Term 2 Enrolment Bonus

Hayley helps the children practise the rhyme "This is the baby, ready for a nap" which includes the lullaby for the June 2020 Music Playground virtual choir.We explore High and Low sounds in many different ways, and also investigate how sound is caused by vibrations. Of course there's lots of playful singing, dancing and instruments, because children learn best when they're having fun. Your child may like to join in the music making by finding something metal from around the house that makes a bell sound, and glockenspiel. The craft activity today uses a cardboard tube, grease proof paper and some stickytape.

We introduce some new songs and rhymes, including one about wearing a mask because we don't want the children to feel uneasy when they see people wearing them or if they are asked to wear one themselves. Sometimes a song can help normalize new things. We dance our teddy bears to Bizet's Toreador Song, and practise high and low sounds on the glockenspiel. Of course there's lots more playful singing, dancing and instruments, because children learn best when they're having fun. Your child may like to join in the music making with any or all of these: singing voice, triangle, a small teddy or soft toy, a glockenspiel or a drum.

Jean and Greg play a reel called "The Merry Blacksmith" for us to dance to. Jean and Hayley teach us the sleepy bunny song in German and we learn the German word for "no". We practise finding letter names on the notes of our glockenspiels, and Anja shows us how to make a crotchet using origami (which is fantastic for developing fine-motor skills). Of course there's lots more playful singing, dancing and instruments, because children learn best when they're having fun. Your child may like to join in the music making with any or all of these: shaker, paper scissors and a gluestick, a glockenspiel or a drum.

Jean and Hayley show us how musicians write a beat of silence and we put the silence into a song using a pattern. Anja shows us how to make a beautiful rain painting with a sneaky bit of origami in there for developing fine motor skills (she uses white paper, watercolour paint, wax crayon, scissors, coloured paper, a pipe cleaner and glue). We balance our teddy bears while dancing to Bizet's Toreador Song from Carmen, and we add some instruments to the rhyme "Grandma's Glasses." Of course there's lots more playful singing, dancing and instruments, because children learn best when they're having fun. Your child may like to join in the music making with any or all of these: claves, a drum, finger cymbals (or any other metal sound like a glockenspiel). We recommend finding things around the house for substitute instruments, if you don't have any of these, for example you can use two chopsticks for claves. It's great to see people being creative with what they have.

This week we look at quavers and crotchets, what they sound like and how many sounds we hear in a beat. We keep the beat, dancing our teddy bears to March of the Toreadors from Bizet's "Carmen". We practise our xylophone letter recognition, and there's a special guest appearance by our friend Mark, who shows us his concertina, a beautiful old instrument from Ireland. Of course there's lots more playful singing, dancing and instruments, because children learn best when they're having fun. Your child may like to join in the music making a glockenspiel/toy xylophone and a small soft toy. Our craft activity today uses 2 strips of coloured paper, scissors, glue and a pipe cleaner.

In this class, Beka, Jean and Claire sing the owl song, and Anja shows us how to move like a sea anenome. Anja shows us how to make an autumn picture from items around the home. (You'll need Autumn leaves, paper, sticky tape, and a texta). We make music with claves and a drum. If you don’t have a drum, we suggest your child can substitute items such as pencils for claves and a plastic tub for the drum. Of course there's lots more playful singing, dancing and instruments, because children learn best when they're having fun. Your child may like to join in the music making with a drum or a shaker today. All the group activities and clips filmed at the studio in today’s episode were made prior to the current lockdown in Victoria.

This week it's been raining and we have some rainy day musical activities to do at home. Hayley sings the colours of the rainbow song, and Anja shows us how to make a rainbow using textas, 2 glasses of water and a piece of paper towel. If you're the geeky sciencey type it's a chance to talk to your kids about capillary action and how the water is going uphill. The water near the dry paper towel, sticks to the dry part and drags other water along with it using surface tension. Jean makes rain music with a drum and Chicken gets up to mischief... hopefully Anja can find all the instruments before next week! Of course there's lots more playful singing, dancing and instruments, because children learn best when they're having fun. All the group activities and clips filmed at the studio in today’s episode were made prior to the current lockdown in Victoria.

The Music Playground teachers are at home and they can’t find the instruments! So like all musicians they have to improvise. As they say in the performing arts, the show must go on! Jean makes a water xylophone using some glass bottles and sticks from the garden. This activity requires adult supervision but it’s such a lovely sound and lots of fun. Anja shows us how to make another rainbow using tissue paper and glue which looks very pretty on her window. Beka and Jean play a movement game while Beka plays her guitar. Anja and Chicken play a listening guessing game using sounds around the house. Of course there's lots more playful singing, dancing and instruments, because children learn best when they're having fun. All the group activities and clips filmed at the studio in today’s episode were made prior to the current lockdown in Victoria.

Well what a crazy weather week we've had! This week's class features songs about rain, wind, thunder and rainbows. Anja uses the footpath outside her house to make a musical game with chalk. The teachers talk about their favourite colours and use that as inspiration to make music. Children are invited to join in with a drum or pretend drum. Pinkie sings the rainbow song with Katrina, and Beka, Jean and Chicken boogie to Twinkle Twinkle. Of course there's lots more playful singing, dancing and instruments, because children learn best when they're having fun.