Holiday Fun: Music Included

The holiday season provides many opportunities for enjoying music.  In Rome we have numerous activities for you to choose from.  I will list some here now, and again in a few weeks.

Oak Hill Symphony Holiday Concert is Tuesday, November 24 at 7:30 p.m. in the Ford Auditorium at Berry College.  The orchestra consist of middle school through college age, with many Kindermusik grads performing.  Admission is free.  The concert will last one hour.

Rome Christmas Parade is Tuesday, December 1 at 6:30 p.m. on Broad Street.  Our family has been attending this tradition for many years.  I have held children, strolled children and been very pregnant while watching the parade.  All the high school bands participate along with churches & businesses in town.  It's crowded, it can be cold, but it's a Rome event you should experience.

Oak Hill Candles & Carols takes place on Saturday, December 5th from 6 - 9 p.m. Admission is $5 per person and includes a photo with Santa Claus on the front porch of Oak Hill.  Carolers and the Roman Festival Brass will provide festive music on this evening.  

Oak Hill in Lights will be two consecutive Saturdays - December 12 & 19th.  $10 a carload.  

For more information on these events at Oak Hill go here.

While attending music events during the Christmas season can be fun, don't forget to make some music of your own.  Go caroling with your kids, even if it is just to a neighbors house. Grab the neighbors and make it a progressive caroling! Start your own tradition.

Laughter

I have heard it said that a preschooler laughs about 400 times a day, while an adult laughs an average of 10 times per day. Children are typically joyful beings, and I think we can learn from them. I happened across an article about the benefits of laughter and thought I would share them.

• Laughter relieves physical tension, leaving muscles relaxed for up to 45 minutes.
• Laughter boosts the immune system, decreasing stress hormones and increasing immune cells and infection-fighting antibodies.
• Laughter releases endorphins, elevates your mood, and enhances communication.
• Laughter protects the heart, improving blood flow.

Kindermusik provides many opportunities for you to share a laugh with children, so make sure to sign up for next semester's classes. You can get information on that here

Pre-registration for Spring

Yes, it's already time to think about spring 2010 Kindermusik registration.  The schedule of classes will remain the same as the fall, but your child may need to move to a different age group. Or maybe you need a different day and time.  I will address both of these issues in an upcoming post.  

This week will begin registration for families that are currently enrolled in Kindermusik classes at Berry College.  Open enrollment will begin on November 6.  To reserve your space for spring semester you need to pay a deposit.  Your enrollment this semester does not guarantee you a space in classes next semester. Here is are the steps to reserving your child's space:

• Pay a $60 deposit via check and put your child's name and class choice in the memo.  If your address, phone or email has changed then you will need to fill out a new form. Otherwise your check will reserve your space.  Abbreviations for classes are as follows: Village (V); Our Time (OT); Imagine That! (IT); Young Child (YC); Beyond (BYD).       Here is an example for the memo line on your check:  

OT Tues 9:30 Jack

•  Here are some payment options that can save you money:  
  

             Pay in full by December 1 - $15 discount

           Pay in full by December 15 - $10 discount

             Sibling discounts are 10% of the total

              

• Other payment options are available, just ask me.  If you are enrolling 2 or more children, you will qualify for further discounts.  Again, just inquire.
• If you have materials from an older sibling to use for next semester, you may take another deduction - $40 for Village, Our Time & Imagine That! and $15 for Young Child.

Prices for spring semester remain unchanged from the fall.  The cost are as follows:

Village - $195 - Cock-a-doodle Moo, Dewdrops

Our Time - $180 - Away We Go!

Imagine That! - $195 - Toys I Make, Trips I Take!

Young Child - $210 (continuing student) - $230 (new student)

Beyond - $165

Fall classes continue through the week of December 7.  But make sure to put Kindermusik on the planner for the spring.

Winners for October are

Andrea Stahl (Logan) & Jean Linos (Marina). This is the second in a series of drawings celebrating 20 years of Kindermusik at Berry College. Each month I will draw two names. The first person receives $20 Kindermusik credit and a small gift for their child. The second person can choose one item from an assortment of instruments, CD's, or books.

Enter weekly, one entry per child that attends a Kindermusik class. The drawings will continue through April 2010. Congratulations to our October winners!

October in Rome

If you think that December is busy for your family, then check out all the happenings in Rome during the month of October. Rome celebrates Heritage Holidays, so there are fun events to enjoy all month long. Here are a few things that are not listed in the above link:

The Pumpkin Patch at Trinity Methodist Church - this is open everyday until Halloween.  Ms. Wendy will have a few special days of storytelling & songs.  Visit her at 11 a.m. on Saturday October 10 & 17.

Peach State Marching Festival - October 24 at Barron Stadium.  Come and hear high school bands as they present their half-time shows for competition. Bands from north Georgia, Alabama & Tennessee begin performances around noon.  Admission is charged.  

Service road at Berry - as the leaves begin to change this is a beautiful short drive, and you can enjoy it as you arrive for Kindermusik.  

Wild Geese are Flying

One of the songs that we sing in the Village class is "Wild Geese Are Flying."  It's a lovely song about the coming of winter and the geese flying south.  In the baby class, the children experience resonator bars for the first time.   The parents "fly" the children through the air as we listen to the song.  In another session, humongous scarves are used by the parents as they swoop the scarves around the children.  

Last week I introduced this beautiful melody to the children in the Beyond Kindermusik class. They sang and flew with scarves, similar to the babies.  They enjoyed playing with the scarves and moving to the music, but these 1st - 3rd graders can make their own music.  

Enjoy this video of the children accompanying the song.  We had 9 children playing instruments and one child flying with a scarf.

Fall Break

Next week, Oct. 5 - 9, Kindermusik of Berry College will not have classes.  The city & county schools are observing fall break and we will do the same.  Here are some ideas for you:

• The Pumpkin Patch is back.  Visit the Pumpkin Patch at Trinity Methodist, located on Turner McCall Blvd.  Ms. Wendy will be there on Monday, Oct. 5 and she have story & music time at 10 &  11 a.m. , 3 & 4 p.m. THIS WEEK ONLY!
  
• It's Fair Week - go see the exhibits!  Starts Tuesday, October 6.
  
• Enjoy time with your child in a different way.  Take a hike, make a play date with a friend, go to special restaurant, make some cookies and of course - SING!