Tag: halloween

(Not-So) Terrifying Tunes

Librarians, Parents, Teachers, Uncategorized

“It’s the most wonderful time of the year!” Am I talking about Christmas already? Heck, no. I’m talking about Halloween! It’s that time of year when the leaves on the trees are changing, the cozy sweaters and flannels are out and ready to be worn (if the temperature ever drops!), and children are dressing as their favorite characters to get some yummy candy. At a recent Halloween event for work, I saw lots of Blueys, Wednesdays, and ROBLOX/Minecraft, but do you know what I didn’t see? Vampires! Not one!! And that’s too bad because I love vampires. From the scary ones, I’m looking at you 30 Days of Night, to the funny ones, hello Hotel Transylvania, vampires are a classic movie monster. To celebrate them, I’m kicking off this post with two new tunes featuring these fanged friends.

 

To start things off, let’s get a little jazz-swing beat (oooh, that clarinet!!) going and enjoy Simon Stanley‘s new song about a creature of the night who really wants nothing more than to dance under the stars in “Vampire Boogie.” The lyric video adds a not-so-scary bouncing vampire head to help listeners follow along with the lyrics. Everyone’s going to want to do the “boogie woogie woogie woogie woo.”

 

 

Next up is the pop tune “Transylvania Town” from Todd ‘n’ Tina. Shot in an escape room, the video features Todd as a friendly-ish vampire who’s just looking for a drink of B-positive when Tina happens to come along. The cute video combined with the boppy melody and clever lyrics make this a fun one for children of all ages. 

 

But wait, we’re not done yet! There’s still more Halloween fun to be had. The vampires aren’t the only ones showing off their moves this year. Keeping the groovy, jazzy feeling of the bare trees swaying in a dark forest, Chanelle & Friends invite listeners to the “Monster Dance.” The lyric video features friendly characters with just a drop of creepiness, to make this fun for even the older kids to enjoy. 

 

Finally, what does every Halloween need? A party! And who better to host that party than Mr. Pete’s Playhouse? Combining animation and live action, “Halloween Party” is an incredibly upbeat song that is the perfect early afternoon, kids are full of candy-filled energy tune to get them moving around and burning off some of that sugary goodness. 

Still looking for more music to add to your Halloween playlist? Think outside the coffin this year. Rather than using some of the classic Halloween tunes, try using music by one of your favorite children’s musicians. Check out this massive “Preschool Halloween Playlist” curated by Itty Bitty Beats and featuring over 100 songs by dozens of today’s amazing children’s performers. Enjoy and Happy Halloween!

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Song Spotlight – “Spooky Kooky Halloween Song”

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It’s hard to believe, but Halloween is only 13 days away! There’s really no better way to celebrate than with a song that’s spooky, kooky, and a whole lot of fun. The result of a magical partnership between kindred spirits Kelli Welli and Nanny Nikki, “Spooky Kooky Halloween Song” is no trick, just a treat. Joining forces, Kelli and Nikki created a tune that while never scary, still captures the essence of this haunted time of year. Children will especially enjoy the way each eerie sounding verse transitions into a chorus that demands that they dance around and be kooky. Get a preview of “Spooky Kooky Halloween Song” below then head to your favorite streaming service to add it to your list of Halloween favorites! 

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Video Spotlight – “Homemade Halloween”

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As a child of the 80s, I grew up having a great appreciation for homemade costumes. My mom was incredibly creative (If you showed her an egg carton, she came up with half a dozen uses for it. Show me an egg carton, I see an egg carton.) – she could knit, crochet, paint ceramics, and most importantly, sew. Whether it was a new blouse or dress, doll clothes, or holiday decor, she could do it all. And when it came to Halloween, my mom’s creativity and skill really got a chance to shine.

Each year as October 31st rolled around, my sister and I were allowed to let our imaginations run wild. Once in a while we got a store bought costume, but for the most part, our costumes were homemade. We would often combine items from around the house with things that my mom made. One year, my gym shorts and tennis shoes were the perfect accompaniment to an exotic bird mask while the next year, I raided my mom’s closet for jewelry and scarves to be a fortune teller. My sister on the other hand went a little grander, portraying things like a Hershey’s chocolate bar, a jack o’lantern, and a slice of watermelon.

