Principles of Fun

watch it, it is fun.

Its Elizabeth's Birthday week

Clearly, I don't have enough pictures of my sister Elizabeth. Although I was blaming the tardyness of this happy birthday on the renovations that have taken over the house, I just can't find the "right" picture was my mantra. Finally, I found the photo albums, and alas - there are too few pictures of Elizabeth at my house.

Still, I love this picture! Elizabeth, remember this - our first trip to Nebraska. A hot week on the prairie, lazy days on the beach covered with small and fragile sun flowers - so quiet warm and windy. There have been many trips to the ranch since this picture was taken in 1993 (?) Judging by the color of my hair - and our size.

It is a treat and an adventure to be your sister - It was you who introduced me to peaches and cream, Bob Marley, Eva Cassidy a Nod to Bob - which even I love. You drove me to piano lessons with Mr. Belman every week, you helped me move and move and move. Just watching you live is an inspiration. You are beautiful, your heart, your home, your children, your way.

Easter Cards

Thanks to my friend Sarah who sent me a list of 25 great free things. This is my favorite for today. Free Greeting cards from Hipster cards. E-cards are getting cuter all the time. Here is a page full of Easter Greetings to share

Summer Time

At Kindermusik of the Valley we have something for EVERYONE this summer.
From BUSY DAYS for our littlest babies to JAZZ KITCHEN for our aspiring musicians (and chefs). MARVELOUS ME to share with your child or MARVELOUS ME & FRIENDS for those who are ready to start having a class of their own! SIGN&SING and FAMILY TIME will fill your heads with songs as you go HERE THERE AND EVERYWHERE this summer!

The summer schedule is up on our website just click HERE to surf over, or give me a call: 952-895-9006

Thanks Michael!

Look what we got to play with today at Kindermusik! Thanks to Michael Carvale who is Tucker's (electric) Bass teacher. He brought this baby bass by on Sunday night. Michael plays with the "must see" Davina and the Vagabonds all around the Twin Cities and points east. It was so fun to get our hands on this HUGE instrument. We strumed the strings top and bottom, rubbed them up and down, tapped on the body, and bowed a little bit too.

Thank you Tammy - Vincent's mom, always ready to snap a cute picture!

Dancing around the world

This is a great video that features Matt, a regular guy who loves to travel and dance. He taped video of himself dancing all over the world. Let me know which is your favorite.

The Treble Clef

Kindermusik students experimented drawing treble clefs this week with great result. It is fun to draw something that looks so hard and swirly - with ease and success. The magic of Kindermusik.

drumming created

Watch this little boy compose and create a drumming masterpiece.

What kids can do with music, is a lot. (thanks Molly)

Great Opera and Orchestra

The world famous Sydney Opera House. If we were in Austrailia this is the place for Opera. Today a Kindermusik parent asked me about appropriate opera for her son who seems suddenly interested in the stories and sounds of the opera. It warms my heart to hear this, and I am not surprised. I just finished working on a project for Kindermusik International where we used Mozart's Magic Flute as the basis for a whole curriculum. In pilot classes with 4 and 5 year olds we had remarkable participation, and interest in the sounds and story.

Serendipitously, a blog I check regularly written by Mollie Greene has listed several wonderful starting classics for children. Here is Mollie's list, I couldn't agree more. Children love to be challeneged with what they hear. Pick up a few of these, they are classics, easily found at the library if you want to try them before you buy.

If you’re not familiar with classical music yourself, choosing music that will inspire your children to make broad musical choices may be difficult for you.

First of all, Congratulations! Enrolling your children in Kindermusik is a great ways to start exposing your children to new musical genres. In Kindermusik, your home cds include music from other countries and a variety of musical styles.

The following is a list of recordings to purchase or to borrow that are not only appealing to young children, but are a part of classic repertoire with which everyone should be familiar. Give them a listen and let your teacher know what you think about them. Pass them on to friends and family. Most of all, listen to them over and over again yourself!

• Peter and the Wolf, Tchaikovsky
• Carnival of the Animals, Saint Saens
• 1001 Nights, Rimsky-Korsakov
• Cinderella, Suite from the Ballet, Prokofiev
• The Story of Babar, Poulenc
• The World’s Very Best Opera for Kids, in English
• The Classical Child at the Opera
• Mozart’s Magnificent Voyage, Mozart
• A Journey Through the Magic Flute, Mozart
• Cello Suites, Bach
• Vivaldi I & II

winter white

A beautiful white winter morning. So much snow for Dinah to run through, dive into, frolic and leap - the snow is deeper than her stomach in most places and she has to jump the whole way. What amazing exercize that music be. Snow shoes keep me from falling all the way through the snow to the solid ground, it is hard work though and we are hot on the inside while chilly on the outside. What a gift this, an almost spring time snow. A lazy day for the family, looking forward to a day of rosey cheeks.

Beautiful sculpture

Imagine That classes are looking at and playing with STAUTES. Here is a cool website by artist Jen Stark who has made beautiful sculpture from colored construction paper. Visit her amazing work and be inspired. I can't wait to see the sculptures made from our Imagine That kids in the next two weeks!

Thank you to my Kindermusik collegue from Kansas City for this site.

Snow Day

Kindermusik classes for Thursday night. Stay home. Stay safe. Have fun.

Go Outside

Richard Louv has written a compelling book about how the lack of connection to nature is affecting our children in surprising ways. Our mother's words of wisdom win out again. "Helen, go outside and play"

Snipping Tips

How to tips for new scissor users at this Wonder Time website. Click on the cutting pages for bright beautiful farm pictures with cutting lines for the beginning and advanced snippers. Here is a page full of nice scissors for kids.

By the way - Cutting paper with scissor is a STEADY BEAT activity. That is the same STEADY BEAT that we talk about and practice in Kindermusik everyday, good for us in so many ways!

One Love

Happy Valentines Day - let's get together . . .

Instrument Inspiration

Kindermusik International has a mission - to put a song in every child's heart. Not every child who can pay the fee, not every child who has someone to drive them, not every child who lives in the suburbs, but - every child. I am so honored to be affiliated with such a company. Because of the outreach teaching I do with my partner, Sherry Grimsby in North Minneapolis, I was given an award this year, this award came with a very generous amount of money. I am excited to have turned those dollars into a whole lot of instruments for La Creche Early Childhood Center and Mary T. Wellcome Development Center both located in North Minneapolis, and serving children who can really use a song in their heart.Bags, boxes, and bins of instruments wait in my kitchen to be swished, shaken and tapped. Just look at these smiles to see what a difference Kindermusik International has made in the lives of these particular children - and will continue to make every day - now that they have instruments of their very own.

Time for OUR TIME

There is still room for you to join us. Don't wait, come for a free class and see for yourself what a unique, loving, beautiful, musical time you can share with your child. To see our schedule, locations and meet our staff just click HERE

One more of mom

This was a great day when we were together to watch our dear Brooke dance in her spring recital. I have always loved this picture of my mom, my daughter and me. Judging by Lorelei's size, clothes and my hair color I think it was about 11 years ago.

Happy Birthday Mom!

Happy birthday to my mom Anne Marie Hansen. My mom is smart and strong, she is a hot pot of spaghetti sauce bubbling all day on the stove, she is capable of everything, she is fagile and loving, she has been my solid place to land forever. She always has cookies, she always has answers, she always has time. I love you mom! Enjoy everyday of your 73rd year.

Automatic Flatterer

What a computer should do.
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