Friday, August 31, 2012

Almost There!

We're down to the wire now, and of course, running into some technical difficulties! So stay tuned, and I'll let you know when the website and Indiegogo campaign are live. We're soooo close!

Thursday, August 30, 2012

Countdown 1 Day!

Burning the Midnight Oil

Today was one of those days that makes you think of the old quote "Life is what happens while you're making other plans!"  And so I'm behind as my self-imposed deadline closes in. But today my two-year granddaughter kept taking my finger and telling me to get "up, up" to dance with her as the music played. So we danced and danced and danced as her brother slept. And after all, isn't  that what this whole project is about? I may be behind, but today was a good day!

Now back to the midnight oil!

Wednesday, August 29, 2012

Countdown 2 Days!

The Final Stretch!

As I enter the last two days before the official launch of  The Sing With Our Kids Project and Website, I turn my attention to building my Indiegogo fundraiser campaign. If you're not familiar with this fairly new way of harnessing the power of the Internet, it's really quite amazing. It's also a project in itself (I've been working on it off and on for the last six months). I have such a vision for this project and all it can provide for our children, our families, and our communities; of what we can do together, and I'm confident it will be a success. But now it's time to make my case to you, to my community, and to the many friends and colleagues I have around the world. When the campaign goes live this Saturday, we'll have only 30 days to raise enough money to build the website that will provide the tools for us to sing, connect, and learn together. And as I said, putting together the online campaign is a big project in itself. assembling informative and compelling text, deciding on perks (donor thank you gifts), putting up the video, and much more. It's been such an interesting experience, and something I never could have imagined doing. And yikes! I only have two days-  So I better get back to work!

Tuesday, August 28, 2012

Countdown 3 Days!


Today’s preview of the Sing With Our Kids website:


One of the things in the Community Toolbox will be the official "Sing With Our Kids Campfire Sing-along Kit." This will include about 15 traditional songs in (in large print) with guitar chords you can print out and put in binders, fun ideas for how to have a "campfire" indoors or out, and in the middle of winter, and even the requisite s'mores recipe! Of course you'll also be able to download the songs and make a CD. So if you want, you can put it on and sing along! - Just one more way I hope the technology of the website will result in warm fuzzy memories of live singing with your friends and family, and maybe even as your little ones fall asleep surrounded by community singing...

Monday, August 27, 2012

Countdown 4 Days!


Today’s preview of the Sing With Our Kids website and Live Project!


Okay, so yesterday with the deadline looming large, I was panic-stricken! But after a productive day working on the website with my webmaster, and giving the first staff workshop to teachers participating in the project, I'm just plain excited! 

So what exactly is going to happen on September first at the end of this countdown?

Here's What!

1. www.SingWithOurKids will go live! Although it will start with minimal content, you'll be able to see my   vision as you explore the site. And every day after that  there will be new songs, ideas, and information. It will be unlike any other early learning website, and all free!

2. My Indiegogo Fundraiser campaign will launch. We'll try to raise $10,000 to pay for the website development over the next nine months. The campaign will only be 30 days (oh no, another countdown!), and if we don't reach the goal I'll fund the site personally. So either way, it's happening!

3. Public Kick-off Celebration at Island Books on Mercer Island, one of my partners in the project.http://www.mercerislandbooks.com/  Each month I'll take a book based on a song  right off their shelves and read and sing it! Parents will be given information on using these books, and a book list of the best ones currently available. We'll do some wiggle songs from the website, and I'll explain how the project will work.. We'll finish the event with a sing-along song, and I'll have lyric sheets. So if you live in teh Seattle area, join us at Island Books this Saturday, September 1st, at 6:30 pm- and bring your neighbors and friends! We'll be building new old traditions, and I can't wait!

Please share this post! 


Sunday, August 26, 2012

Counting Down the Last 5 Days!

Today’s Preview of the Sing With Our Kids Website: The Shrinking Great American Folk Song

One of the advantages of having sung with children for so many years (and yes, having been a child myself), is that I have a perspective on how our culture has changed. And as I'm sure you'll agree, the American folk song is shrinking! Those old songs that seemed to go on forever and ever (long enough for a bus ride to camp or a trip to Grandma's house) are just about down to a single chorus! A couple of years ago I was singing Jingle Bells with a large group of children and we were having a rollicking good time until  I got to "dashing through the snow...." Suddenly I was singing solo as the children looked on with perplexed little faces! What in the world was I singing about?

