Tag Archives: dariamusic

Playing Music… And Learning Shapes!

washboard and tambourineHave you ever noticed that many simple musical instruments are also perfect for teaching shapes?

This week, while doing a preschool program, one of the quieter young boys became very excited about naming the shapes of the instruments we were making and playing.  He noticed the washboard he loved to play was in the shape of a rectangle.  And his sister had a tambourine that was shaped like the moon!  The other kids enjoyed the idea and pretty soon, we had gone through an entire basket of instruments finding all types of shapes in all kinds of different ways.

circle instrumentsFor instance, how many circles can you find in the instruments to the right?  We counted 12!

And what shapes are here in the tambourines and triangle below?

What a fun way to combine music and some of the basic skills that will help a child excel in school or in their homeschool learning.

triangle instrumentsDon’t have a basket of instruments around your home?

No worries, here are some simple musical crafts that will have you not only putting a circle in the square – but playing one, too!

 

SQUARES AND RECTANGLES

Make a Cajón Box Drum
Free from DARIA’s website
http://www.dariamusic.com/docs/MYO%20Cajon.pdf
Free from TPT
https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/The-Cajon-Make-And-Play-Your-Own-Box-Drum-1236616

Square Ocean Drum http://www.dariamusic.com/docs/Ocean%20Drum%20Instructions.pdf

CIRCLE

Bongo Drums
https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Make-And-Play-Your-Own-Bongo-Drums-1430615

click-and-clack-the-castanetsButton Castanets
https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Make-Your-Own-Button-Castanets-1439711

Chinese Gong
http://www.dariamusic.com/docs/chinesegong.pdf
https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Make-Your-Own-Chinese-Gong-From-Recycled-Materials-486935

Triangle

wooden sistrumEgyptian Rattle  http://www.dariamusic.com/docs/naturalsistrum.pdf

Explore More

Can you think of more simple shapes that are found in instruments? Let us know and we’ll feature them here!

Find lots more DIY/MYO Crafts on Daria’s website craft and activity page:
http://www.dariamusic.com/crafts.php

Or her TeachersPayTeachers Store:
https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Daria-Marmaluk-Hajioannou

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Global ABC’s – I is For Instrument

Have you ever wanted your child to learn a set of Global ABC’s?  Here, we’ve chose, “I” for musical INSTRUMENT!

little gal and buffalo drumWhat is Your National Instrument?

All over the world, countries and cultures have instruments that seem to speak from the soul of that group of people.  Think about a didgeridoo from Aboriginal Australia or a balalaika from Russia or a Taiko drum from Japan.  Finding out about these special and significant musical instruments can be a great way to learn about the country you live in, your family heritage or another country or region you may be studying.  Below is a link to a huge list of countries and their national instruments.

Screen shot 2014-09-27 at 12.22.27 PMColor An Instrument

You can learn all about instruments by coloring them.  Discover what they are made of,  what they sound like or add your own colorful combinations to familiar instruments like the guitar.  Below you’ll find a link to lots of free coloring pages you can use to explore guitars, sitars, bombo drums and even a rattle made from the toenails of goats!  There’s also a link to online coloring for African shekeres, American washboards, Latin American guiros and more!

wwdop all play the recycled drumHear An Instrument

Okay, you’ve played with an instrument of choice and colored it in your own special way, now what does it sound like?  It can be fun to explore music by visiting music festivals, local performances (like the one pictured to the right) or by borrowing recordings or videos from your local library.  You can also look up unique instruments on the internet to find out what they sound like or how they are played.  Below is a link where you can click and hear Australian didgeridoos, Peruvian box drums, Appalachian lap dulcimers and lots more!

hands with shaker eggsMake An Instrument

Before there were music stores – almost everyone crafted their own instrument! There are some especially wonderful kid’s craft versions of simple instruments available on the internet such as Egyptian sistrum rattles, African tongue rattles and even a recycled version of a Native American turtle shell rattle.  You can find many of them on the DARIA MUSIC website as free pdf’s below.

Kids Play… Instruments!

