January 28th is National Kazoo Day!!!_Kazoo facts and How to make 3 different Kazoos

NATIONAL KAZOO DAY is Jan 28, 2009!

The NEARLY ANNUAL MESSAGE FROM BARBARA STEWART (INTERNATIONAL CHAIRPERSON & AUTHOR OF THE COMPLETE HOW TO KAZOO ©2006)

National Kazoo Day 2009 will be celebrated on Wed. Jan. 28th, because it is convenient to Your Chairperson. (Our rules designate the 4th Thursday in January or whenever convenient to the kazooist.)


May all of you have an eco-friendly and economically feasible HAPPY KAZOO YEAR!
This year we commemorate the 159th birthday of the Kazoo!

For Your Information:
The kazoo is a type of mirliton - a device which modifies the sound of a person's voice by way of a vibrating membrane.

On Playing the Kazoo:

Playing the kazoo is not actually "humming" it is more about "singing" in order for the kazoo to make any sound.
If you speak "do, do, do..." into the kazoo mouthpiece, the 'hard' vocalization makes a more effective sound.

History of the Kazoo
Such instruments have been used in Africa for hundreds of years, to disguise the sound of somebody's voice or to imitate animals, often for various ceremonial purposes. It was on such an instrument that the kazoo, invented by an African American named Alabama Vest in the 19th century in Macon, Georgia, is based. The first kazoo was manufactured to Vest's specifications by Thaddeus von Clegg, a German clockmaker in Macon. The kazoo was first publicized at the Georgia State Fair in 1852. The first metal kazoos were manufactured and patented in Eden, New York, where they are still made in the original factory.

The kazoo is played professionally in jug bands and comedy music, and by amateurs everywhere. It is one of the few acoustic instruments to be developed in the United States and one of the easiest melodic instruments to play well, requiring only the ability to vocalize in tune. In North East England and South Wales, kazoos play an important role in so-called juvenile jazz bands (really children's marching bands).

Leonard Bernstein included a segment for kazoo ensemble in the First Introit (Rondo) of his Mass_(theatre). The kazoos are played by the boy's choir.

One of the best known kazooists in recent times might be Barbara Stewart. She was a classically trained singer who has written a book on the kazoo, formed the "quartet" Kazoophony, and performed at Carnegie Hall. She appeared on Late Night with Conan O'Brien.

Classical Kazoo Choir



Kazoos are not just for kids!!!




LET'S MAKE KAZOOS!!!

Comb Kazoo
You will need:
comb
waxed paper

How to:
Fold the waxed paper in half over the comb with the teeth of the comb in the fold.
Tah Dah!!!
Play by placing your mouth over the toothed edge and humming (well more like singing).
You can also try moving the comb from side to side.


Cardboard Tube Kazoo
What you need:
Cardboard tubes (from toilet rolls, plastic or foil wrap, paper towel)
Waxed paper
Scissors
Elastics
Ruler
Pencil
Markers or crayons

How to:
1. Decorate your tube with markers or pencil crayons.
2. Cut a 5 inch square out of waxed paper.
3. Place the square of waxed paper on one end of tube and secure with an elastic.
4. To play your kazoo gently hum into the open end of the kazoo.


Straw Kazoo
What you need:
drinking straws
scissors

How to:
First, flatten out one end of a straw. The easiest way to do this is to bite on it.
With a pair of scissors, cut the flattened end of the straw in an upside-down "V" shape.
This will act as a reed just like in a clarinet.
Place the "V" end of the straw in your mouth so that the "V" end is just past the inside of you lips.
Press on the "V" with your lips while blowing.
This might take some practice. You may have to separate the "V" a bit.

You can also try cutting the straw and then blowing on it.
Do you hear how the pitch of your "kazoo" is higher?


Here is the only picturebook I could find that featured kazoo playing:

There once was a duck
who loved the kazoo.

He played:
La ditty, da ditty, zu zu.



some info I used was found at wikipedia.org

HowToKazoo.com

Winter...a classic poem and a some fun "snow" games

Stopping By Woods On A Snowy Evening

Whose woods these are I think I know.
His house is in the village though;
He will not see me stopping here
To watch his woods fill up with snow.

