Recommended Website:
KiddieRecords.com

ClickScholar Dee Dee Marcoux recommended this website that offers FREE recordings of children’s records from the golden age of the mid 1940’s through the early 1950’s, that you can download or audio stream for FREE. (They also sell compilation CDs at the site.) As explained at the website:

“Many of these recordings were extravagant Hollywood productions on major record labels and featured big time celebrities and composers. Over the years, these forgotten treasures slipped off the radar and it became our mission to give them a new lease on life by sharing them with today’s generation of online listeners.”

The folks at Kiddie Records post a new recording weekly. When you get to the site, you’ll see the introduction along with links to the recordings that were posted from 2005-2009. Click on any year and a new page opens with a menu of all the titles available. Not only that, but you can see the record jackets that offer an artistic view of a bygone era in time. Simply click on a record title and follow the directions to hear it or download it.

This project started in 2005. It was intended to be a one-year project, but new titles were added in 2006 and 2007. Kiddie Records took a break from adding content in 2008. They are adding titles in 2009 although they have announced this is the last year of the project. Bookmark the site to return each week during the rest of 2009 to access the new titles that are loaded to the site.

This is a wonderful way to enjoy music and stories with your child while taking a trip down memory lane!

Recommended Website:
Dallas Symphony Orchestra for Kids

Age Range: 6-12 (Designed for elementary school-age kids, but the very young and young at heart will enjoy aspects of this site as well.)

The Dallas Symphony Orchestra sponsors this interactive, multi-media website that helps children learn all about the music, instruments, conductors, musicians, and composers associated with the symphony orchestra.

When you get to the site you wil be in a virtual music room. Turn on your speakers to enjoy the music and click on the items in the room to explore:

• Instrument Encyclopedia — Learn about instruments classified as Strings, Woodwinds, Percussion, and Keyboards. Click on any of the multiple instruments in each category and see a picture. Read all about it and listen to what it sounds like. Hear it being played in various compositions.
• Orchestra Seating Chart — See how the symphony has changed over time by viewing how instruments in the orchestra were positioned during the Baroque, Classical, Romantic, and Modern periods.
• Practice Chair — Young musicians can get some tips for developing good practice habits.
• I Am A Musician — Read the bios of various musicians in the Dallas Symphony Orchestra.
• Do It At Home — Try some fun activities to promote your music education at home including: Coloring Pages, Composer Scavenger Hunt, Experience Vibration, Fun with Sequencing, Musical Stories, Instrument Puzzles, and more.
• Make Your Own Instruments — Get instructions for making your very own Xylophone, Woodwind Instrument, String Instrument, Maracas, Clay Pot Chimes, Coffee Can Drums and more.
• Computer Games — Play interactive games themed around the symphony such as Music Match, Hangman, Word Match, and Letter Scramble. Don’t miss the “Composer’s Keyboard” where you can create your own songs and hear them played!
• Music In The Air — Click on the picture of a computer printer to print out a 12 page “souvenir book” of a child’s trip to the DSO.
• Listen to Music — Visit the virtual listening library where you can hear music by famous composers such as Bach, Mozart, and Gershwin. Or listen to music featuring specific instruments like the banjo, kettle drum, or tuba.
• Teacher’s Room — Parents may enjoy visiting this section where you’ll find classroom activities and lessons, information on composers, sheet music, music theory lessons, and much more.

Bookmark this site, as you’ll need to return several times to experience all that is has to offer.

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Recommended Website:
Making Music Fun

Age Range: 6-11 (Designed for elementary grades 1-6.)

ClickScholar MaryAnna recommended this website that provides FREE music resources for those who want to enrich children’s lives with an appreciation for music.

When you get to the site you’ll see three menu choices that include:

• Oliver Octopus Arcade – Play two music theory arcade games and learn to identify 6 basic rhythms including the whole note, the half note, the eighth note, the dotted half note, and the dotted quarter note. Learn note names for the treble or bass clef. Set the note range that you would like to practice, and play!
• Print It! – Get free printable sheet music that you can preview and listen to online. From beginner to intermediate players – you’ll find sheet music for the piano, violin, flute, recorder, trumpet and trombone. Print out an entire music songbook with music, lyrics, and guitar chords. Preview, listen to and print Off music orchestrations for classroom or homeschool coop class use. You’ll also find practice charts, worksheets, and even printable award certificates.
• Music Library – THIS IS AN AMAZING RESOURCE! Access an archive of FREE music lessons on video for piano, recorder, flute, clarinet, trumpet, guitar, percussion, and bagpipe. There are even video flashcards for learning music theory! You’ll also find biographies of great composers in the baroque, classic, romantic, and modern music eras. Learn the instruments of the orchestra (woodwind, brass, string, percussion, and keyboard) with highlights about their history, how they are played, how they are made, and other fun facts. Get an “Index” of suggested music activities created just for homeschool parents. Print out music lessons that help children learn about tempo, rhythm, pitch, musical symbols, form, and much more. There’s even a “Jazz Index” with lessons and resources for learning about jazz music and great jazz musicians.

This site is a CSAW. What’s CSAW? That acronym is pronounced (see-saw) and stands for “ClickSchooling Award Winner.” It indicates (in my opinion) the very best utilization of educational technology. Bookmark this site – it’s a winner!

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Are You The Parent of a Preschooler? You’ll Love Universal Preschool’s Learning Calendar! It’s chock-full of fun, easy activities & time-saving resources for learning with little ones all year long! Get your copy today…