And what is more inspiring than watching a young child play a musical instrument with true beauty and grace?   Feel free to check out Multicultural Kids Music Vids - a  curated Youtube video site that shows young kids playing Hawaiian ukuleles, Bolivian charangos, Chinese New year drums and more.  Not only are they keeping up beautiful cultural traditions, but they are showing us what a child can do to make the world a more artistic and beautiful place!

Links and Resources

National Instruments
https://makingmulticulturalmusic.wordpress.com/2015/05/07/whats-the-national-instrument-of-bhutan-find-it-here/

DARIA’s TeachersPayTeachers store – including  free instrument coloring pages:
https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Daria-Marmaluk-Hajioannou

Color or Hear Unique World Instruments:
http://www.dariamusic.com/cajon.php

World Instrument Craft Activities
http://www.dariamusic.com/crafts.php

Multicultural Kids Music Videos – Amazing Kids Category
http://multikidsmusicvids.com/?cat=46

 

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/

Three Musical Rattles For Exploring Native American Culture

little gal and buffalo drum

November is Native American Heritage Month!

What a fun time to make and play several different types of rattles that are found in Native cultures. Each rattle here is easy to make and can be used to explore Native American music and dance or for any musical activity with young children!

TURTLE ISLAND RATTLE

Did you know that the North American continent is often called “Turtle Island” based on a story that comes from an Haudenosaunee/Iroquois legend? Turtles also figure prominently in the lore and legends of many Native American tribes give-away turtle rattleacross the USA and Canada. Although the actual rattle is made from a turtle shell, this craft uses supplies that can be found around any house or classroom.

What do you need for a recycled turtle rattle? One take-out container of any size, a small amount of materials to fill the rattle (birdseed, pebbles, paper clips, etc.) a bit of glue and a piece of felt, poster board or foam to make the turtle’s body. Plus you’ll want to have some materials to help decorate the rattle, such as paint, glitter and glue or permanent markers and possibly some googley eyes for the turtle.

homemade and real turtle rattle  lo resHere’s a real and homemade turtle rattle side-by-side. Find the easy and free step-by-steps directions on DARIA’s TPT Store, here:

http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Native-American-Turtle-Shell-Rattle-Craft-Using-Recycled-Materials-600715

CHAPCHAS OR JINGLEY BRACELETS

chapchas (3) on red backgroundSo many Native rattles are made from materials found in the natural world. Chapchas – from the Andes – are made of a rather unusual natural material, the clipped toenails of sheep or goats. The nails are boiled and sterilized then a hot needle punctures a hole in the nail so they can be threaded onto a strip of fabric about the size of a bracelet.

Don’t worry – our recycled version of this instrument does not require chasing any sheep, goats or llamas for their toenail clippings! Instead, we start with a piece of yarn and weave in things that jingle as well as click and clack. We suggest a variety of household items such as buttons, beads, paper clips, jingle Chapchas - Jingley Thing craftbells or dried pasta, to name a few.

Find Step-By-Step Directions as well as a free coloring page, here:

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

www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Chapchas-A-Unique-Rattle-From-Latin-America-1426778

CHEROKEE NOISE-MAKERS

LeannaOne of our favorite bloggers – Leanna (from All Done Monkey!) just posted this craft that her family made from the book they were reading (The Cherokee by Rennay Craats). In the book, these noise-makers helped a child know what they might hear at a special ceremony of the Cherokee. You can find the activity and the full post here:

http://alldonemonkey.com/2014/11/03/cherokee-rattle-craft/

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/)

 

Creating Meaningful Music Experiences For Children

Looking for creative ways to combine music, play and learning for young children?

We love the recent article by Carla from Preschool Powol Packets (nice blog!) with 5 different activities young children and their and parents can do to explore music together.

Plus, there’s a give-away of a DARIA cd and a beautiful, authentic fair-trade rattle from Africa.

(Give-away open until September 16, 2013).

Check out the great ideas for musical play that include making simple instruments, ideas for a rhythm band and creating songs to express feelings.

Stop by to check out the fun and learning here:

http://preschoolpowolpackets.blogspot.com/2013/09/musicactivitiesDaria.html

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Drumming and Dancing in Native America

all of us :Jemez Exchange This post is part of a “Happiness Around The World” Multicultural Kids Blogging Carnival.  Hosted by Giselle of KidYogaStories, the series shares how simple pleasures enrich the lives of people all over the world.  We chose to write about one of our favorite activities – being a part of our regional pow-wows.

