Exploring music with Calypso Kids at Brailes Show

I wrote about Brailes Show at the weekend, but I had lots of photos and wanted to pull out what we got up to musically for my Musical Exploration link this month.  I like to arrive on time for events, and in this case getting there on time meant we were there ready for the start of the children’s music activity.

It was being run by Calypso Kids, not a group we’ve come across before.  It entails the usual baby and toddler music classes – lots of singing, movement, and playing with instruments and props.

N didn’t want to go into the ring himself (not surprised, as it was large and we were a bit on show), so I went in and sat with him.  But once there he was straight into the prop buckets when told they could.  Not like when we went to his old music classes where he’d wait for them to be brought to him.

We did some singing along to nursery rhymes and other songs.  All the other parents seemed to know them so I presume they go to the classes.  N didn’t really join in the singing, but he enjoyed doing some of the actions.

The had fish for the little fish song.  Great to see something different, as I’d not seen ‘puppets’ used. N was given a lovely iridescent orange one, but he wanted the pink one I was given.

Claves for just general beating along to marching songs and using as oars for row row your boat..  I was impressed that N knew what the claves were – he told me he had them at his day nursery in their music sessions.

Then the ribbon rings came out for the Wheels on the Bus.  They did need large actions.  I think I might have got a bit carried away, thinking I wanted to make lovely artistic gymnastic shapes with my ribbon…and almost clobbered the young girl standing next to us.

The singing was simple, but having what seems like a never-ending lot of basic instruments and props really helps the children enjoy themselves and remember the songs.  Even the adults were singing along a lot more confidently than we all did at our classes in a hall.  I also think that singing and playing music in a group is a great way of getting children to learn from others, but also to listen more.  Never seen more when I walk in at his nursery school to pick him up and hear them all trying to play the handbells and being told their number to ring in the right order.

Maybe having singsongs outside are the way to go?  It’s a lovely thought thinking that all your notes are flying away over the wind to somewhere else.

What are your children’s favourite songs?  Do they have music lessons?