Halloween Songs for Children

Shivery Yells

(Sung to Silver Bells)

We're on the sidewalks, we're on the porches,

Dressed in costumes to scare.
Through the city we're ringing doorbells

Trick or treating, eating candy,
Gooey stuff in our hair,
But the most fun is shrieking out loud:

Shivery Yells, Shivery Yells
That's Halloween nitty-gritty
Moan and groan, leave us alone,
Halloween's just one night a year.

Deck the Patch

(Sung to Deck the Halls)

Deck the patch with orange and black,

Fa la la la la, la la la la

Take along your goody sack,

Fa la la la la, la la la la

Don we now our weird apparel,

Fa la la la la, la la la la

To the ancient pumpkin carol,

Fa la la la la, la la la la

See the great ones rise before us,

Fa la la la la, la la la la

As we sing the pumpkin chorus,

Fa la la la la, la la la la

Follow him as he ascends,

Fa la la la la la, la la la

Join with true great pumpkin friends,

Fa la la la la, la la la la.

These songs are from http://www.dobhran.com/greetings/GRhalloween3.htm.

Visit their site to learn more great Halloween songs!

Teaching Your Child Solfege

Music Lesson: Solfege

(Julie Andrews in The Sound of Music)


What is solfege?
Solfege is an important part of learning to read music and is a technique used to teach sight-singing or sight reading. Each note in solfege is sung to a different syllable do, re, me, fa, so, la, ti, and each note has a corresponding hand sign (as seen in photo below).

To teach your child solfege do the following:

1. Sing do (doh) to the first pitch of any major scale (i.e. if you choose the major C scale, C would be your first note).

2. Now, sing and sign do with your hand (as seen in photo below).

3. Have your child sing and sign do. If needed, help mold your child's hand into the do shape until he or she can sign do his or herself.

4. Continue to teach your child every solfege sign and syllable.

5. Note: Solfege is a great way to introduce music to your baby!

Solfege Pronunciation:

Do = Doh (For the C scale you will sing C pitch)

Re = Ray (For the C scale you will sing D pitch)

Me = Mee (For the C scale you will sing E pitch)

Fa = Fah (For the C scale your will sing F pitch)

Sol = Soh (For the C scale you will sing G pitch)

La = Lah (For the C scale you will sing A pitch)

Ti = Tee (For the C scale you will sing B pitch)

Wordless/ful Wednesday

What musical instrument am I?

Answer to last Wordless/ful Wednesday: Soprano Saxophone

The soprano saxophone was invented in 1840 and is the second largest instrument in the saxophone family. The soprano saxophone is a woodwind instrument and is played in jazz and classical music. Because the soprano has a small body, it is hard to keep in tune so experienced players will use alternate fingerings to keep the notes in tune. The soprano saxophone is also made with a curved bell like an alto saxophone.





Below is an example of what a soprano saxophone sounds like:

Brandford Marsalis on Soprano Saxophone

Music Craft: Guiro or Cabasa

Today's music craft can be played as a guiro (first photo) or a cabasa (second photo).











Materials Needed:



1. 1 clean and dried 10 oz or 14 oz tin can
2. 6 inches of a paper towel roll
3. 100-200 plastic or wood beads (make sure the holes in the beads are big enough to be strung on elastic.)
4. Glue and scissors
5. Elastic
6. Aclyric paint
7. Sand paper






Directions:



1. Lightly sand the rough side of the tin can.

2. Cut 4 evenly spaced slits in the paper towel roll (slits should 3/4 inches long).

3. Bend the edges down to form flaps (as seen in photo).


















4. Glue the flaps to the bottom of the tin can and let dry over night.

















5. Paint the tin can and paper towel roll (let dry).


6. Cut 4 to 8 - 10 inch elastic strips for the 10 oz can, or 4 to 8 - 15 inch elastic strips for the 14 oz can.


7. String 25 beads on each elastic strand.


8. String the strands around the tin can and tie the ends together.



9. Now you are ready to play!













To play as a guiro:
Hold the handle and brush a stick over the beads.




To play as a cabasa:

Hold the handle with one hand, and with the other hand move the beads back and forth (as seen in video below).

This great craft idea was from http://www.canadianliving.com/.