It was only a few years ago that children knew all three of the most common verses, and we all laughed at the funny sounding words...( just what the heck does  "up-sot" mean, anyway?). It was fun, and interesting and yes, silly! What does it matter you may wonder? Well, first let me first tell you that the chorus of Jingle Bells sung repeatedly by itself is kind of a chore. The real fun, it turns out, is in those crazy old words! And when we forget how these songs go, we won't be able to sing them together. And when we can't sing these songs together, they won't be replaced. They aren't being replaced. But the good news is, they are still here, and all we have to do to not lose them is use them! Sing With Our Kids will be there to make sure we do - in all their fully restored funny word-filled glory!



Saturday, August 25, 2012

One Week From Today!

Yup, after over a year of planning, the Sing With Our Kids website and project is about to begin!

Today's Preview of the Sing With Our Kids website- Our Best Friend- the Public Library!

Today I received the final draft of the list of Books That Sing. My local librarian, the Amazing Margaret Martin, has been working very hard on this invaluable resource. We met a couple of weeks ago and spent hours going through piles of books- my favorites, her favorites  and some neither of us were familiar with. I took a pile home and "tested" them with my two young grandchildren (and as a result my book purchases will be going up this month!). 

These books based on traditional and original songs, as well as books with strong rhythm, are like gold when you're looking for something to fully engage restless (or any) children. There will be lots of information on their use on on the website, but having this current list and where to locate them in the library is incredibly exciting! One of my frustrations has always been that these books are not all in one place, either at the library or in book stores. So you don't know what is out there, or how to find it! Armed with this list, you will be able to check out or order them from your local library. I can't wait to make my own way through this list to find the hidden treasures I haven't seen before. Between my own grandchildren and the hundreds of children I see at school visits, they will get a thorough workout and review! 

My local book store, Island Books, will be carrying a collection of these books that are in print. Once they are out of print, you can sometimes find them on Amazon, but the last time I tried to find one that was only a few years old, it was $250! So I say buy them now if they are in print and you love them (and by the way, the average length of time a book is available on book store shelves- 6 months!), or take advantage of our free society's best resource- the public library! 

Friday, August 24, 2012

Countdown 8 Days!

Today's Preview of the Sing With Our Kids website: A Short Questionnaire For You

Okay. This will just take a minute...

1. Ask yourself if if you are comfortable singing? (If your answer is yes, skip question number two)
2. If you answered no, do you wish you were comfortable singing?
3. Do you want your children to be comfortable singing?

As I talk about the project with new people every day, nine times out of ten, the response is this,
" Oh that's so great! Of course, I can't sing but I wish I could!"

Well that's the thing... we all can! I am learning that the key word in the project title is "with."
If the project is successful, your children will be singing. And just as importantly, so will you!  I learned a lot from workshops presented for early childhood teachers called, "Help! I can't Sing, but I want to!" And I will share what I have learned and build on it on the website. 


Thursday, August 23, 2012

Countdown 9 Days!


Today's Preview of the Sing With Our Kids website: First Sing With Our Grand Kids Events Scheduled!

I'm excited to be able to announce dates for the first Sing With Our Grand Kids events at the Mercer Island Library.These are for adults only! So if you know grandparents with children under five (or expectant grandparents!) living in the Seattle area, please share this information with them. 

7 PM  Thursday September 13th  
7 PM  Thursday October 11th
7 PM  Thursday November 15th

We'll remember favorite old songs and how to use them to share family history and traditions, 
talk about how singing builds early learning and early literacy skills, and how to use technology to stay connected with your grand kids whether they live across the street or across the globe! 

There are more and more grandparents bringing their grandchildren to my concerts, and at the same time more and more grandparents whose grandchildren live far away. There will be so many ways to use the website resources, and we'll talk about them all! And of course there will be time left for bragging and photo sharing!  
               
    - disclaimer: I am the proud and very involved grandmother of two young children myself, so
      I have a vested interest in this part of the project!

