Children’s musicians Erin Lee and Marci bring us the next of their regular posts with thematic recommendations for kid-friendly music, plus activities to make the songs an interactive experience for the whole family. I was particularly amused by their first recommendation below, as my own son often uses a similar argument. Look for Erin Lee and Marci here on the first Monday of each month, or visit their homepage, www.gottaplay.org.
I’ve created links to Amazon for the full albums (click the album image or name), plus links to iTunes for those who want only the singles.
Thanksgiving is just around the corner, and if your family is anything like our families are, that means one of two things: Over Eaters and Picky Eaters.
Here’s a song for each of them!
“I Have 2 Stomachs,” (Two of a Kind, Family Album
This was written by a dad and his twin sons to explain why they can say “I’m full, what’s for dessert?” Family Album has another lovely tune with a Thanksgiving tie—in—”Love Makes a Family,” celebrating how families come in every shape, color, and size. It embraces all kinds of lifestyles, including GLBT families. David and Jenny Heitler-Klevans write and record with their 11-year-old children, ensuring that every tune has been big-kid tested and approved.
“I Talk to my Food” (Sarah Pirtle, Two Hands Hold The Earth
Folk singer Sarah Pirtle wrote this song after sitting next to a young boy who was having an earnest conversation with his seriously unappetizing dinner roll. She has an amazing gift of providing children with a voice, and with this gentle, yet quirky song has given a voice to picky eaters everywhere. Sarah recently received the Magic Penny Award from the Children’s Music Network honoring her lifetime of work in music for children.
(No iTunes single available.)
We have our own take on Thanksgiving that’s straight from our own childhoods—we couldn’t wait to get to sit at the Grownup Table. . . .
Thanksgiving With Aunt Pearl (Erin Lee & Marci, Snowdance)
Our 10-year-old narrator isn’t so concerned with what she gets to eat, but where she gets to eat it. This Thanksgiving she is determined to be moved from the Kiddie Table to the Grownup Table, and Thanksgiving won’t be over until her mission is accomplished.
This month’s activities: Holiday rituals are different in every family. Talk about how Thanksgiving rituals have changed over the years—Thanksgiving today is very different than it was in the 1600s! How does your family celebrate Thanksgiving? How did you celebrate when you were a child?
Get up on your feet and use your bodies to make a “photo album” of the narrator’s Thanksgiving. Freeze in poses that illustrate parts of the song. One “picture” could be the drive to Aunt Pearl’s house; another could be Aunt Pearl greeting guests at her door, the kids at the kiddie table or the narrator at the grown-up table with all of the adults. Add your own scenes—what happens after dinner? What about on the drive home?