Halloween Songs for Children

GHOSTBUSTERS

If there's something strange
in your neighborhood

Who ya gonna call?

GHOSTBUSTERS

If there's something weird

and it don't look good

Who ya gonna call?

GHOSTBUSTERS

I ain't afraid of no ghosts

I ain't afraid of no ghosts

If you're seeing things

running through your head

Who can ya call?

GHOSTBUSTERS

An invisible man

sleeping in your bed

Who ya gonna call?

GHOSTBUSTERS

I ain't afraid of no ghosts

I ain't afraid of no ghosts

Who ya gonna call?

GHOSTBUSTERS

If ya all alone

pick up the phone

and call

GHOSTBUSTERS

I ain't afraid of no ghosts

I here it likes the ghost

I ain't afraid of no ghost

Yeah Yeah Yeah Yeah

Who ya gonna call?

GHOSTBUSTERS

If you've had a dose of

afreaky ghost baby

Ya better call

GHOSTBUSTERS

Lemme tell ya something

Bustin' makes me feel good!

I ain't afraid of no ghosts

I ain't afraid of no ghosts

Don't get caught alone no no

GHOSTBUSTERS

When it comes through your door

Unless you just want some more

I think you better call

GHOSTBUSTERS

Who ya gonna call?

GHOSTBUSTERS

Who ya gonna call?

GHOSTBUSTERS

I think you better call

GHOSTBUSTERS

Who ya gonna call?

GHOSTBUSTERS

I can't hear you

Who ya gonna call?

GHOSTBUSTERS

Louder

GHOSTBUSTERS

Who ya gonna call?

GHOSTBUSTERS

Who can ya call?

GHOSTBUSTERS

Who ya gonna call?

GHOSTBUSTERS

Halloween Family Concert

Just A Reminder

The Anchorage Symphony's Halloween Family Concert is in one week, on Friday October, 31 2008 in the Atwood Concert Hall. Have your kids wear their Halloween costumes and get ready for 4 floors of trick-or-treating after the show!

Beethoven Lesson

Music Lesson: Ludwig Van Beethoven

Teach your child the following lesson:

Biography:



Beethoven was one of the most influential and respected composers of his time and played a key role in bridging classical and romantic music. Beethoven was a composer and played the piano in the 1700’s. He was born in December, 1770 and grew up in Bonn, Germany where he lived with his parents and 6 brothers and sisters (although 3 of his siblings died after infancy).

At age 8 Beethoven had his first known public performance on the piano, and at age 14 he started playing the organ for a choir. When Beethoven was 17 years old he went to Vienna, Austria to study with Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. After Mozart died Beethoven started studying with Joseph Haydn.

When Beethoven was about 27 years old, he may have gotten tinnitus (ringing in his ears caused by infection or loud noises) which caused him to eventually go deaf. Although Beethoven was devastated from his hearing loss, he figured out that he could hear the music through vibrations from his piano (which is why he was still able to write music).

Beethoven’s Music:
Scholars have divided Beethoven’s musical works into three periods:

During the first music period, Beethoven was finding “his personal voice.” He wrote: string quartets, piano sonatas, piano concertos, and symphonies. Here is an example of music Beethoven wrote during his first music period: Beethoven's Symphony No. 1


During the second period, Beethoven wrote: an opera, symphonies, piano concertos, and quartet music. The second period is known as Beethoven’s independent period because he was known as one of the best pianists and composers of his time. Beethoven became friends with some of the richest and noble families in Vienna. He gained prominent devoted fans such as Prince Lichnowsky. Beethoven would often make the Prince wait in the waiting room on purpose so he could compose music! Here is an example of Beethoven's second period music: The Eroica Symphony


During the last period, Beethoven’s music became reflective. He started to use variations (new rhythms, new meter, new tempos, new embellishments, and new figurations) in his music. Although Beethoven had bad health and family struggles during this period, he still managed to write some of his best musical works during this time. Here is an example of Beethoven's third period music: Beethoven String Quartet Op. 131

References:

A History of Western Music, Grout and Palisca
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ludwig_van_Beethoven


Beethoven Coloring Activity:

Click here to print a coloring page of Beethoven.

Quiz on Beethoven:

Click here to give your child a quiz on Beethoven.

