ours between two chairs. It sounded amazing!

Fireworks In The House Or The Classroom!

Last year I visited a preschool in Philadelphia’s Chinatown section and loved an idea that one of the teachers used. She distributed bubble wrap to each of her students and then played a video of fireworks with the sound turned   off. As the students saw the fireworks, they were able to create their own fireworks or firecracker sound effects and they giggled, laughed and cheered as if they were at a real fireworks display during Chinese New Year. It was a creative and safe way to experience the fun, noise and activity of this holiday in the safety of a classroom environment.

Visit These Other Great Posts!

新年快乐

Chinese New Year | Multicultural Kid Blogs

Welcome to our fifth annual Chinese New Year blog hop! Lunar New Year, more commonly known as Chinese New Year, starts on February 5. It is the beginning of the Year of the Pig, and we have lots of great ideas for celebrating it with kids! Don’t miss our series from last year, 2017, 2016 and 2015, and you can find even more on our Chinese New Year Pinterest board:

 

Participating Blogs

Miss Panda Chinese on Multicultural Kid Blogs

Bicultural Mama

Creative World of Varya

All Done Monkey

Tiny Tapping Toes

Links And Resources

Free Birth Year Chart from TPT https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Chinese-Astrology-Birth-Year-Chart-4306472

Free Year of The Pig Coloring Page  https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Chinese-New-Year-Year-Of-The-Pig-Coloring-Page-4303192

Free MYO Gong Activity from TPT https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Make-Your-Own-Chinese-Gong-From-Recycled-Materials-486935

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Posted in Chinese (Mandarin), Family Fun, Holiday Songs, Music And Community

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Tips For Learning Christmas Songs in Other Languages

Screen shot 2018-12-13 at 7.36.20 PMThe winter holidays are a fun time to explore celebrations and traditions from around the world. When you do, why not learn a favorite Christmas carol in another language? You might want to choose a language from your family’s heritage or maybe one from the community around you. Maybe you’re living as an expat in another country and want to embrace one of their favorite songs, or just reach out and expand your linguistic abilities.

Check out these helpful tips on learning a song in another language with your kids or dive right into our version of Jingle Bells in Russian below! Beneath that, we’ve included links to past posts on Rudolf the Red Nosed Reindeer in Japanese and Jingle Bells in Mandarin, plus a fun cheat sheet that shares holiday greetings in 18 different world languages

LANGUAGE LEARNING TIPS

Pick a song that’s fun to sing and has a catchy tune!

Pick a language from your family heritage or one you’d like to learn.

Pick a language where someone you know can help you with the lyrics or pronunciation. Will Grandma help with that song in Italian or Papou help with a carol in Greece?

If learning the whole song is too daunting (language is difficult or your kids are very young), just learn the chorus – that’s usually very easy to master.

Write out the lyrics phonetically. Break them down into easy-to-pronounce syllables.

Praise you kids (or yourself) for exploring a new language. Learning a new language is not easy but encouragement and praise help a new speaker gain both confidence and capacity!

A video of a new song or a live “singing Christmas card” makes a great gift for a grandparent or loved one abroad.

Enjoy the process as you make happy holiday memories.

Now, here’s a version of Jingle bells for anyone wishing to learn a bit of Russian this year!

Links And Resources

Rudolf The Red-Nosed Reindeer in Japanese http://www.tinytappingtoes.com/classroom-music/favorite-holiday-songs-rudolph-the-red-nosed-reindeer-in-japanese

Jingle Bells In Chinese – http://www.tinytappingtoes.com/uncategorized/favorite-holiday-songs-from-around-the-world-jingle-bells-in-chinese/

Happy Holidays in 18 Languages – https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Happy-Holidays-in-18-Languages-2230358

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Posted in Chinese (Mandarin), Early Learning With Music, Family Fun, Favorite Songs, Holiday Songs, Multicultural Music, Music And Community

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Learn About Kente Cloth – And Get A Free Kente Cloth Coloring Book!

Screen shot 2018-12-13 at 3.52.24 PMI’ve always wanted to learn more about kente cloth – the amazing woven textile from West Africa. This week, I’ve been lucky enough to talk with William (Kodzo) the founder and owner of KenteCloth.net.  Please, read on and check out his site.  I’m sure  you’ll want to bookmark his amazing free coloring book of kente patterns for kids!

DARIA: What started your interest in kente cloth?  Is it true you traveled all the way to Ghana to learn more?