One of the ways that Native American celebrate life and family is through drumming and dancing.   Whether it’s a relaxed gathering of friends or a formal pow-wow complete with dance contests and special exhibits, the sound of the drum and a place to move to the beat is a special way to enjoy time with family and friends.

Dancers at Treaty SigningAre all pow-wows the same?  Not at all!  There are many different tribes and traditions across the USA and each has distinct clothing, dances and even different singing styles.  Some larger pow-wows have visiting drum groups that play throughout the day and most have a large dance ring that creates the central place to dance.  Around the ring are usually chairs and places to catch up with relatives and friends that might not have been seen in a while.

Can anyone attend a pow-wow?  While it’s true that some pow-wows and gatherings are closed and are “by invitation only”, most events that are visible to the public are open to the public.  Everyone is welcome to attend and enjoy.  There are just three simple tips that are helpful if you decide to go.  First, the special clothing worn by dancers is called regalia.  To some, it would be offensive to call it a costume, but it is not offensive to ask about it in a respectful way.  Secondly, ask before taking any photographs.  And lastly, respect your elders.  Allow any elders to go into the dance ring first, or to find seating or take a place in line for food.  Native culture shows great respect for both elders and veterans and they are generally placed first in any procession at a pow-wow such as the Grand Entry.

Can you learn to dance, Native American style?  It is easy and fun to learn these dances.  The simple steps can be mastered by anyone and the complicated dances are great for more serious students.

If you take a look at some of the links below you can find more information about how drumming and dancing create happiness and keep people connected in Native communities across the country.

pow wow drumHear a Pow-wow Drum Played by the Starfeather Singers
http://www.dariamusic.com/drum.php

Hear a Pow-wow Drum Song Sung by the Starfeather Singers
http://www.dariamusic.com/drum.php

A Make-Your-Own Pow-wow drum project
http://www.dariamusic.com/make_Drum.php

Make A Whistle – From A Blade Of Grass!

Even the simplest things can be a part of creative, everyday musical fun with your child!

Have you ever shown your kids how to make a simple blade of grass into a whistle that sounds like a duck call?  If this wasn’t one of your childhood games, don’t worry.  It’s easy to learn and a great way to share creative play with your child.

What Do You Need?

Only three things! A blade of grass, preferably a longer thin one, two thumbs and a bit of patience.  And as you try this activity, you might want to notice that you’re actually making a simple version of the type of reed found in woodwind instruments such as saxophones, clarinets and oboes.

How To Do It!

Although this seems easy, it does take some time to get the right sound, so don’t give up if it doesn’t work the first few times!  Place your two thumbs together, leaving space between them like you see in the above picture.

Next choose a long, thin piece of grass, and stretch it between your thumbs, making it as tight as you can.  The grass should look as if it is dividing the space between your thumbs.

Then, put your mouth up to your thumbs and blow gently.  A loud, squawking sound should emerge that sounds like a duck.  If not, adjust the grass, try another blade of grass or change your mouth position until you get the whistling sound.

With a bit of practice, you can be a “duck call” pro in no time! Here’s what it might sound like:

Making Music From Natural Items

Love spending time outdoors or in nature?  Here are some related musical crafts that you might enjoy:

Take A Nature Walk – Make A Recycled Rattle
http://tinytappingtoes.wordpress.com/2012/03/26/take-a-nature-walkmake-a-recycled-rattle/

10 Earth Day Music Crafts From Recycled Materials https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Reduce-Reuse-Recycle-Rock-Out-E-Book-With-10-Musical-Activities-653502

Over In The Meadow – A Great Song For Welcoming Spring and Counting Baby Animals!

nting imageWhat’s more fun than animal babies?

One of my favorite children’s songs – Over In The Meadow – combines cute creatures and learning the skill of counting to ten.   I first heard the song from a friend of mine who was a folksinger in Appalachia, but later found out that this popular rhyme may date back as far as the 1600’s in England.  So it seems that some things are universal.  Parents love to teach their children with music and no one can resist a baby animal!

