Another concert pianist credits toy pianos for the start

In "Pianist shares life lessons with kids" in upstate New York's Star-Gazette, columnist John Cleary writes about of classical pianist Leon Bates from Philadelphia. Bates recently performed in Elmira New York and shared his musical childhood with Cleary. The acclaimed pianist credits his kindergarten teacher with being the one who first ignited his lifelong interest in music and in the piano in particular. The teacher would play classical music to the children and let them have access to the upright piano in the classroom. Bates then says that when he told his parents he wanted to be a piano player, they gave him a toy piano to see how serious he was. This led to music lessons for the child and he gave his first public recital when he was just 7. The positive feedback Bates received from performing in public was the encouragement that drove him on toward a career in music.

Quote of the Week

" Music is the art which is most nigh to tears and memory. "
~ Oscar Wilde

Election Day

The studio is closed today for election day.

Happy Halloween!

The Great Out Doors

Foundations of Learning: Playing in the great outdoors allows baby to explore new territory! His/Her senses will be invigorated, the mind and thought processes stimulated, and the motor skills enhanced. Exploration within safe limits allows baby to experience the wonder of discovery as well as providing skill and sense development.

**Research has found that development of the skills involved in outdoor activities (gross motor movements, climbing, running, exploration, creative play the outdoors might stimulate) build a foundation necessary for learning skills used in a school setting. **

Home activity: Explore the great outdoors! Whether you have a small or large yard, there is always something new to discover: blades of grass, sticks and stones, tiny bugs, mud puddles, dewdrops, spiderwebs, sirens, airplanes, etc. Allow baby to steer out toward what is interesting. Talk with him/her about what is seen, heard, and felt. Your interest and involvement will encourage him/her to observe and learn.

Baby's Journal: My baby found something new outside today! He/She learned about...

For your library: Quick and Fun Learning Activities for 1 Year Olds by Marla Pender.

Have you wiggled today?

I've worked with children of all ages and all have loved A Ram Sam Sam. Older children turn this song into a dance while singing in cannon. In Our Time, we sing this song and keep a steady beat with shakers. On page 24 of your home materials, there are directions for making your own home shaker. They are very easy to make, and if you have a variety of containers at home, you can make many different shakers with different shaking materials to create a variety of sounds. Small spice containers are great for little hands!

Another fun shaker game is adding an object, or many of the same objects, for a surprise game.Try pennies, pieces of paper, or a stuffed animal hidden inside. Your child will experience a variety of timbres (characteristic quality of a sound), and have a fun "Peek-a-boo" type game with the object inside, when they open the container. As they get older, they'll have fun guessing what you've put in there.

I really enjoy the alliteration of The Frog in the Bog. On page 26 you can enjoy this song and the Rock "leap frog" Game. Leap Frog offers an opportunity for pretend play and gross motor movement.

Don't miss out on additional Johann Strauss recommendations from the home materials which include The Emperor Waltz, Tritsch-Tratsch-Polka, and Annen-Polka. Playing a variety of music for your children at a young age will create an interest in seeking out diverse styles of music all through life. Consider playing these pieces repeatedly, to make them familiar favorites for your child as they grow older.

Baby Einstein Refund

Be sure to click on our Facebook Fan Page link below to learn about the refund being offered for Baby Einstein DVDs purchased between June 5, 2004 and September 4, 2009. Why? According to consumer groups they don't make your child smart after all, as claimed in the advertisements.