Uke with Kindergarten

I've been away for a month: work, book promotion, etc -- but I had to share a great experience I had.

On Fridays, I volunteer with the local kindergarten and first grade during their writing/literacy block. Often these kids draw pictures to go with their stories. Last week, I brought in my uke to talk about how sometimes I write and play songs to go with the books I write. I played. I sang. They sang along.

We talked about how music can set a mood, just like pictures can, and how that mood can inform the stories we tell. They talked about songs they could write . . . and I'm going to pitch to the teachers that we do a simple song writing lesson in the near future.

I played my beautiful Pono baritone (gifted from mds725) and the kids loved the sound. Even more important -- that instrument seemed approachable to them and I've had at least one parent ask where they might find purchase a ukulele for their child.

That's great lulu. I've played for my kids classes since she was in kindergarten. Now she is in 4th grade and the kids in her previous classes still ask me to come and play for them. But I'm so busy with the uke club that the music teacher and I started (after the teacher got a grant for 25 ukes for the school) I don't get to play to the class anymore. Good luck with your endeavors!

Excellent! The little kids sure love the playing and singing, don't they?
As a supply teacher, if I know I'm going to be in a kindergarten class I'll sometimes bring my uke along and we sing "Old Macdonald" or "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star". It's always a hit.
Do you folks notice that there's always a few kids who look confused or lost? The idea of singing and live music seems entirely alien to them; it's as if they've never actually seen someone play an instrument. They eventually get in to it, but it's kind of sad to think that music is so foreign to some people.

In my school board there's a program where a local (but excellent and award-winning) blues guitarist visits the kids, teaches them about the blues, and the classes end up writing a blues song with him. It's a shame that music classes are some of the first to go when budget cuts come around.

I think more people should find ways of bringing people into the joy of the ukulele. Play for others, teach who wants to learn, if you have the means give ukuleles to those who show genuine interest.