I had forgotten about these costumes until I watched the video for Esther Crow’s new holiday song, “Homemade Halloween.” As soon as I heard the opening lyrics to this rocker of a tune, my Halloween memories came flooding back. One of the things I love most about this song, aside from the nostalgia factor, is that not only does it encourage creativity, but also sustainability – a theme that runs through much of Esther’s music. If the kids in your life haven’t chosen their costumes yet, watch “Homemade Halloween” for inspiration then look around the house to see what wonderous outfits you can create.

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Is it Halloween yet?

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As I mentioned in my last post, October is one of the favorite times of the year at my house. One of the reasons for that is that our wedding anniversary is on October 31. We chose that date specifically because it was Halloween (and it was a Saturday). Guests wore costumes, there was a jack o’ lantern on the top of the cake and the reception was decorated with giant tombstones. While the wedding and reception celebrated a more modern version of Halloween, the invitations and the rest of the graphics all featured classic Halloween images like the one to the left. As soon as I started watching the video below, it immediately reminded me of those images and transported me to a different time.

 

EVT Kids is making a name for themselves on the children’s music scene. Yvette and Tom lead this bilingual family band with their two daughters joining in the fun. The video for their latest song, “Spooky Halloween Night,” features gray and black illustrations reminiscent of Halloween artwork from several different time periods. The vocals harken back to a bygone era that brings eerie jazz elements to the song making the tone just spooky enough to enjoy but not too scary to listen to. Make sure to watch all the way to the end so that you don’t miss a surprise rap that somehow fits right in. The melody to “Spooky Halloween Night” will haunt you (in a good way!) for days to come.

Before you celebrate your own spooky Halloween night, make sure to take a listen to the new Halloween EP Little, Wild and Spooky! from New Zealand children’s artist Claudia Robin Gunn. This three song collection includes “Spooktacular!” a clever counting song that includes suggestions for different types of vegetables that you can carve, “Leaf Skeletons” that imagines what would happen if the skeleton leaves at the bottom of the pile started dancing, and “Friendly Monsters” that celebrates dressing up, costume parties, and imaginary friends.

Little, Wild and Spooky! is available on most streaming services and can be previewed on Claudia’s Bandcamp page.

That’s it for the Halloween editions of Kids Rhythm and Rock! I hope you have a thrilling All Hallows’ Eve filled with all the tricks and treats you dream of!

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October Celebrations

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Oh, it’s so good to be back! After an unexpected hiatus, it feels great to once again be surrounded by the talent, generosity, and kindness of the children’s music world. And what better time of the year to return than during the magical, mystical, pumpkin-spiced delight that is October. So much incredible children’s music debuted while I was gone, and we’ll get to that in the coming weeks, but for today, I want to celebrate the season that in my house is “the most wonderful time of the year” by featuring new videos that shine a spotlight on two upcoming holidays.

The first video is “Halloween Crew” from Little Miss Ann. The muted, almost sepia tones, of the animation perfectly match the slightly spooky lyrics which appear on the screen. Children will love singing along while pretending to be different members of the Halloween Crew. 

The second video is for a Spanish language song from Colombian-born, Los Angeles-based Nathalia, that celebrates Día de los Muertos. Beautiful, brightly colored animation highlights all of the elements that go into honoring the lives of loved ones who have come and gone. Lyrics are available in both Spanish and English on Nathalia’s website.

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Kick-off the Halloween Season with “Flick of My Wrist”

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Full disclosure – Halloween is kind of a big deal at my house. New decorations started arriving in June this year. First it was a couple of blow mold black cats in the living room, then it was black cat pumpkin figures peering from unexpected places (and often getting mistaken for our actual black cat) when the Grandin Road fall catalog appeared in July. As we slowly cruised into autumn, it was a few Halloween goodies from the local grocery store on the kitchen table soon to be followed by bowls and plates and platters as prices were slashed to make room on store shelves for the Christmas decorations. Plans are being made for our annual Halloween costume party with evening discussions often surrounding what the lighting should look like, what theme we should go with throughout the house this time, and what creepy food we should serve. And then there’s the outside decorations. Did I mention that work on the light show began back in January? January!! It’s going to be amazing. 