My little horse must think it queer
To stop without a farmhouse near
Between the woods and frozen lake
The darkest evening of the year.

He gives his harness bells a shake
To ask if there is some mistake.
The only other sound's the sweep
Of easy wind and downy flake.

The woods are lovely, dark and deep.
But I have promises to keep,
And miles to go before I sleep,
And miles to go before I sleep.

Robert Frost

Frosty aka Build a Snowperson

Supplies:
A roll of toilet paper for each team
Sheet of orange, black, red and yellow construction paper for each team
Hat for each team
A few Glue sticks for each team
Scissors for each team

How To Play:
Have several teams of four or five children.
When you say, "GO" they should wrap one of the people on their team up in toilet paper (leaving an opening for nose and eyes).
Once they've built their "Frosty" they can use the hat and construction paper to decorate him with.
Put a time limit on decorating.
Give a prize for the first completed Frosty, most unique Frosty, cutest Frosty, etc.


Snowshoe Relay Race

Supplies:
Wrapped Tootsie Rolls or any other small treat(1 for each child)
2 Shoe boxes for each team
Bell for each team
2 mittens for each team
2 bowls for each team

Place tootsie rolls, in a bowl, at the opposite end of the room.
Hang a bell, from the ceiling, over the tootsie roll bowl.

How To Play:
Divide the children into two or more relay teams.
Explain that when you say, "GO" the first person on each team will put on the mittens, step into the shoe boxes and race to the other end of the room where they will ring the bell with their nose.
They are then to pick up a tootsie roll out of the bowl and race back to their team still wearing their mittens and shoe boxes.
Pass the mittens and shoe box to the next person in line, sit down, eat your tootsie roll.
The first team to finish eating their tootsie rolls wins!


Snowball Over the Mountain

Supplies:
Sheet
White balloons blown up
2 adults to help

How To Play:
Children are divided into two teams.
A sheet (the mountain) is held above eye level between the two groups by the 2 adults (holding each end). Or you can find a way to pin it to the wall or hang across a cord.
Each side throws snowballs (white balloons) over to the other side.
It's alot like volley ball but you need not keep score.


Snowball Relay Race

Supplies:
Styrofoam ball for each team
Plastic Spoon (shovel) for each team

How To Play:
Divide into teams.
First child on each team will be given a styrofoam ball (snowball) and a spoon (shovel).
On your mark they are to bend over, place the ball on the floor, and push the ball with the spoon across the room, around an obstacle, and back to next child on team. First team to finish wins.


Snowball Making

Supplies:
Large sheets of tissue paper (one for every child)
Bucket for each team

How To Play:
Divide the children into two teams.
The first person on each team gets a piece of tissue paper and crumples it into a ball using one hand (this keeps them soft).
Then races to the end of the room to place the snowball in the bucket.
The next child repeats the first child's actions and the process continues until the team has all their snowballs made.
Follow this game with a Snowball Throw below.


Snowball Throw

Supplies:
A line drawn or taped on the floor

How To Play: Set a time for 2-3 minutes. Yell, "GO"! Each team throws their tissue paper snowballs back and forth across the lines. When the timer goes off, the team with the least amount of snowballs on their side wins.

Old Mother Grey.....a children's game

Here's an old British children's game song:

OLD MOTHER GREY

Old Mother Grey, may we go out to play?
Mother Gray: 'No, it's raining'.
Children: "No, it isn't, the sun is shining
Mother Grey: "All right, you may go out to play'.

[The children rush off, and play around, perhaps moving out of sight.]

Old Mother Grey calls: "Children, it's dinner time!"
Children: 'Coming mother.'
Mother: 'Where have you been?'
Children: 'We've been to London to see the Queen.'
Mother: 'What did she give you?'
Children: 'A loaf of bread as big our head, a piece if cheese as big as our knees, a lump of jelly as big as our belly, and a teeny weeny six pence."
Mother: "Where's my share?
Children: 'Up in the air.'
Mother; 'How shall I get it?'
Children; 'Stand on a chair.
Mother; 'And if I fall?'
Children all laugh and shout out: "We don't care."

[Old Mother Grey runs after them, and whoever she catches becomes the next 'Mother'.]