Wednesday, August 22, 2012

Countdown 10 Days!

Today's Preview of the Sing With Our Kids website: Songs, Songs, and More Songs! 

The SingWithOurKids website will give you direct access to over 150 free songs already available on my artist website, www.nancymusic.com. Many of these songs have printable pages to make your own books, patterns for felt shapes, printable activities, and instructions for homemade instruments you can use with with the songs. And many also have instrumental versions, so you can download and sing along with them or use them as instrumental accompaniment for your school music program. Sing With Our Kids will add a large collection of traditional songs, so between the two merged collections, you will have at your fingertips all of the music you should need! And don't forget you can request a favorite traditional song to be added to the library (traditional songs are folk songs that are not copyrighted. That way I can legally record them without paying).I'll begin adding songs when the project starts on September 1st, and keep adding throughout the nine-month project. So while you're waiting for September 1st, go on over to wwwnancymusic.com and start "shopping" for those free songs! 

Tuesday, August 21, 2012

Countdown 11 Days!

Today's Preview of the Sing With Our Kids: Let's Share!

One of the things that will make SingWIthOurKids.com so rich in content will be your input and experiences. And since I have had my artist site (www.Nancymusic.com) for twelve years, I have a wealth of expertise waiting in the wings. Over the years I've received many e-mails from librarians, preschool and kindergarten teachers, ELL teachers, speech therapists, music therapists, and special ed teachers, Each has noted specific songs they've found valuable in their work, and many have shared how they have come up with their own ideas.There is a lot of wisdom, a lot of experience, and a lot of expertise. So let's use it!

On the SIngWithOurKids website I'll have a sharing section, where experts (if you had an idea that works, you're an expert!) either professional or not, can share their wisdom and experience. I'll put together a standard format for their submission, which will include a paragraph or two about their area of expertise, a suggested list of songs they've used successfully (which willl of course have links to the free downloads), and a short comment about the specific value of each song. For example, a special education teacher might talk about autism, and list several songs she has found work, and what she likes about them. Or a teacher might write about how she or he has changed or expanded a song, or made a prop to use with it. 

I realize I already have a team of experts in my saved e-mails, and I will be inviting them to share their wonderful expertise and experience with you. If you have used songs from Nancymusic.com and would like to share your experience or wisdom, send me an e-mail or write a post. I'd love to hear from you!

The beauty of songs is that are jumping off places! When I share a song with you, it becomes your song. You might make up different words or tune, or think of a completely different way to use it. In this way the SIngWIthOurKids website will truly belong to all of us. And that will be success!

Monday, August 20, 2012

Countdown 12 Days!

Today's Preview of the Sing With Our Kids website: Let's re-define free!

Okay, I have to reiterate what I think is the most important feature of the Sing With Our Kids website. It will be totally free. But let's define free..

In looking for resources to add to the webiste, I spent an hour last night, trying to access some "free" materials. After clicking past 4 pop-up windows, 2 re-directions, and finally landing on a request for creating a "free" account with password, blah, blah, blah, I got SO frustrated, I bailed. The information may have been reallly great, and there may not have been any dollar cost, but my time is NOT free! And I'm guessing neither is yours! I am passionate about offering truly free songs, information, and materials with absolutely no strings attached,and that incldues no ads to click past or invitations for sign-up or anything else. Because I know how I feel when I've been sucked into a time warp where I attempt to do something quick and easy, only to look up at the clock and see I have lost a precious hour of my life! If you have ever used my current artist website (www.Nancymusic.com), you know I truly do offer free songs and printable materials with no strings attached. 

SIngWIthOurKids will be bigger, better organized, more compreshensive, and yes- REALLY free.Free of monetary cost, and free of wasted time. I have been doing this for eleven years, so I already have a track record. And you have me personally to be held accountable! I can testify that I have more than once, gone to download one of my own songs for a concert or workshop literally on my way out the door, and been able to do it. We need to re-define free. Free from monetary cost, and your time- so you can get on with the important work of singing with our kids!


How can I afford do this? 