The songs starts in a pond in the sun with one mother frog and her “little froggy one”.  Then there are kittens, birds, worms, bees, dogs, owls, ducks, mice, and even ten spiders.  And, best of all, each of the animal babies know how to listen to their elders!  Since the song has an easy-to-follow formula, even the youngest kids get the idea of counting up one number each time and can easily follow or sing along.

Although the song was originally written with each animal and their mommy, I’ve added dads, grandmas and grandpas to the verses in my version.  In my travels I had met many kids that did not always have traditional families or a mom at home as a caregiver, so I changed the song a bit to help these children feel that their family was special and important, too.

You can see my version of Over In The Meadow here:

Over In The Meadow – Lyric Page
http://www.dariamusic.com/meadow.php

Over In The Meadow – Printable Lyric Page
http://www.dariamusic.com/docs/songs/Over%20in%20the%20Meadow%20Songbook.pdf

Over In The Meadow On Itunes (Track 13)
https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/this-little-light-of-mine/id292915765?i=292915774&ign-mpt=uo%3D6

Over In The Meadow On Amazon Mp3
http://amzn.com/B0024XB2FS

Write Your Own “12 Days Of Christmas” Carol!

12 daysSinging with your children is one of the simple pleasures of the holiday season.  It’s a great time to relive memories from your childhood and also to make new ones for your family! Have you ever thought of making your own, custom-tailored Christmas song?  If you have creative kids and a sense of humor, you can easily make your own version of the classic holiday song – the Twelve Days of Christmas.

Almost everyone is familiar with the song’s lyrics:

“On the first day of Christmas, my true love gave to me,

a partridge in a pear tree.”

Then, each day, a new gift is added and the list becomes part of the song.  To see the popular list of 12 days/gifts, take a look below.  However, originally the song was used as part of a memory game where each person added a verse and then had to recite all the items that had come before them.  Some people believe there is special hidden symbolism in the words, and that each items reflects some part of the story of the life of Jesus.  In any event, the song has been treasured and passed down for many generations and has easily become part of holiday festivities in countries all over the globe.

How can you write your own version?  Use the same melody and format, but add the names of things that are special to you and your loved ones.  You can also describe what the holiday means to people in your area.  For instance, here’s a great version of the 12 days of Christmas written by a class of school children in St. Croix.  The wanted to share what holiday cheer meant to them on their island.  It’s a funny and fun version of their own special 12 days and I especially love their choice for day 5 – five centipedes!

Here’s what they created:

On The Twelve Days of Christmas – Crucian Style
On the first day of Christmas my true love gave to me,
An iguana in a Mango tree.
On the second day of Christmas my true love gave to me,
2 forts with cannons etc.
On the third day of Christmas my true love gave to me,
3 mocko jumbies etc. (Special stilt walkers seen in St. Croix)
On the fourth day of Christmas my true love gave to me,
4 frogs a singing etc.
On the fifth day of Christmas my true love gave to me,
5 centipedes etc.
On the sixth day of Christmas my true love gave to me,
6 cruise ships coming etc.
On the seventh day of Christmas my true love gave to me,
7 roosters crowing etc
On the eighth day of Christmas my true love gave to me,
8 geckos climbing etc.
On the ninth day of Christmas my true love gave to me,
9 lobsters swimming etc
On the tenth day of Christmas my true love gave to me,
10 Crucians speaking etc
On the eleventh day of Christmas my true love gave to me,
11 children dancing etc.
On the twelfth day of Christmas my true love gave to me,
12 steel pans drumming etc.

What can you sing about?  Choose anything that is a part of your holiday celebration.  Will there be a number of presents wrapping?  A nativity set up?  Cookies being baked?  Visits to friends?  Are their ornaments to be hung?  Special pictures to be taken?  Carols sung by the tree?  If you enlist your kids help, it won’t be hard to find 12 things you all love about Christmas to turn into a very special and unique song.

Here’s hoping this fun holiday song makes some great memories for you and your family this year!

The Original 12 Days of Christmas

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

———————————–

Many thanks to Miss Barb and her students at the AZ Academy on the island of St. Croix for allowing me to share their creative songwriting in this post!

Illustration is from the Catholic Toolbox, who have created a cute memory game with the twelve images seen here:

http://catholicblogger1.blogspot.com/2009/11/twelve-days-of-christmas-memory-game.html