Source: Source: Iona and Peter Opie: Children's Games in Street and Playground; [Oxford, Clarendon Press, 1969; pp. 307-308


Here's a variant from the Caribbean:

WE DON'T CARE

Children, children
Yes, Mama.
Where yo' been to?
Granmama.
What she give yo'?
Two apples.
Where yo' put them?
On the shelf.
How will yo' get them?
Stand on a chair.


[As the "children" answer "Mama" they creep closer and closer to her until finally "Mama" turns and chases them"].

Source: Grace Hallworth: "Down By The River: Afro-Caribbean Rhymes, Games and Songs for Children" [New York Scholastic Inc, 1996]

A Halloween Classic

Classic Disney Halloween Cartoon!

The Sun and the Wind....a fable by Aesop

This is a very cute and creative version of the story of the Sun and the Wind.

Fun Pumpkin Songs and Poems for the Little Ones

Five little pumpkins
Sitting on a gate.

The first one said,
"Oh, my it's getting late!"

The second one said,
"There are witches in the air!"

The third one said,
"Well, I don't care!"

The fourth one said,
"Let's run and run and run!"

The fifth one said,
"I'm ready for some fun!"

Ooooo went the wind
And out went the lights
And the five little pumpkins
Rolled out of sight.

How Pumpkins Grow
(sung to the tune of The Muffin Man)

Do you know how pumpkins grow,
Pumpkins grow, pumpkins grow,
Do you know how pumpkins grow?
In my garden?

First I plant some pumpkin seeds,
some pumpkin seeds, some pumpkins seeds,
First I plant some pumpkin seeds
In my garden.

Then the vines and leaves will grow,
leaves will grow, leaves will grow,
Then the vines and leaves will grow,
In my garden.

Then the buds will turn to blossoms,
turn to blossoms, turn to blossoms,
Then the buds will turn to blossoms,
In my garden.

Then green pumpkins will grow,
will grow, will grow,
Then green pumpkins will grow,
In my garden.

At last the pumpkins turn to orange,
turn to orange, turn to orange,
At last the pumpkins turn to orange,
In my garden.

Now I'll have some jack-o-lanterns,
jack-o-lanterns, jack-o-lanterns,
Now I'll have some jack-o-lanterns,
In my garden.

What a funny seed I found,
I wondered what would grow?
So I planted it in the ground,
And now I know!

Little leaves were first to sprout,
Growing in a line,
Then golden blossoms opened out
Along the vine.

And then something grew-and grew and grew!
The biggest ever seen!
And now I have a pumpkin-
Just in time for HALLOWEEN!

Ickle Me, Pickle Me, Tickle Me, Too! --- a poem by Shel Silverstien---Oh! and a recipe too!

As I am sure I have mentioned before, or at least I should have, I love poems and poetry. And I have quite a few favorite poems and poets. One of my favorite writer's of children's poetry is Shel Silverstein.

Born Sheldon Alan Silverstein, September 25, 1930 in Chicago, Illinois, "Shel" Silverstein was an American poet, songwriter, musician, composer, cartoonist, screenwriter and author of children's books. He wrote 3 books of poetry for children Where the Sidewalk Ends (1974), A Light in the Attic (1981)and Falling Up (1996).

Just an interesting aside, Shel Silverstein also wrote the music and the lyrics for the following songs: "A Boy Named Sue" that was performed by Johnny Cash, "The Unicorn" which is popular in Irish pubs all over the world, "The Cover of the Rolling Stone" a song performed by Dr. Hook.

The following poem can be found in his book "Where the Sidewalk Ends". "Ickle Me, Pickle Me, Tickle Me, Too" is a wonderful poem. It's fun to say, the children love the rhyme and the images that it creates. It is also a marvelous poem to act out. There are so many places for the children use their imagination.

If you have the time and the facilities, why not go a step further and have the kids make Mulligan Stew!(It's mentioned in the poem :)


Ickle Me, Pickle Me, Tickle Me too,
Went for a ride in a flying shoe,
"Hooray!"
"What fun!"
"It's time we flew!"
Said Ickle Me, Pickle Me, Tickle Me too.

Ickle was captain, Pickle was crew,
And Tickle served coffee and mulligan stew
As higher
And higher
And higher they flew,
Ickle Me, Pickle Me, Tickle Me too.