KODZO: I’ve always admired how beautiful the cloths looked and the rich history behind it. Each cloth has patterns and the patterns have names and meanings behind them that pass down morals and tell stories. I traveled to the Volta Region of Ghana and actually learned how to weave the kente. I was also Kodzo weavingable to visit the kente museum there where I saw a wide variety of Kente throughout the history of Ghana. It was interesting to learn that Kente was originally black and white! The meanings of each design is primarily based on the geometric patterns. Color was later added when dying techniques were introduced. It is all very fascinating.

DARIA: What is kentecloth.net - Can people actually buy authentic kente cloth there?

Screen shot 2018-12-13 at 3.52.34 PMKODZO: KenteCloth.net started of as a site to educate people about Kente. As the site got more and more visitors and there were requests to purchase kente I started selling kente cloth on the site. This was 10 years ago and there is now a dedicated site to purchase the cloths called Sankofa Edition (https://www.SankofaEdition.com).

DARIA: I heard you created a free kente cloth coloring book?  Can you tell us about it? Where can teachers or parents get it?

KODZO: Yes, I created a free kente cloth coloring book  to help young kids learn Screen shot 2018-12-13 at 3.51.27 PMabout the cloth and apply it to their own lives. The coloring book is based on real authentic kente cloth patterns and the children can make their very own beautiful kente cloths. I’ve had teachers report back that their children loved the activity and the “cloths” were used to decorate the classroom. The printable coloring book can be downloaded at: https://www.kentecloth.net/kente-cloth-printable-coloring-book/

DARIA: Is there anything else you’d like to say about your journey?  Why is it important to learn about our ancestors and traditional peoples?

KODZO: In Ghana, there is a proverb/symbol called Sankofa (which sankofaedition.com inspired) and it features a bird looking back with an egg in its beak. The egg in the beak symbolizes the future and the bird flies forward while looking back. This symbol translates to “there is nothing wrong with going Screen shot 2018-12-13 at 4.14.41 PMback to what you forgot”. A lot of African history may be forgotten however we must remember that African history did not begin with slavery. Africa has a rich and beautiful culture going back to before the times of slavery. The beautiful kente cloth is a great example of beauty and culture in Africa prior to colonization. By looking back and digging deep in our history we can remember the legacy of our ancestors, embrace our past, and look forward to our future potential!

Please visit Kodzo’s site. You’ll learn a lot and maybe even decide to purchase a special item for yourself or someone you love!

Happy Holidays!

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Posted in African Music, Family Fun, Multicultural Music

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A Kwanzaa Book And Drum Craft

kente clothg drum project

The winter holidays are such a beautiful and festive season.  Will you be celebrating Kwanzaa this year?  Is Kwanzaa part of your family or community? If this holiday is new to you, here is a beautiful book and a fun craft to introduce children to the spirit and the history of this holiday and let them create their own kente cloth drum!

Seven Spools CoverSeven Spools Of Thread

Seven Spools of Thread is a book that was written for Kwanzaa about kente cloth, a beautiful traditional fabric woven in Uganda.  Written by an amazing author, educator and chef, Angela Shelf Medearis, the book begins with a brief history of Kwanzaa and it’s Seven Principles.  Next comes the story of seven brothers who cannot get along and you probably guessed what happens.  Solving their problems requires using the important values of the seven principles of Kwanzaa such as purpose, creativity and faith.

seven spools 2Aside from a wonderfully told story, the book has gorgeous woodcut-style illustrations by artist, Daniel Minter.  This is a story you’ll want to read over and over again, not just at the winter holiday times, but throughout the year.

A Kente Cloth Craft

When you’ve finished the story, perhaps you’d like to color your own kente cloth and make a small drum.  You can find complete instructions in the freebies listed here.  Recycle a coffee can or an oatmeal container and you can make your own kente cloth-style drum.

And please stay tuned to this blog as our next post is from an expert on kente cloth and his story is just amazing.

Links And Resources

RPL - making kente cloth drumsMake Your Won African Drum Craft – Freebie From DARIA’s TPT store https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Make-Your-Own-African-Drum-Craft-3507618

Color A Kente Cloth Pattern – Freebie From DARIA’s TPT store – https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Kente-Cloth-For-A-Drum-Craft-Coloring-Page-4248662

Angela Shelf Medearis Website – She’s a Chef, Author and Cultural Historian! http://www.medearis.com/

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

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