Category Archives: Favorite Songs

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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Grandparents Day Music Give-Away!

grandmother toya at the senior centerThis year National Grandparents Day is September 10th.  If you were wondering, in the USA it’s always celebrated the second Sunday in September.

And around the world, there are similar annual holidays and celebrations to honor grandparents   But; honestly, any time of year is a great time to appreciate the role of that special someone or group of grands in your child’s life.

One easy and fun way to bring generations together and make lasting memories is through sharing music, especially the simple or special songs that meant a lot to grandma or granddad. In our family, our Greek Xiaxia shared a version of patty-cake in Greek that the kids remember and sing to this day. Their other grandmother loved to tell them about the silly songs she sang at school like Grandchildrens Delight Cover“Three Little Fishies” and “Jadda, Jadda Jing Jing Jing!”. Because these songs mean so much to old and young alike, I created a CD of songs that were hand-picked by my fans and audiences in response to the question: “What songs would you most like your grandkids to hear”.

The result (and it’s a give-away below) was a CD called Grandchildren’s Delight and it includes songs like You Are My Sunshine, Grand Old Flag, This Little Light of Mine, Oh Susannah, Playmate and so many more. So please, enter to win below but also remember how music can bring old and young together.

I bet there’s a special song you recall from your childhood or memory that’s just waiting to be sung to your little one!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Favorite Songs from Your Family Or Childhood

Yes, I am still asking folks about favorite songs from their childhood or their parent’s era. Either from the USA or anywhere around the world! Do you have a special song from jump rope, summer camp or a holiday you loved?   If so, let me know. I’d love to share it with my readers and my audiences.

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

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Introducing The Music of China To Children

Hi! I’m Elizabeth, a mother and music teacher. I’m thrilled to be guest-posting on Tiny Tapping Toes today about Chinese music- I’m excited to connect with you and share some of my ideas!
china post ttt graphic
As a music teacher who grew up among cultures, I am passionate about introducing children to music from cultures other than their home culture. Although it can be intimidating to share a culture with your children that you aren’t that familiar with yourself, it can be such a rewarding learning experience for everyone, and the benefits are incredible! Today I want to share some of my favorite simple ways to introduce the music and culture of China to young children.

I know this is not exactly a traditional way to start, but I usually use a clip or two of 12 Girls Band to first introduce children to Chinese music. This is a great one:

Also this:

We of course discuss which instruments are traditionally Chinese and which or not- that part is pretty clear- but it is a great way to showcase many of the instruments from China, see how they are played and what they sound like, and also get a taste of what Chinese music is like while still sounding somewhat familiar- this is like the gateway to exploring the traditional music that will sound more foreign and strange to their ears. Plus it is so much fun!I use these recordings as a starting point to jump into a discussion of Chinese instruments, including the erhu, xiao, dizi, pipa, guzheng (duzheng), and yangqin.

After showing one of the “Twelve Girls Band” videos, I usually show them pictures of each instrument, tell them the name of each one, and see if they noticed how each one is played, or what familiar instrument it is most similar to. Then we watch one more video and I have them point out and identify each instrument as we see it. I use that as an introduction to Chinese music as a whole, but in subsequent lessons I will show them short clips of each instrument in a more traditional setting. This one is great for showing short excerpts of lots of different instruments:

I have used a lot of different songs in my classes over the years. There is so much that is included, both historically and geographically, when we talk about “Chinese music”, that it’s honestly hard for me to pick one song! The last few years I have used “Cowboy” (I know, you’re already thinking what? stay with me…). I don’t generally like to teach songs from other cultures with translated lyrics- I think it takes away from giving the students an authentic presentation of the song- so I always try to find songs that have fewer lyrics while still being interesting. This one fits the bill (although, let’s be honest, we are talking about a rather difficult language for English speakers- it will still take some time!) and has some great possibilities for discussions about Chinese history, architecture, and/or geography. You can find the original lyrics, the translation, the notation, and a sung recording on Mama Lisa’s website here.

With any of the songs that I use, I will usually add some simple rhythms on percussion instruments. Here is an example of some of the percussion parts I might add (this one has tambourine, hand drum, and finger cymbals):

Gongs, triangles, and rhythm sticks would also be good choices for adding some quick instrument accompaniment.