Band-in-a Box Giveaway Winner

Last night my Hubby randomly chose a winner for the Band-in-a-Box giveaway!! Congratulations to Janet Faye! Yea Yea!!

I will be having more giveaways in the future so keep checking back!

Funny Music Videos

Today I thought it would be fun to post funny and classic music videos! Also, today is the last day to enter the Band-in-a-Box Giveaway. Enjoy!

Wordful/less Wednesday

What musical instrument am I?

Answer to last Wordful/less Wednesday: Harpsichord

Harpsichords have been around since the 1500's and are used in Baroque music. The harpsichord became less popular when the piano was invented. The harpsichord is similar to a piano because when a key is pressed, a long strip of wood is lifted which is attached to a pick that plucks the string.

Below is an example of what a harpsichord sounds like:

Halloween Music for Kids

Halloween CD's Your Kids Will Love:

1. Halloween Howls by Andrew Gold, is a great CD to use for a child Halloween party, and is a great CD to play for your child during the Halloween season. Halloween Howls is fun and has songs such as The Monster Mash and Ghost Busters. Click here to listen.


2. Chilling, Thrilling Sound Effects of the Haunted House by Walt Disney, is a great CD to use for a haunted house or for trick or treaters. Chilling, Thrilling Sound Effects has howling wind, barking dogs, screeching cats, and booing ghosts.
Listen here.



3. Witching Hour by Eban Schletter, has music that could be used at a child Halloween party. My daughter liked the music on Witching Hour because it was "not scary!"
Listen Here




4. Boo, Cackle, Trick or Treat by Sue Schnitzer, is a great Halloween CD for babies and children. On Boo, Cackle, Trick or Treat you will find Halloween action songs and jokes. Most of the music has children singing along with the songs. Click here to listen.

5. Spooky Favorites is another great CD for babies and children. On this CD you will find songs such as the 12 Days of Halloween, Dem Bones, and 5 little pumpkins. Listen here.

6. Halloween Hits is a great CD for your teenager's Halloween dance parties. The music on Halloween Hits is techno and exciting!
Listen here.




I am participating in Works for Me Wednesday.

Music Memory Cards

A great way to help to improve your child's memory is to play memory card games. A game my Daughter loves to play is a card matching game.

How to play:

1. Print out the music memory cards (see below). Make sure you print out each page twice (for best results print out the cards on card stock paper).

2. Cut out the cards.

3. Place all the cards face down in front of your child.

4. Have your child flip over 2 cards at a time. If the cards do not match, then flip the cards face down again.

5. If the 2 cards do match, then place the matching cards face up in a pile until the game is finished.

Music Memory Cards

6. Have fun!

Halloween Songs for Children

The Twelve Days of Halloween

(These words are sung to the 12 Days of Christmas.)

On the first day of Hallowe'en
My true love gave to me

An owl in a rotten oak tree

On the second day of Hallowe'en
My true love gave to me

Two trick or treaters

And an owl in a rotten oak tree

On the third day of Hallowe'en

My true love gave to me

Three black cats

Two trick or treaters

And an owl in a rotten oak tree

On the fourth day of Hallowe'en

My true love gave to me

Four skeletons

Three black cats

Two trick or treaters

And an owl in a rotten oak tree

On the fifth day of Hallowe'en

My true love gave to me

Five scary spooks!

Four skeletons

Three black cats

Two trick or treaters

And an owl in a rotten oak tree

On the sixth day of Hallowe'en

My true love gave to me

Six goblins gobbling

Five scary spooks!

Four skeletons

Three black cats

Two trick or treaters

And an owl in a rotten oak tree

On the seventh day of Hallowe'en

My true love gave to me

Seven pumpkins glowing

Six goblins gobbling

Five scary spooks!

Four skeletons

Three black cats

Two trick or treaters

And an owl in a rotten oak tree

On the eighth day of Hallowe'en

My true love gave to me

Eight monsters shrieking

Seven pumpkins glowing

Six goblins gobbling

Five scary spooks!

Four skeletons

Three black cats

Two trick or treaters

And an owl in a rotten oak tree

On the ninth day of Hallowe'en

My true love gave to me

Nine ghosts a-booing

Eight monsters shrieking

Seven pumpkins glowing

Six goblins gobbling

Five scary spooks!