As you already know if you've been following the project previews, I'll do as much of the project as I can for free. This includes events, classes, and workshops, and appearances for the  live project, and recording, videotatping and writing website content. Building the website is the one thing I can't do myself. So I will have an Indiegogo Internet fundraiser from September 1st-30th, to raise funds to build the website. I expect to fund it fully, but if the fundraiser falls short, I'll fund it personally.. So either way, using the website will be free, and the Indiegogo fundraiser will not impact that. 

Sunday, August 19, 2012

Countdown 13 Days!


Today's Preview of the Sing With Our Kids website: The Bingo factor!

I was singing Bingo at a concert today, and was amazed as I always am, that it seems to almost have magical power!  It's one of a small handful of songs that everyone always sings, that has somehow survived the test of time, and that seems to be irrististable. It's almost as if it's in our dna! What is it about this song that has given it true lasting power, and how many other songs are there like this; songs that can draw in children of all ages, and adults just walking by? Let's explore the Bingo factor together over the next nine months, and see how many other songs we can come up with. A singable song needs to be easy, repetitive, and have a good rhythm, and of course, be familiar. These are the "camp" songs of our culture. If you were making a list, what songs would you put on it? Let me know!


Countdown 14 Days!

Today's Preview of the Sing With Our Kids website: From Birth to Five... and Before and After!

I was speaking with a children's librarian after a concert at a Seattle Public Library, and she was telling me about a program she designed to help children ages 5-8 who are still learning how to read, comprehend, and think!.As she pointed out, we have early literacy... then teach children to read... then no real support outside of school for those emergent readers. And on the other end of it, of course, early learning begins before birth. We know reading,singing, and talking to babies before they are born is so important, and the true beginning of early learning. 

I chose to focus my projects on birth to five, but as I hear about other people's work on either side of that, I see there will need to be a place for it in Sing With Our Kids. So I'll include sort of bulletin board where we can share programs, books, websites, and ideas about prenatal learning, and emergent literacy; the bookends to the project!  It just keeps getting more interesting! 

Friday, August 17, 2012

Countdown 15 Days!

Today's Preview of the Sing With Our Kids website: Seeking the Key to Being Comfortable Singing


Helping people become comfortable singing is at the heart of this project. And one of the things that I know  helps, is if people have the words to a song in their hands or in front of them. This does two things. First of all, of course, there is the obvious and practical point. If everyone has the words, everyone can join in. And if everyone joins in, those with weaker voices are carried by the group. In our culture, church, camp experiences and life events (weddings, funerals) still provide this group-sing model. Singing in the safety of a group is what teaches us to sing. But we have fewer and fewer of these opportunities as each of us goes off to do "our own thing."  And there's another thing I've noticed from my work with children. There are always a few of what I call "reluctant singers," and if you work with young children, you know what I mean; the children who just never sing. I discovered by accident many years ago, that if you give that child something to hold, he or she is much more likely to sing. Maybe it's as simple as providing some sort of security, or maybe it acts as a distraction from self-consciousnesses. In my music workshops I use the example of a traditional song called, Who Has a Penny? (you can download the song with lyrics and activity notes at http://nancymusic.com/SOM/2009/who-has-a-penny.htm ). Each child is given a "treasure" to hold. The songs begins with the leader singing, "Who has a penny?" Children with pennies answer, "I have a penny." It's really stunning how every child will sing. It's magical! I have found this to be true with other songs where children are holding something special during the song. So during the Sing With Our Kids Project live events, I plan to have lyrics to songs as part of an experiment to see if this makes a difference. This is an example of why having a live project in addition to the website will be what makes the project unique and really useful. 

Thursday, August 16, 2012

Countdown 16 Days!

Today's Preview of the Sing With Our Kids website: What is it about songs?

Songs are amazing things! They are a direct line to our emotions, and when we sing a song together,  we are joined in a moment in time. Songs contain words we don't use every day, making them perfect and irresistible vehicles for building vocabulary, one of the six skills needed to become successful readers. Think of a children's song you know... like Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star.... If you sing just the first verse with a baby, you are using 5 words that might not otherwise be part of your daily language; twinkle, wonder, world, above, diamond, And if you sing the full traditional version, you are adding at least nine words to your child's vocabulary (you can download the full version at my website by clicking the link here: http://nancymusic.com/SOM/2011/twinkle-little-star.htm  ). The words are beautiful and able to enchant the tiniest baby.  SingWithOurKids.com will not only have an extensive collection of these traditional songs, but you'll be able to download the mp3s,
and lyrics with guitar chords- so you can sing them together. 