One more thing that I like to cover is Beijing (Peking) Opera. I don’t introduce this genre until we are well into our study of Chinese music, because I don’t want students to immediately start laughing or draw back in disgust, but it is such a significant part of Chinese music that I think it is important for students to at least be exposed to it when they study the music of China in general. I usually use a clip from this video to show in class (it is nice because it has the English translation underneath- so it is important to check and make sure the material is appropriate before you show it! I haven’t come across anything that is not, but I haven’t watched the whole thing so please do check beforehand):

I usually introduce the genre by telling students that Beijing opera is one of the most famous forms of Chinese music historically. I also tell them in advance that it is going to sound and look very different from what they are expecting, but that I want them to tell me what they notice after watching.  Most students tell me that they notice the performers moving with the instruments, their makeup and costumes are very dramatic, and they sound like they are half-singing and half-speaking. We often end up having a very good conversation about what the definition of music is, because there are usually some students who question whether or not this “counts” as music at all! You can learn more about the genre here and here.

I hope you found some new ideas for exploring Chinese music and culture with your children! Thank you so much to Daria for letting me share my ideas on her site. I’d love to hear from you! If you’d like to stay in touch with me, please head on over to my site, Organized Chaos, where I share resources and thoughts to give parents and teachers the freedom to be creative through purposeful organization and broadened perspectives. You can find more posts on sharing music from other cultures right here. I hope you’ll stop in to say hello!

Links And Resources

Make Your Own Chinese Gong Craft
https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Make-Your-Own-Chinese-Gong-From-Recycled-Materials-486935

Color A Chinese Erhu
https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Chinese-Instrument-Erhu-Free-Coloring-Page-3236532

Bolang Gu creft + real oneMake Your Own Bolang Gu Chinese Pellet Drum!
http://www.tinytappingtoes.com/chinese-mandarin/make-your-own-bolang-gu-chinese-pellet-drum/

Seven Days of Learning Mandarin Through Music
http://www.tinytappingtoes.com/chinese-mandarin/7-days-of-learning-mandarin-chinese-through-music/

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Posted in Chinese (Mandarin), Early Learning With Music, Favorite Songs, Homeschool Musical Fun, Multicultural Music

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Win A Children’s Music CD in Ladino!

Sara's cdA while ago we did a post about kids music in the Ladino language, a beautiful mixture of (mainly) Spanish and Hebrew by acclaimed artist, Sarah Aroeste.  Now we’re excited to do an encore post as well as a give away a copy of the cd- “Ora de Despertar” (Time To Get Up!).

Want to learn more?  Check out this background info before you head down to the give-away and enter to win!

You’ll love adding this cd to your collection of multicultural music for kids.

What is Ladino?

We love Sarah’s descritpion of the background and roots of the Ladino language:
“(Ladino is) the Judeo-Spanish dialect that originated by Spanish Jews after their expulsion from Spain in 1492.  Those who left Spain, including Aroeste’s family, carried the medieval language with them to the various points where they later settled, primarily along the Mediterranean coast and North Africa. In time, Ladino came to absorb bits and pieces of languages all along the Mediterranean coast, including some Greek, Turkish, Portuguese, French, Italian, Hebrew, and more.”

Who is Sarah Aroeste?

Sarah on stageSarah grew up influenced by her family’s Sephardic roots in Greece and Macedonia and has spent the last two decades bringing her contemporary style of original and traditional Ladino music to audiences around the world.   You can read about her efforts to preserve and create modern Ladino music in her bio, here: http://www.saraharoeste.com/bio/

What’s on the CD?

There are 12 original songs written in Ladino by Sarah that appeal to kids on topics like the family, foods, going to sleep, parts of the body, growing up and just being silly!  Her interview below includes links to a free teaching guide, songbook and animated cartoon series that make this CD even more enriching as a music and language experience.

Why listen to bilingual music with your child?

So many studies have shown the benefits of bilingualism, especially when introduced to young children.  Music is a fun way to “go bilingual” because everyone can listen, clap, and interact with the songs in a way that feels like pure fun while the brain is absorbing new sounds, words and concepts.  Songs are easy to enjoy and remember, so music is a great medium for instrodcuing and new language to a child.