Ickle Me, Pickle Me, Tickle Me too,
Over the sun and beyond the blue.
"Hold on!"
"Stay in!"
"I hope we do!"
Cried Ickle Me, Pickle Me, Tickle Me too.


Ickle Me, Pickle Me, Tickle Me too
Never returned to the world they knew,
And nobody
knows what's
happened to
Dear Ickle Me, Pickle Me, Tickle Me too.

Written by Shel Silverstein (1930-1999)


I know from experience that your average child will ask you what mulligan stew is as soon as you finish the poem, if not sooner. So here is your answer (just in case you did not know, I didn't.)

Mulligan stew is a kind of dish said to have been prepared by hobos in camps in the early 1900s. Usually, it includes meat, potatoes, vegetables, and whatever else can be found. The hobo who put it together was known as the "mulligan mixer". A stew is generally difined as being made, literally, of "whatever is on hand" including meat, potatoes and vegetables in any combination.

I have included 2 different stew recipes. Enjoy!

Campfire Mulligan Stew
Ingredients :
Method :
In small amount of hot fat in heavy frying pan, brown: 1 pound stew meat, cut in small pieces Add: 1 tsp. salt Stir in: 1 can condensed tomato soup 1 can water Cover tightly and let cook slowly until tender (about 1-1/2 hours). If fire gets too hot, take from heat occasionally to keep at a simmer. When the meat is tender, add: 3 carrots, cut in thick slices
3 potatoes, quartered
3 onions, halved Continue cooking slowly about 30 minutes. If there is not enough juice, add water during cooking. If too thin take off lid and cook sauce until thickened. 4 to 6 servings
Recipe from the Betty Crocker's Cook Book for Boys and Girls


Easy Crock Pot Beef Stew Recipe
Ingredients
- 4 each potatoes, chopped into bite size pieces
- 1 each onion, chopped
- 1 pound carrots, sliced
- pound stew meat
- 1 can tomato soup
- 2/3 cup water
- 1 package stew seasoning

Directions
Cut the vegetables and meat into bite sized pieces. Mix the stew seasoning with the water. Place the meat on the bottom of the crock, cover with vegetables. Pour the soup and stew seasoning mixture over all. Cook in the crock pot on high for 6 hours or low 10 hours.
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 6 or more hours
Servings: 6
http://www.recipetips.com/recipe-cards/u--3732/easy-crock-pot-beef-stew.asp

Cookie, Cookie, Cookie.....starts with C!!

I looooove these songs!
Let's face it....I love most of ...okay all of the songs I sing.

This evening I decided I "needed" a cookie. Fortunately, I keep cookie dough around for just such an emergency. So I got out the pan and "made" a few chocolate chip cookies. Yummmmm!
Which is what got me thinking about cookie songs.

The first three songs I thought of were these..."C is for Cookie" (a classic)..."I'm A Little Cookie" (a sleeper song but a good one) and , well, the last song is more like a chant and it's a game...the ever popular "Who Stole the Cookie From the Cookie Jar".
At the end of this blog are some good cookie recipes for kids.

I'm a Little Cookie is a great song about differences and tolerance.
A version of this song can be heard on John McCutcheon's Mail Myself to You CD.
This is where I first heard it.

I'M A LITTLE COOKIE

I'm a little cookie, yes I am
And I was made by the cookie man
And on my way from the cookie pan
A little piece broke off of me
A little piece broke off of me, uh-huh
A little piece broke off of me, uh-huh
But I can taste just as good, uh-huh
As a regular cookie can

I'm a little chocolate bar, I am
And I was made by the chocolate bar man
And on my way to the chocolate stand
I got a little bend in me
I got a little bend in me, uh-huh
I got a little bend in me, uh-huh
But I can taste just as good, uh-huh
As a regular chocolate bar can

I'm a little tootsie roll, yes I am
And I was made by the tootsie roll man
And on my way from the tootsie roll land
I got a little twist in me
I got a little twist in me, uh-huh
I got a little twist in me, uh-huh
But I can taste just as good, uh-huh
As a regular tootsie roll can

I'm a little gum drop, yes I am
And I was made by the gum drop man
On my way from the sugar can
I got a little dent in me
I got a little dent in me, uh-huh
I got a little dent in me, uh-huh
But I can taste just as good, uh-huh
As a regular gum drop can

Oh, I'm a little cookie, yes I am
And I was made by the cookie man
And on my way from the cookie pan
A little piece broke off of me
Now I ain't as round as I might be
But I taste good just wait and see
And I can love back twice as hard
As a regular cookie can

Words and Music by Larry Penn
(c) Larry Penn


And here is everyone's favorite cookie loving monster....