Decorations aren’t the only thing essential to Halloween. So is a good soundtrack. After all these years of celebrating All Hallows Eve, I have a pretty prolific collection of Halloween themed music, but as with any holiday, there is always room for more. So what better way to start off the spookiest of seasons than with a brand new song from Lucy Kalantari and the Jazz Cats? Released last Friday, “Flick of My Wrist” is a fantastically orchestrated tune that allows Kalantari’s rollicking vocals to dance around the lyrics as they describe the exploits of a young witch whose use of her power leads to unexpected results. It would be absolutely ghastly if you dared to leave “Flick of My Wrist” off of your Halloween playlist! Take a listen, and Happy Haunting!

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It’s the Holidays! Performed by Lucy Kalantari & the Jazz Cats

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It’s hard to believe that we’ve already reached the time of year when the stores put all of the Thanksgiving items on clearance, the pre-Black Friday sales begin, and local radio stations start playing Christmas music. And all of that before the family has even arrived to enjoy the abundance of deliciousness known as Thanksgiving dinner. So, since all signs point to it being “that time of year,” over the next month I’ll be highlighting several new family albums that celebrate the holidays.

First up is the delightful It’s the Holidays! from Brooklyn-based Lucy Kalantari & the Jazz Cats. This collection of five jazz age inspired originals celebrates the holidays between Halloween and New Year’s. The album kicks things off with the clever “My Mommy is a Mummy” (keep this one in mind for Halloween 2018) and is followed by “Grateful,” a rare song about Thanksgiving. This is a lovely tune about family and food, but also about the importance of putting aside our differences and acknowledging those things in life for which we are grateful. Take a listen.

Just as the seasons transition from fall to winter, so do the songs on this album. “It’s Snowing” gets listeners thinking about how fun it is to get all bundled up to go outside and of all the exciting things children can do in the snow when they get there. This fast-paced song would work great in winter-themed storytimes as kids dance to the various activities described in the song like stomp, jump, run, slide, and climb. “It’s Snowing” also acts as a nice bridge to the final two songs on the album.

The title track, “It’s the Holidays!” is a bouncy celebration of Hanukkah, Christmas, Kwanzaa and a lovely New Year. The refrain, “It’s the holidays in our community/we celebrate all in unity,” encourages listeners to take the time to honor our differences. Finally, the album is capped off with “That’s a Wrap!” a short (1:37 min.) tune that tells listeners “Let’s wrap up this year and say goodbye” and would be a great addition to any New Year’s Eve programs.

While shorter than the average album, Kalantari, backed by a group of amazing musicians, has created an album that families will listen to again and again. It’s the Holidays! is the perfect start to “the most wonderful time of the year.”

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Halloween Hits for Little Ones

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Last week I asked some friends and colleagues for their favorite Halloween/October stories, songs and fingerplays. Below is a sampling of what was shared with me. I would love to hear from you. What are some of your favorites?

Books:

Creepy Carrots! By Aaron Reynolds
The Little Old Lady Who Was Not Afraid of Anything by Linda Williams
The Rabbi and the 29 Witches by Marilyn Hirsh

Songs:

“Spider on the Floor” performed by Raffi – hand out rubber spiders for children to use during the song
“Monster Mash” (your favorite version) – dance with scarves or march with musical instruments
“Have You Seen the Ghost of John?” – perfect for those old enough to want to be scared but young enough to find singing about a chilly bunch of bones to be scary
Boo, Cackle, Trick or Treat album performed by Sue Schnitzer
schnitzer2

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Fingerplays/Flannel Stories/Movement Activities

“In a Dark, Dark Wood” this can be told as a story on its own, or as a flannel story. Adjusting the story to your environment can be a fun way to draw children in.

“5 Little Pumpkins”

 

Jbrary on YouTube is great for songs and chants anytime of the year. Here is just one of their offerings for fall/Halloween storytimes.

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