Is it amazing and beautiful? Will you love the cd?

Absolutely. And you can enter to win below. If you can’t wait to see if you win, there are purchase links and social media links for Sarah below.  Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway
Links and Resources

Sarah’s Guest Post About Her CD – Includes links to teaching guide, songbook and animated Cartoon Series – http://www.tinytappingtoes.com/babies-and-music/sing-a-song-in-the-ladino-language/

Sarah’s Website – Available in English, Spanish + Hebrew www.saraharoeste.com

Sarah’s Store – http://www.saraharoeste.com/store/

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

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Sing A Silly Song In German

schnappi imageThis updated post is part of our new series on learning simple songs in various languages.  You can use these songs to build bilingualism or just to enjoy exploring a world of music with your kids!

of learning simple songs in  Most parents who speak German recognize this silly song about a crocodile who lives in the Nile. The song, Schnappi, das kleine Krokodil, comes from an animated German TV Show called The Show With the Mouse (Die Sendung Mit der Maus). In the TV Show, Schnappi sings about his life in Egypt and the simple lyrics and incredibly catchy tune made the song an internet success as well as a pop hit in Germany, Belgium, Austria, Sweden, Switzerland and the Netherlands. In fact, this song actually reached Number 1 on the German music charts in January 2005!

Here’s how the song goes. Take a listen and I dare you not to be singing it for the rest of the day!

Lyrics For Schnappi in German

Ich bin Schnappi das kleine Krokodil,

komm aus Ägypten das liegt direkt am Nil.

Zuerst lag ich in einem Ei,

dann schni schna schnappte ich mich frei.

 

Schni schna schnappi

schnappi schnappi schnapp
i

schni schna schnappi

schnappi schnappi schnappi

 

Ich bin Schnappi das kleine Krokodil,

hab scharfe Zähne und davon ganz schön viel.

Ich schnapp mir was ich schnappen kann,

ja schnapp zu weil ich das so gut kann.

 

Ich bin Schnappi das kleine Krokodil,

ich schnappe gern das ist mein Lieblingsspiel.

Ich schleich mich an die Mama ran,

und zeig ihr wie ich schnappen kann!

 

Ich bin Schnappi das kleine Krokodil,

und vom Schnappen da krieg ich nicht zuviel.

Ich beiss den Papi kurz ins Bein,

und dann, dann schlafe ich einfach ein.

 

Lyrics For Schnappi in English

What do the words mean? Here’s a good translation for this catchy song.

I am Schnappi the little crocodile.

I come from Egypt, it lies right on the Nile.

At first I lay in an egg,

Then I …schni- schna- snap myself free.

 

Schni Schna Schnappi

Schnappi Schnappi Schnapp

Schni Schna Schnappi

Schnappi Schnappi Schnapp

 

I am Schnappi the little crocodile,

I have sharp teeth and they are quiet pretty.

I hog what I can snap,

Yes I snap because I can do it so well.

 

Chorus

 

I am Schnappi the little crocodile,

I like to snap, it’s my favorite game.

I creep onto my mommy,

And show her how I can snap.

 

Chorus

 

I am Schnappi the little crocodile,

And because I’m snapping I don’t get there very much.

I briefly bite into my dad’s leg,

And then I easily shrink.

Chorus

Questions For Encouraging German Vocabulary

Here are some easy questions for using the song to discover new words and phrases in German or encourage bilingualism in your household.

What is Schnappi?

Is Schnappi big or little?

How do you say that in German?

What type of animal is Schnappi?

What does Schnappi do to his mother?

What does Schnappi do to his father?

What is Schnappi’s favorite game?

How do you say favorite game in German?

Can you name any other animals in German?

Kids Music Activities – In German And In Spanish

Would you like to read about children’s music and musical activities in German or in Spanish? Check out our sister blogs here:

Das Kinder Machen Musik Blog

daskindermachenmusikblog.wordpress.com

Growing With Music – In Spanish

Creciendo Con Música
creciendoconmusicblog.wordpress.com

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Posted in Babies and Music, Early Learning With Music, Favorite Songs, Kids Songs In German, Multicultural Music

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Sing A Song For Earth Day – Free Music And Resources

whole world handsMany years ago I was lucky to write a song that has now become an anthem for Earth Day in over a dozen countries around the globe. A very simple song, it’s a musical parody of the beautiful African-American spiritual: He’s Got The Whole World In His Hands.  Borrowing that melody; as is often done in folk music, we changed the lyrics to reflect what children can do to show love and respect for the Earth in their daily lives.

