Awesome Music!!!

I LOVE stumbling on AWESOME music resources! My only issue, I'm terribly embarrased that I've not found these links earlier!


Check out Nancy Cassidy

http://www.nancycassidymusic.com/ks1Lyrics.html

Nancy, author of the fabulously hilarious Chicken Lips, writer of KidsSongs and multiple award winner! From her biography:

Nancy Cassidy, a singer/songwriter/past PTA President/mother-of-two adolescent boys/wife-to-one-husband/and all around active woman has delighted audiences of all ages over the past 30 years.

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And The National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS)

http://kids.niehs.nih.gov/music.htm#index

You ask WHY NIEHS would have such a collection of sing alongs and put so much effort towards hosting all those midi files? In their words:

Why Do We Offer the Sing-Alongs?

Music is an important part of our "environment" and it can affect your health, but NIEHS has primarily included this sing-along section for educational purposes.

Music & Rhythm

Rock'n Rollin, Dancin', Hoppin', Swaying saying this is our Dance baby!

One of my favorite days of the month, is the day our ‘music/dance storyteller, Ariane' comes for storytime.

Unique and fun, it's always a joy to watch as the kids dance, move and explore combinations of poses. All to the beat of incredibly varied music. No children's stuff here, but classical, jazz, and a whole world of international music.

Here is some music to try out:

Shanachie's Dance My Children, Dance

Vivaldi's Ring of Mystery

Mozart's Magic Fantasy

Georgiane Stewart's Multicultural Rhythm Stick Fun


If these titles are not to be found, try all kinds of music, variety is the key. You will be amazed at how children respond to the differences in music.

Now, go put on some music and start dancing away with the nearest youngster you've got.


Bonus: A few titles I like for this theme:

Finger Band
to the tune of 'Here we go 'round the Mulberry Bush'

The finger band is coming to town, coming to town, coming to town
fingers behind back, speaking softly, gradually getting louder as fingers are brought to the front
The finger band is coming to town so early in the morning.

This is the way they march & march, march & march, march & march
march around!
This is the way they march & march so early in the morning.

This is the way they wear their hats...
hands on head to show hats

This is the way they play their drums...
beating motion with hands - sound effects good too

The finger band is going away, going away, going away
fingers gradually go around to your back, singing softer and softer
The finger band is going away so early in the morning.


Hear How the Bells Ring
rock back and forth to the rhythm or use rhythm sticks, a bell, a xylophone, or let your imagination loose!

Ding Dong
Ding Dong

Hear how the bells in the steeple ring
Hear how the bells in the steeple ring
Hear how the bells in the steeple ring

ding a ding a ding a ding dong
ding a ding a ding a ding dong


May There Always be Sunshine
sway or rock with baby on your lap to the rhythm

May there always be sunshine,
May there always be blue skies,
May there always be momma,
May there always be me.

note: This originated as a Soviet Russian song, written for children. It was created in 1962, music was composed by Arkady Ostrovsky and the lyrics were written by Lev Oshanin. A Russian writer Korney Chukovsky later wrote in his book that the base of the song were four lines (which became a refrain of the song), composed by a boy of age four in 1928. ~ wikipedia