Halloween Safety Tips

A great alternative to Trick or Treating is for parents to organize parties at home, in schools, at a mall, community center, or places of worship.

If you do make the rounds in a neighborhood, here are some safety tips:
# Have adult supervision.
# There is safety in numbers. If they’re old enough to trick-or-treat without an adult, tell your kids to stay in a group.
# Map out your plan. Plan out a route before your kids begin trick-or-treating, and make sure they stick to it.
# Take the long way around. Have your kids trick-or-treat in areas where there are a lot of people around. They should also avoid taking short-cuts through alleys and parking lots.
# Try tick-or-treat-friendly homes. Ensure your kids only visit houses with lights on. And, you might also suggest the houses they visit have some sort of Halloween decoration on the porch.
# Stay outside. Make sure your kids don’t go inside someone’s house. They can get their candy from the porch.
# Remain visible. Dress your kids in a bright costume so others can see them. If their costume is dark, have your kids wear reflective strips or carry a glow stick or flashlight.
# Remember, shorter means safer. This goes without saying but just in case you forget, make sure your kids’ costumes aren’t so long that they can trip over them.
# Don't cover the face. Instead of masks, have your kids wear make-up so they can see better.
# Check your kids’ candy before they eat it. Throw out any candy that is not in its original wrapper or looks like it has been tampered with.
# Say "no" to strangers.

What to expect from a 2 year old in music class

For the first couple of weeks, children in this age group (18 months to 2 ½ yrs) tend to listen and absorb, and to watch and see if the parent is participating and enjoying the class. It's usually the 3rd week that we will see the child participating and responding, even singing. The more the parent sings and enjoys the simple instruments, the more the child will. And no one has to sing on pitch. Some parents "talk" the lyrics if they don't want to sing - that's OK. If you are listening to the CD on a regular basis, like in the car, you may hear your child singing along, or responding well to the tonal and rhythm patterns. We often observe a "delayed" response from them a couple of hours after class is over, such as the rhythm pattern, du-de-du-de. Music is a second language, and all children begin to learn a new language by simply listening.

Why "Call and Respond Songs" Build a Child's Self Esteem

Call-and-respond songs are especially valuable because they draw everyone into participation quickly.  They usually have a melody that is repeated in the response, or a short repetitive answer.  They are enjoyed by adults and children alike.
I use these  songs to give children oppotunities to respond individually.  After the children are secure in their musical environment, it is vital to encourage them to respond individually.  Each child has the opportunity to hear his or her own voice, and gradually learn to adjust it if they so choose.  Examples are:  Good Day, Hambone, and My Little Rooster