Well, hey, Crofton Families!
I am so excited to rock the rattle with you and your littles this Spring! First, a big thanks to Jackie Gambone for reaching out with the idea of offering classes for your neighborhood “pod”.
Second, for those of you who have taken class with me before, please understand that THIS WILL BE DIFFERENT! For starters, and probably most difficult for me, I will need to stay physically distanced from your kiddos. I have tried to imagine me giving them a loving pat on the head or allowing them to hug my knees…but in all honesty, that would be a slippery slope and we should just try to avoid it altogether. To help with that, I’ll be sitting off the ground in a chair and I can mark a boundary in front of me and we’ll work together to keep everyone on the other side of it!
To reduce the spread of germs, all families need to bring their own instruments – a set for you and a set for each of your children. Here is the list of instruments you will need to bring over the course of our session. I’ll let you know each week which instruments to bring:
– *Shaker Eggs – one for each hand
– *Small Tambourine
– *Wrist bell
– Rhythm Sticks – one for each hand, can use wooden spoons
– Small Scarf – sheer, if possible
– Variety of small instruments for jam session – DIY is fine; 2 or 3 to choose from
– Small pillow for lullaby
For your convenience, I have organized to provide music kits for those who need them. *Each kit contains 2 Shaker Eggs, 1 Tambourine, 1 Wrist Bell. These instruments are professional quality and come from a trusted vendor. As with all instruments, however, you will still need to supervise your children while they are playing with them, in class and at home. The cost of the kit is $20 per person. I recommend that all students have identical instruments to avoid “toy envy,” allowing for more focus on learning, and the kits provide that consistency.
For those of you who already have the necessary instruments at home, you are, of course, welcome to use them and can order additional kits, as needed. As for the rhythm sticks, scarves and jam session instruments, I figured everyone can rummage around their homes and come up with something compatible, perhaps from a Dollar Store or other inexpensive source. We will also use the resonator bells and drums from my collection, which I will disinfect before and after each class. IF YOU NEED TO ORDER INSTRUMENT KITS, PLEASE LET ME KNOW HOW MANY YOU WANT TO ORDER BY ADDING A NOTE IN THE “Comments” SECTION ON YOUR REGISTRATION FORM.
Last, I am asking families to bring a small blanket or yoga mat to sit on and mark your space in our outdoor classroom – and something waterproof to sit on for damp mornings.
Now, BREATHE. I know this sounds like a lot to keep track of, but I’ve got your back. I’ll send a simple weekly checklist indicating what you will need to bring for each lesson. Register here, order your kits there, in the “Comments” section, and let’s get this party started!
Can’t wait to see you!
-Ms. Sharon