Original ideas for the song came from school children during a workshop about Earth Day and I compiled them in a 23 verse song since there were lots of great suggestions.  Later, I edited the choices down to a smaller number so the song would a bit shorter and easier to remember. I’m really proud to think about how singing this song reminds kids of all ages that the small changes they make in their choices in life can make a big difference – on Earth Day and everyday.

Write Your Own Earth Day Song

Since the song has such a simple format, we’ve created an activity where you can write your own Earth Day song. Sing the same simple chorus, but add your suggestions to the verses.  And there’s free sheet music, too, just check the resource links below.

Spanish Translation

A lovely, easy-to-sing Spanish version was written by Cecilia Fencer, head and heart of Spanglish.house.com. Click on that link below to find the words to the Earth Day song in Spanish.

Video

Here’s the official video for “We’ve Got The Whole World In Our Hands”.   If you want to check it out on Vimeo, you can find it here: https://vimeo.com/18765345

We’ve Got The Whole World In Our Hands

Links and Resources

Listen Free on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/track/6r6nx4qzUtWCZeXhejdxtP
Apple Music: https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/daria-sings-for-earth-day-ep/428500463
Lyric Sheet Freebie From TPT: – We’ve Got The Whole World In Our Hands: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Earth-Day-Song-Lyric-Sheet-2451013
Tenemos Todo El Mundo En Nuestras Manos – An Earth Day Song In Spanish
http://www.tinytappingtoes.com/classroom-music/sing-an-earth-day-song-in-spanish/

Make An Earth Day Nature Walk Rattle: http://www.tinytappingtoes.com/early-learning-with-music/make-an-earth-day-nature-walk-rattle/

Earth Day CD and CD Plus 10 Recycled Activities: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/EARTH-DAY-CD-PLUS-E-BOOK-OF-10-RECYCLED-MUSICAL-ACTIVITIES-658096

Official Earth Day Site: http://www.earthday.org

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Posted in Classroom Music, Early Learning With Music, Ecology/Nature, Favorite Songs, Holiday Songs, Music And Community

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Sing An Earth Day Song In Spanish

Earth Day Song in SpanishMusic is such a wonderful way to promote learning languages and bilingualism. If you’re celebrating Earth Day, here’s a fun way of combining caring for our planet with expanding your language skills in Spanish.

The song is based on my earth Day anthem heard all over the world, and if you haven’t heard it yet, check out the official video below (in English) and hear it yourself.  We’re working on Spanish and other language video versions now.  now!

Tenemos Todo El Mundo En Nuestras Manos

(New version of lyrics in English)
 Daria Marmaluk-Hajioannou
 (Spanish translation) Cecelia Fencer

little boy and shekereTenemos todo el mundo en nuestras manos.
 (chorus – sung four times)

 

Debemos reciclar, ahora que podemos.

Reducir, reusar y reciclar

Reducir y reciclar ahora que podemos.

Tenemos al mundo en nuestras manos.

 

Tenemos plantas y animales en nuestra tierra,

plantas y animales en nuestra tierra.

Tenemos plantas y animales en nuestra tierra.

Tenemos al mundo en nuestras manos.

 

Tomemonos de las manos, como hermanos.

Tomemonos de las manos como hermanos.

Tomemonos de las manos como hermanos,

tenemos al mundo en nuestras manos

 

Encuentra tus sueños y haz lo que puedas,

ten tus anhelos y lucha por ellos.

Encuentra tus sueños y haz lo que puedas,

tenemos al mundo en nuestras manos.