Wednesday, August 15, 2012

Countdown 17 Days!

Today's Preview of the Sing With Our Kids website: Reminders of What We Already Know

SingWithOurKids.com will have lots of new information and songs, but it will also have lots of old information and songs we sometimes forget. When I put out the call for traditonal songs to include in the song library, I was surprised how many times songs like Twinkle Twinkle Little Star, and the The Wheels on the Bus were requested. I wouldn't have thought to inlcude them. But the feedback I've gotten is a reminder not to take anything for granted! There's a lot of life lived between the time you're a toddler and when you a parent. And I've often had parents ask me, "Where do I begin?"  It's not that we have forgotten these songs, but that we have forgotten we know them! So SingWithOurKids.com will definitely include the staple songs that should never be taken for granted. And of course those same songs are a wonderful introduction to our culture for children and families from other lands. So go ahead little star, Twinkle!

Tuesday, August 14, 2012

Countdown 18 Days!

Today's Preview of the Sing With Our Kids website: Sing it, Sign it, Use it!

Did you know children know what they want to say before they have the physical ability to form the words? Fortunately, they are able to form simple signs with their hands, so having just a few ASL signs can make the difference between frustration and joy! I can't tell you how many times during my concerts I have seen a babe in arms look up at mom and make the sign for "milk." The mom then begins to breasfeed, and peace and contentment abound! The SingWithOurKids website will have not only simple signing songs with videos, but information and resouces on why signing works and how to make the most of it. Wish I knew about this when my kids were little!

Monday, August 13, 2012

Countdown 19 days!

Today's Preview of the Sing With Our Kids website: Making Sense of the Alphabet

Okay, raise your hand if you learned the ABC Song whe you were little. Now keep your hand up if you learned it before you even knew your letters (trust me, you  most likely did, so keep your hand up). Now put your hand down if you've ever forgotten the ABC Song! Your hand's still up, isn't it? And that, in a nutshell, is the magic of music and literacy. It makes sounds and words into patterns so our brains can remember them. SingWithOurKids.com will have lots of fun information on how and why music helps us learn-  no matter how old we are!

Sunday, August 12, 2012

Countdown 20 Days!

Today's Preview of the Sing With Our Kids website: Songs Are Portable Literacy!

We all know that reading to babies and young children daily is vital to building all kinds of skills, including language and early literacy. But reading is limited to times when you and your child can give it your full attention. For many families with busy lives,  that may mean only at bedtime, or at the most two or three quiet times a day. That's where singing comes in! You can take songs anywhere, and sing them in the car, the bathtub, and of course, in the car! They are free, always with you, and interactive! What a deal! And singing builds many of the same skills reading to your child does! The SingWIthOurKids website will provide you with lots of ideas and fun ways to get you singing throughout the day, while providing you with the information on just how it's helping your child's development (not to mention building relationships). Songs are truly portable literacy!

Saturday, August 11, 2012

Countdown 21 Days


Today's Preview of the Sing With Our Kids website: Technology Meets Grandparents!

Here's an idea I'm especially excited about! When we have the monthly Grandparent Gatherings (see "countdown 24 days" post), I will bring my I-pad. Grandparents can quickly record a short song and personal message for their grandchildren, and I can e-mail it off to the parents- wherever they are! If they want to read a short book, then buy it and send it along to go with the song, they can do that too! And the beauty of this is that will cost nothing and will require no technology know-how (not that grandparents don't know technology, because more and more they absolutely do). But if they don't have access to the technology of recording, etc,  I can do it for them right there on the spot! How cool is that? It's all about connections! And for grandparents who can't attend the gatherings, there will be an instructional video on how to do this themselves. Every live part of the project will have corresponding information on the website so you can take advantage of all the same materials. 


Friday, August 10, 2012

Countdown 22 Days!