Four skeletons

Three black cats

Two trick or treaters

And an owl in a rotten oak tree

On the tenth day of Hallowe'en

My true love gave to me

Ten ghouls a-groaning

Nine ghosts a-booing

Eight monsters shrieking

Seven pumpkins glowing

Six goblins gobbling

Five scary spooks!

Four skeletons

Three black cats

Two trick or treaters

And an owl in a rotten oak tree

On the eleventh day of Hallowe'en

My true love gave to me

Eleven casks a-leaning

Ten ghouls a-groaning

Nine ghosts a-booing

Eight monsters shrieking

Seven pumpkins glowing

Six goblins gobbling

Five scary spooks!

Four skeletons

Three black cats

Two trick or treaters

And an owl in a rotten oak tree

On the twelfth day of Hallowe'en

My true love gave to me

Twelve bats a-flying

Eleven casks a-leaning

Ten ghouls a-groaning

Nine ghosts a-booing

Eight monsters shrieking

Seven pumpkins glowing

Six goblins gobbling

Five scary spooks!

Four skeletons

Three black cats

Two trick or treaters

And an owl in a rotten oak tree.

I am participating in Family Moment Monday.

Band-in-a Box Giveaway

I recently found Band-in-a-Box made by Melissa and Doug in a toy store while searching for music toys for my children. My children have had so much fun playing with Band-in-a-Box that I decided to use it for my first giveaway!

Band-in-a-Box comes with a tambourine, maracas, cymbals, tone blocks, a triangle, and a clacker. To win all you need to do is to make a comment and tell me what you do to integrate music into your child's routine. On Thursday October 23rd I will randomly draw a winner from the comments, and then on Friday October 24th I will announce the winner!

This giveaway is open to readers with a address in the U.S.

Teaching Note Values With Note Cards

Music Lesson: Note Values

A great way to teach note values to your child is to compare note values to note cards:

Materials Needed:

1. Pen

2. Multi-colored note cards

Instructions:

1. Draw a whole note on the back of a yellow note card. (As seen in photo.)

2. Cut a blue note card in half and draw a half note on each card. (As seen in photo.)

3. Cut a pink note card in quarters and draw a quarter note on each card. (As seen in photo.)


4. Cut a green card in eighths and draw an eighth note on each card. (As seen in photo.)

5. Lay out a card pyramid with the blank sides of the cards up as seen in the photo below:

















6. Tell your child that all of the cards are related and that there are 2 half cards in one whole card, 2 quarter cards in one half card, 2 eighth cards in one quarter card, 4 eighth cards in a half card, and so on.

Once your child understands the relationship between the cards, flip the cards over as seen in the photo below:

7. Explain to your child that just as the note cards are related, music notes are related in the same way. Tell your child that there are 2 half notes in a whole note, 4 quarter notes in a whole note, 2 eighth notes in a quarter note and so on.

8. Another fun way to use these cards is to have your child practice making rhythms by using Q-tips for bar lines as seen in the photo below:

9. After laying down a rhythm as seen in the photo above practice clapping the rhythm with your child.

Halloween Songs for Children

The Addams Family

They're creepy and they're kooky,

Mysterious and spooky,

They're all together ooky,

The Addams Family.

Their house is a museum

Where people come to see 'em

They really are a scream

The Addams Family.

(Neat)

(Sweet)

(Petite)

So get a witches shawl on

A broomstick you can crawl on

We're gonna pay a call on

The Addams Family.

Music Craft: Bagpipes

Bagpipe Craft:

Materials Needed:

1. 4 paper towel rolls

2. 1 toilet paper roll
3. Brown paper bag
4. News paper
5. Tape or glue
6. String
7. Scissors
8. Construction paper

Instructions:

1. Glue or tape the rolls with construction paper.

2. Fill the paper bag with crumpled news paper.

3. Cut one of the paper towel rolls a little shorter for the blow pipe (the green colored tube was cut a little shorter.)

4. Glue or tape the blow pipe into the open end of the paper bag.

5. Poke a few hole in the toilet paper roll and insert the roll into the bottom end of the paper bag and secure with glue or tape. (As seen in photo.)