Tenemos todo el mundo en nuestras manos.
 (chorus – sung four times)

Links and Resources



world in hands iconFree Lyric Sheet – We’ve Got The Whole World In Our Hands (English) https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Earth-Day-Song-Lyric-Sheet-2451013

Earth Day Song – On ITunes https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/daria-sings-for-earth-day-ep/id428500463

We’ve Got The Whole World In Our Hands – Youtube Video – (In English) https://www.youtube.com/edit?o=U&video_id=eIQUOIyE7q0

Earth Day CD Plus E-Book With 10 Recycled Activities: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/EARTH-DAY-CD-PLUS-E-BOOK-OF-10-RECYCLED-MUSICAL-ACTIVITIES-658096

Official Earth Day Site: http://www.earthday.org/

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Posted in Classroom Music, Ecology/Nature, Family Fun, Favorite Songs, Homeschool Musical Fun, Music And Community

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Sing A Song About MLK Day – DARIA’s Resources Free Until 1/31

MLK Mini-poster

Many years ago, I wrote a little song about the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s famous “I Have A Dream” speech. I had always been a big fan of MLK’s speeches and writing and I wanted to create an easy-to-sing song that would take these big ideas and make them “singable” for kids. Little did I know that the songs would soon become of the most popular classrooms songs for sharing the life and legacy of MLK across the country.

If you haven’t heard the song already, you can see the Youtube video, here:

Get All Of My MLK-Resources Free!

In honor of the MLK Day of Service 2017, I’ve decided to give away not only the song, but the entire “I Have A Dream” cd, the sheet music and all of my MLK posters, mini-posters, etc. until the end of this month.  Please feel free to stop by and download any of these resources here: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/World-Music-With-Daria/Category/MLK-Day-225636

What will you be doing on MLK Day 2017? Whatever it is, take a moment to recall this great leader who changed the face of our nation through compassion, real moral strength and love.

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Posted in Classroom Music, Early Learning With Music, Favorite Songs, Inspirational Music, Music And Community

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Win The “Kids Around The World” Mama Lisa Songbook!

mama-lisa-songbookHave you read out enthusiastic review of our new favorite kid’s international songbook?

Well, we’re excited to say that – thanks to Mama Lisa’s World -  we are giving away 2 digital copies of this amazing encyclopedia of 100 songs from diverse world cultures.  That’s 352 awesome pages of songs, song descriptions, translations, sheet music and even details of how certain songs are used as games and activities.

Of course, we’d love for you to read the whole review here: http://www.tinytappingtoes.com/family-fun-2/a-trip-around-the-world-in-song/  but feel free to jump to the give-away and enter to win below.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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Posted in Babies and Music, Celtic Music, Chinese (Mandarin), Family Fun, Favorite Songs, Hawaiian Music, Kids Songs In German, Multicultural Music, Silly Songs

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A Trip Around The World In Song!

mama-lisa-book-coverThis is my new favorite international kids song songbook!

To be honest, I’ve been a huge fan of the website – Mama Lisa’s World – for years, so I was thrilled to be able to review this new compilation songbook. It has 100 songs from global cultures – including indigenous cultures – along with descriptions, sheet music, translations and notes on where to find MIDI and recorded version for listening. This book simply could not be more complete – or more fun!

Many of the songs that Lisa has selected are not just great songs, they are also games and offer wonderful ways to combine music, language and movement. Because translations come with each song, you can also easily start learning  simple words and phrases in other languages as well.

Where does this songbook go? It opens in Africa with welcome songs, circle dances and call-and-response tunes. Next, the songbook goes to Asia, with songs of friendship, love and play. After that, you can find favorites from Australia and the islands of Oceania. In the songs selected from Europe, you’ll meet familiar characters like the Sandman and Little Red Riding Hood. Of course, there are mama-lisa-book-pagealso songs from North America, including an Iroquois lullaby as well as English and French Canadian songs. The book closes with songs from Central and South America, including music with roots in Hispanic, Afro-Hispanic and Indigenous cultures.

What more do you need to know? This is definitely a must-have songbook for anyone who loves children’s songs and world music! You can buy both digital copies or a full size physical copy at the links below.

Links And Resources

Digital Copy From Gumroad (352 Pages/5.64 MG/3.99) https://gumroad.com/l/GvQVT#

Kid Songs Around The World: A Mama Lisa Book (Physical Copy) From Amazon http://a.co/3mx1z0o

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Posted in African Music, Australian Music, Celtic Music, Family Fun, Favorite Songs, Hispanic Music, Holiday Songs, Homeschool Musical Fun, Kids Songs In German, Native American Music, Silly Songs

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