Today’s preview of the Sing With Our Kids website: Clarification

As I've said before, putting together this project has meant making it up as I go along. And today I had an imortant (to me, anyway!) revelation. I have a great website already, Nancymusic. com, and it has tons of free materials, including over 150 free songs. So how will SingWithOurKids.com be different? Here was the "aha" moment I had today. Nancymusic.com is about promoting and presenting me as an artist, with yes, oh by the way tons of free materials. But SingWithOurKids.com will be about me promoting the project, not myself. I will have a presence so it will be personal, and you will be able to contact a real person if you need any help with materials or have ideas to add. But the site  will be all about bringing together a wide range of resources. The resources people need will drive the creation and development of SingWithOurKids.com. And that's an important distinction. Clarification is good!

Thursday, August 9, 2012

Countdown 23 Days!



Today’s preview of the Sing With Our Kids website: Flash Mobs (sort of!)


Today I'll give you a preview of the LIVE project part of Sing With Our Kids. There will be nine months of free events taking place all over the community of Mercer Island.  These will be events any community could do, so you can follow along and do the same things in your own community! All ideas and planning details will be the for you to use! Tweet Events (think of them as sort of like flash mobs) will be just one of the groups of events going on. They will be designed to bring attention to early learning in unique ways that are fun, quick, and highly visible! Here are just a few examples of Tweet Events (there are bound to be more as our imaginations get going):

1. Supermarket Snake- families will be invited to meet at each of our 3 community supermarkets and hold hands to form a snake that will go through every isle while singing a marketing song! We'll stop along the way to identify letters (supermarkets are a great place for letter hunts!).

2. Book Store Boogie- similar to market, but of course, we'll be making our way through the book store- also a great place for letter hunting!

3. All-Island  Ring Around the Rosy
 Once a month a meeting place and time will be announced, and we'll form a circle and sing. The group will increase in size every month, and by the end of the project in May,  we can try for the Guinness Book of World Records (currently around 900)! These will be done in highly visible public parks.

4. Neighborhood Sing-alongs.  These will be coordinated to happen at the same time all over the community. Sing along-lyric sheets with guitar chords for traditional songs will be available to print out from the website. We'll select 10 "endangered" folk songs and sing to revive them!

During each of the Tweet Events, we'll have parents pull out their phones, take a picture,  and tweet it out the the world! The  goal will be to increase awareness of early learning through community singing by holding these unique events. Sounds like a lot of wild and crazy fun, doesn't it? Of course, let me know if you have any ideas!

Wednesday, August 8, 2012

Countdown 24 Days!


Today’s Preview of the Sing With Our Kids Website: Grandparents!

Today’s website preview is personal. I am the proud grandmother of two toddlers, and very lucky to be able to help care for them regularly. At the same time I’ve noticed a major demographic shift in my concert audiences. Grandparents have become a major portion of adults attending with the children, sometimes by more than half.. I think this due in part to economic times, but it’s also reflects new lifestyle choices. We are rediscovering the importance of family helping family, and we are all the winners for it. And here’s the thing… Grandparents are an incredible untapped  resource. No group is more motivated, has more life experience and wisdom, and often time than this group. And grandparents who don’t live near their grandchildren are always looking for ways to connect and build relationships with  them. That’s where Sing With Our Kids comes in. Singing is the ultimate connector, and grandparents know songs! They know lots and lots of songs! And they know it’s fun and important to sing with their grandchildren. So the Sing With Our Kids website will have a “Grandparents Corner,” and the live project will have monthly Grandparent Gatherings at the Mercer Island Library. At the gatherings grandparents will:


·      Remember their favorite songs and learn fun and creative ways to share them with grandchildren while passing down family history and traditions.
·      Learn about  brain development and how singing together is one of the best ways to connect, and to enhance early learning and especially early literacy
·      Learn how to use technology to get and stay connected in a very personal way, and much much more.
  
The stories, experiences, and discussions from the gatherings will be documented and posted on the website, so grandparents everywhere will be able to use the songs and materials, and even become part of the discussion. If you are a grandparent, or know grandparents, please share this project with them!


Tuesday, August 7, 2012

Countdown 25 Days!