6. Make 3 diagonal slits on top of the paper bag for the other three paper towel rolls. Secure the rolls with glue.

7. Let the glue dry.

8. Drape the yarn around the 3 paper towel rolls as seen in photo.

9. Once the glue is dry hum into the blow pipe to play the pipes.

This great craft idea was from crayola.com.

How to Make a Piano

Today's lesson is on how to make a piano. Tell your children that making a piano is no small task, and let your children watch the video below:

Wordless/ful Wednesday

What musical instrument am I?
Answer to last week's Wordless/ful Wednesday: Guiro

The guiro is a notched hallowed - out gourd and is a member of the percussion family. The guiro is played by holding the guiro in the left hand with the thumb inserted into the hole. The right hand holds a stick and scrapes against the guiro to get a raspy sound.
Guiros can be made of wood, metal, shell, bamboo, plastic, ceramic, or bone. The guiro is played in Salsa and Spanish Folk music. (http://www.musicofpuertorico.com/index.php/instruments/guiro/)

Here is an example of what a guiro sounds like:

Halloween Songs for Children

In the Graveyard

(These words are sung to Oh My Darling.)

In the grave yard,

In the grave yard,

When the moon begins to shine,

There's a doctor,

crazy doctor,

And his monster Frankenstein.

Oh, my monster,

Oh, my monster,

Oh, my monster Frankenstein,

You are very, very scary,

Don't come near me Frankenstein.

(Words from DLTK)

Music Activities for Kids

Singing Time

Here is a fun activity you can do to teach new songs and to review old songs with your child:

1. Find a picture for each song your child knows, and find a picture for the songs you want your child to learn.

2. Under each picture type the name of the song that goes with that picture (e.g. under the picture of children dancing you would type Loop de Loo.)

3. Print out each picture onto card stock paper.

4. Laminate each picture (I like to use clear cover self-adhesive covering. You can buy self-adhesive covering at a grocery store for around $4.00.)

5. Cut out each picture.

6. Put the cards into a bag/container and let your child draw songs to sing.

7. Have fun!

I am participating in Family Moment Monday.

Clean Songs for Teenagers

I know it can be hard to find clean music for your teenagers, so here is a list of 5 new and clean songs for your teens to listen to:

1. The Time of My Life by David Cook

2. Pocket Full of Sunshine by Natasha Bedingfield

3. Lucky by Jason Mraz

4. SOS by The Jonas Brothers

5. 7 Things by Miley Cyrus

Do your teens listen to any clean songs that are not on this list? Please share, we would love to hear from you!

Learning to Sing Music Pitch

Learning Objective:

Your child will be able to match a pitch sung or played on an instrument.

Instructions:

1. Sing a song with your child that he or she knows well.

2. Practice teaching your child the notes of the song by singing each note and having your child match the pitch your are singing. For example, if you were to sing Mary Had a Little Lamb, you would sing the first note of the song and have your child match the pitch. Then you would sing the next note and have your child match the pitch. Do this for every note in the song.

3. Most young children cannot match the correct pitch at first. If your child is singing the wrong pitch, listen to hear if the pitch is lower or higher than the pitch you are singing and do the following:

If your child is singing lower than the desired pitch, point your finger up and tell your child to keep singing higher until your child sings the desired pitch.

If your child is singing higher than the desired pitch, point your finger down and tell your child to sing lower until your child sings the desired pitch.

When your child sings the desired pitch, tell your child that is the pitch you want them to sing.

4. If your child does not have the patience to sit and learn every note, you can sing a song with your child and randomly stop on a note and have your child match the pitch.

5. You can also try matching pitches on a piano or other musical instrument by playing a note on the instrument and telling your child to match the pitch.

Assessment:

Can your child match any pitch (within their range) you sing or play? If not, keep practicing with your child until he or she can.

You can also start teaching your young child about pitch. I do this lesson with my 2 year old and she loves it!

Wordless/ful Wednesday

What musical instrument am I?

Answer to last Wordless/ful Wednesday: Bassoon



The bassoon is a double reed woodwind instrument. The bassoon plays in concert, orchestral, and chamber music groups. Because of the difficult finger placements, the bassoon in not the easiest instrument to learn. Most children will learn clarinet or saxophone before they learn to play the bassoon. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bassoon)

Here is an example of what a bassoon sounds like:

(Super Mario Bassoon Quartet)