St. Pierre Demo Days 2011

Want to get a feel for what Kindermusik is? Then come join me for a FREE Demonstration Class at no obligation that I'm hosting at the St. Pierre Regional Library this August 4th & 6th. There will be classes for each age group as well as for the whole family, and a bonus FREE instrument draw for those participating! Come sing and play with us or just come to watch! I'll have plenty of time to answer questions and talk with parents between classes. Please call me @ 433-3589 or 370-8901 or email me at rfkindermusik@gmail.com to schedule your child or family today.

Kindermusik 24/7

Kindermusik is so much more than just a 45 minute class once a week. That's what makes us special. We believe in taking that experience home with you every day. Here's some great ways to do it:
*Morning Routines are easier with songs and fingerplays.
*Play time becomes inspired and interactive with new ideas and favourite instruments from the Home Materials.
*A visit to the zoo or park becomes a part of a happy and indelible childhood memory when experienced while singing songs they have learned in class.
*Car rides become more bearable and enriching with a favourite Kindermusik CD
*Nap time turns into cuddle time with a little bit of rocking and/or a "quiet time" playlist on the iPod.
*The worst part of the day is calmed with a touch of the button on the CD player or iPod.
*Kindermusik brings the whole family together for a spontaneous dance or play-along at home.
*Bedtime becomes a time of emotional connection and ritual that becomes a life-long memory.

St. Pierre Frog Follies & Agricultural Fair

   In just a few short weeks, July 14 - 17, my home town of St. Pierre will be putting on the first annual combined festivals of the Frog Follies and Agricultural Fair. This is promising to be a fun-filled weekend with a wide variety of activities for everyone to enjoy. For the kiddos, there's going to be huge children's inflatables to romp in alongside the Children's Tent that is always filled with wonderfully creative activities and games. There's also going to be the parade (in which I will have my own float!),  agricultural & horticultural exhibitions, slow-pitch competitions, the new Taste of St. Pierre-Jolys Chamber Supper, the always popular Frog Jumping contests, and fireworks... just to name a few. Plus, to celebrate the combination of the two festivals, Saturday and Sunday gate admissions are FREE!  So, if you're looking for something fun and affordable to do with the whole family for mid July, why don't you come and check us out!
http://www.frogfollies.com/

Social Growth

“There are no strangers here; only friends you haven’t met yet” William Butler Yeats

Three years ago, my husband and I, together with our 10 month old son, moved from Winnipeg to the small and beautiful french town of St. Pierre-Jolys. This was an exciting step for us. We'd both grown up in small town Manitoba and had lived for nearly 10 years in the "big city". We were eagerly anticipating a quiet and wholesome life in a small community once again. Funny thing was that we found we had been "cityfied" more than we'd realized. Now, I don't mean any offense to my wonderful friends currently living in the city and love their home and believe me, we really enjoyed our time in Winnipeg. But, being a country bumpkin myself, living in the city can be a bit to get used to, particularly if you don't really know anyone going in. I'd get on the bus every day and pay no heed to the person next to me and find myself running errands assuming I wouldn't recognize anyone around me. I'd sort of move through the day "out of focus" and, once in our new home, I found myself having difficulty bringing my attention back on the people around me.

Then I read the quote above and the profound simplicity of it struck a chord within me. There are so many possible friendships that are waiting to be made and I've already met so many lovely people in our town. So what's stopping us from turning those into meaningful friendships? I've come to the realization that there are some social habits that must be changed in order for us to grow and flourish in our new home. So I've made a concentrated effort to befriend our neighbors and meet more people in our community.

This same mentality I'd sincerely like to carry into each and every one of my classes. There's always room for another friend in every person's life. It gives us a true sense of belonging and personal growth that's so integral for our social and emotional health. Particularly with mothers of young children. As a mother of a 3 year old and 6 month old, I know how lonely it can get. Most parents who participate in Kindermusik classes find that the social interaction they get from weekly classes is one of the top reasons they love the program.

So, I challenge you to make a new friend today. Maybe it's that lady a few houses down that has that beautiful flower garden you've been admiring from afar or a new family that's moved in nearby. You never know how that friendship could change your life.

Written by a once painfully shy little girl who frequently hid behind her mother's skirt when meeting someone new.

Learning to Sing

When learning to sing, children are most successful when singing songs that have a limited range, common rhythmic and melodic patterns, simple words and plenty of repetition. They always sing best those songs with which they are familiar.

One goal of Kindermusik is to provide joyful singing activities that guide children in developing a “light head voice,” singing with greater pitch accuracy and learning a repertoire of songs. Activities in the Kindermusik Imagine That! and ABC Music & Me curriculum provide opportunities for pre-school children to explore their many voices and to use a “singing voice.”

Start Singing!

Singing doesn’t have to be limited to Kindermusik class – you can help your child learn to sing and develop a love of music at home. Kindermusik Home Activity books provide lots of creative ideas for activities to do with your child that incorporate singing. The whimsically illustrated Kindermusik literature books invite vocal play and singing and are sure to become story time favorites you’ll read again and again! Singing can even serve as a “tool” for you to shift from one activity to another with your child.

The easiest way to help your child learn a song is to sing it through several times when you have their full attention. I always keep at least two Kindermusik albums in the car. I find that my son learns new songs the best when we're on the road. It gives him something fun to focus on and makes longer car rides so much more manageable for me!