Today's Preview of the Sing With Our Kids website: Community Toolbox

Since today is National Night Out, I thought it would fitting to talk about the Community Toolbox section of SingWithOurKids.com. There you will find ideas for organizing neighborhood and community sing-alongs, printable sing-along lyric sheets with guitar chords, and information and ideas on using your own communities' resources to involve everyone in early learning. Since the live project will be going on at the same time, ideas and documentation of our community events will be added as they happen. These will include guitar classes for learning children's songs, parent education talks, book store and library events, grandparent gatherings, and of course, community and neighborhood sing-alongs! My home community of Mercer Island is the perfect place for this pilot project! But remember, you don't have to live on Mercer Island to take part. All events will be free and open to the public. It will be an amazing nine months beginning September 1st!

Monday, August 6, 2012

Countdown 26 Days!


Today’s preview of the Sing With Our Kids website: Your Voice and Your Ears!

Since SingWithOurKids.com will be a full resource website, there will be an extensive section  with information on using and caring for your voice, overcoming the “I can’t sing” complex, and protecting your and your children’s ears. This last topic is critical, as even many toys are dangerously loud. Did you know there is a free decibel meter app you can download and use to access the safety of noise in your child’s environment? As a musician who spent many years in a band working in LOUD nightclubs, I am fully aware of how easy it is to do permanent damage to hearing. And our environment today is much louder than when I was growing up. So look for a whole collection of resources on this topic at SingWithOurKids.com coming September 1st!

Sunday, August 5, 2012

Countdown 27 Days!


Today’s preview of the Sing With Our Kids website:

The Sing With Our Kids Project is really two simultaneous projects; the website, and the nine month long community project. So everything that happens with real families during the project will be documented and woven into the information already on the website. In this way,  it will be a living growing resource. If you live in the Seattle  area, you can attend any of the events and programs, all of which will be free. And whether you live across the country or in Australia or anywhere else in the world, you’ll be able to follow the project and use all of the ideas, songs, and materials generated!

Saturday, August 4, 2012

Countdown 28 Days!


Today’s preview of the Sing With Our Kids website:


 The Sing With Our Kids website will have a video library full of ideas and demonstrations, including ASL songs, finger plays, and how-to's for teachers, parents, and librarians! There will also be videos on how to access all materials on the computer, in case you don't know how to do that. Portions of the workshops Nancy will be giving live for parents, teachers and grandparents during the live nine- month project and  community events will be included. And you can give input on what you would like to see in the video library as well! This website will begin with the materials I already have, and your ideas will help grow it into whatever we decide it needs to be! The sky (or in this case, technology) is the limit!

Friday, August 3, 2012

Countdown 29 Days!


Today’s preview of the Sing With Our Kids website:

Of all the things the project will accomplish, here is the one I’m most excited about… There will be a song library with hundreds of songs you can download and use for free. Okay, you say, that’s great. But here’s what makes this unique and so exciting. Every song  will have a page you can print out and post that says, “This week we are singing (title of song)” It will have a QR code that will take you right to the song. So parents, babyesitters, and nannies,  can read the code with their smart phones, and have immediate access to the song!  Of course they can also look up the song on the alphabetical list on the website. But having this simple tool will mean:
1.         Teachers can post songs they are using so parents can download and sing them at home
2.         Librarians who use these songs in story times can give parents a way to sing them at home
3.         Grandparents who live near or far away from their grandchildren can download  and sing the same songs with their grandchildren on the phone, or when Skyping.
Using this simple tool, all of the adults in a child’s life can sing the same songs- together! And if you’ve ever had a young child ask you to sing his or her favorite song from school (and you didn’t know it), you will know this is huge!  Check back tomorrow for another upcoming feature of the Sing With Our Kids project website!

Thursday, August 2, 2012

30 Day Countdown begins!

Hello friends, fans, family, teachers, librarians, grandparents, and other care providers!
After a year of planning, today begins my 30 day countdown to the start of the Sing With Our Kids Project. You'll find daily posts on Facebook, and you can find the full 30 days of posts here. So visit www.SingWithOurKids.com if you don't already know about the project, follow this blog and Facebook for the next 30 days, and you'll be ready to join the fun! A year is a long time for planning, and I can't wait  for it to begin!