Who Stole the Cookies is a fun game and a marvelous song for helping kids learn to keep a steady beat.
Children pat a steady rhythm on their thighs while chanting the song.
Older child can do a pat...clap...pat...clap rhythm.
Have kids sit in a circle.
Begin the game by going in order around the circle.
Once the kids understand how the game works you can move into choosing students at random.

Accuser/Group: Who stole the cookie from the cookie jar?
(name of a child in the circle) stole the cookie from the cookie jar.
Accused: Who me?
Accuser/Group: Yes, you!
Accused: Not Me, Couldn't be!
Accuser/Group: Then who?

This can go on and on until the last person or a designated person (usually the teacher in the beginning) says Who me?...Kids: Yes You!....Teacher/Thief: Possibly! and then you bring out the cookie.

I could explain every step of teaching and playing the game but I found this lovely vid at my favorite place (YOUTUBE!!!) that does an excellent job of teaching the game. The words are a little different but it is basically the same game. YOu will note that the kids are older and that the use a pat/clap instead of a steady patting of the legs which works best with younger children.

Here are a few simple cookie recipes for kids. I found these at Easy Kids Recipies
But there are lots more on the net. Go explore!


Chocolate Cornflake Clusters

2 cups cornflakes, crushed
3/4 cups craisins
3/4 cups flaked almonds
3/4 cup shredded coconut
3/4 cup sweetened, condensed milk
2 cups melted milk chocolate chips, white chocolate, or peanut butter chips

Preheat oven to 325F degrees. Mix together all ingredients except chocolate chips. Line a cookie sheet with foil and grease. Spoon onto cookie sheet about 1 tablespoon per cluster.

Bake for 15 minutes until golden brown. Remove from oven and cool for 5 minutes. Then spread the bottom of the clusters with the melted chocolate. Let the chocolate harden, then turn clusters over and drizzle more chocolate over the top.



Mrs. "You Know Who's" Chocolate Chip Cookies

2 cups butter
2 cups sugar
2 cups brown sugar
4 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla
4 cups flour
5 cups oatmeal
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons baking soda
24 ounce package chocolate chips
1 8 ounce Hershey chocolate bar, grated
3 cups chopped nuts

Cream together butter,sugar, and brown sugar. Add eggs and vanilla. Mix together flour, oatmeal, salt, baking powder, and baking soda and add to mixture. For oatmeal, put small amounts into blender until it turns to powder. Measure first, then blend. Add final ingredients and mix together.

Bake on ungreased cookie sheets. Make golf-ball sized cookies and place them oncookie sheets, 2 inches apart. Bake at 375F degrees for 6 minutes.

Love, Laughter, Peace, Blessings and COOKIES!
La

Toddler Property Laws

1. If I like it, it's mine.

2. If it's in my hand, it's mine.

3. If I can take if from you, it's mine.

4. If I had it a little while ago, it's mine.

5. If you are playing with something and you put it down, it automatically becomes mine.

6. If it's mine, it must never appear to be yours in any way.

7. If I'm doing or building something, all the pieces are mine.

8. If it looks like mine, it is mine.

9. If I saw it first, it's mine.

10. If it's broken, it's yours.

I found this on a child care provider site recently.
It was waaaaay too funny and too TRUE not to share it!!!

The picture book cover is of a book on sharing and toddlers.
To find out more about the book go to Mine! Mine! Mine! by Shelly Becker

Fairytale Generator

I just stumbled across this site and thought others might find it fun and interesting.....Fairytale Generator

Basically you pick situations from a list and the site "generates" a short, very short, fairytale for you.
Enjoy!

Fun Storytelling

Yes! It is related to storytelling. Everything is....if you try :)
Stumbled on this one a few months ago.
There are other characters available and you can put in any text you want.
Of course, I put in a story! Enjoy....



Animated Generator Site