Making time for music

I (heart) routine.

We are back in a lovely rhythm here, and it's doing us all some good. 

Morning: breakfast, coloring or simple crafts, dressed and out the door

9-1: preschool/day care for both girls. They come home with full bellies and I have 3.5 hours dedicated to work. That means, when the girls are back, I'm not constantly checking e-mails or trying to make quick phone calls (that never goes well). I can just focus on them.

On the drive home from school, there's a small treat waiting for them on their car seats.

1-1:45 or so: music! Oh, how I wished I played the guitar. Or the piano. Or anything. I gave up cello in the 10th grade. Was never very good at it anyway. Still, I've always tried to make music a big part of our lives.

When Bo was a baby, I sang to her constantly. At one point, J made the comment, "She's going to be really disappointed when she finds out life isn't a musical." I'm not a great singer, but I don't care.

I'd love to put the girls in Music Together classes, but they're so dang expensive.

So what we're doing lately is this: throw some blankets on the living room floor (we don't have a rug), pull out our basket o' instruments (tambourine, kazoo, harmonica, blocks, maracas), and dink around with them while something plays on the stereo in the background. The girls are loving Peter Yarrow's songbooks right now. I'm partial to Elizabeth Mitchell's "You Are My Little Bird" album.

Tutus are a must, of course:

And when the action slows down or moves to the couch, I know it's time for naps.

Does anyone else do something similar? Any other tips on how to make music with kids, especially for those of us who don't have the skillz?

After naps, I try to have some sort of craft or learning activity out and ready, in the hopes that this will be a precursor to homework time one day. And in the hopes that I'll be able to make dinner while they're preoccupied, but at some point (usually when they see me pull out the food processor) they always slide their little chairs up to the counter to "help."

Eat dinner. Go to the gym. Play outside (September has been absolutely gorgeous here). Sleep.

On a completely different topic, has anyone seen the October cover of Martha Stewart Living? It's not my favorite October issue ever, but the pumpkin "mushrooms" are awesome. 

Speaking of my magazine addiction, Cookie came in the mail today so I'm going to excuse myself now to read about "39 family vacations I'll never forget" (but probably can't afford) and find out if "acupuncture can save my sex life." (Kidding, J. Just reading the teasers on the cover.)

Comments

[Apryl]

love, love the music ideas!! so cool. what a great way to get them interested in music. i don't have any better idea. i like the basket full of different musical instrument ideas & actually having a music time. i'll have to remember that :) for now i sing to LG when i can & on car rides to & from daycare :) & have been looking online for song idea's as i get bored with old mcdonald over & over :) ha!!

[baby gifts]

We also don't have the skills with regards to music. I believe that if the kids have the talent it will come out naturally.
What we do is get them involved in physical activities, whether the outdoors or dance class. Dad is in charge of them while I'm in charge of the dinner. ^_^

[Grace]

Look for Ella Jenkins' music at your local library - she's really wonderful. She does much of the same work with music (different tempos and beats, call and response, introducing new languages, etc) as they do in Music Together class and my son loves her cds as much as the MT cds.

I also love Elizabeth Mitchell and her other two albums are just as good. I found those at my local library too!

Good luck and I love your blog so thanks for the time that goes into that!

[Megan]

Thanks for the tips, guys. Grace, I'll definitely look up Ella Jenkins and I MUST get Elizabeth Mitchell's other stuff. I adore her music. Check her out, Apryl. The songs are sweet and easy to sing along to in the car.
Baby Gifts, a friend of mine who teaches music to kids told me it doesn't matter if we can carry a tune or not. She said sing to your heart's content and the kids will benefit from it.

[tiffany]

you might like this post I did...

http://likelyclassroom.blogspot.com/2008/09/little-jam-in-morning.html

freeze dance is always fun. play music, stop it and freeze, start music again....

If you want some fun crazy dance songs -- try Jungle Drum by Emiliana Torini and Great DJ by the Ting tings -- my kids LOVE these.

A great album is Big, Big World by Renee and Jeremy (that one is geared for little ones and is softer. Also, Innocence Mission's Now the Day is Over. We LOVE the Innocence Mission around here.