16 replies to this topic

[alysha]

Hey everyone! Ive just become a fully paid member-whey hey!! :D

I was just wondering if anyone had any ideas about where i could find a range of songs (action and non0action) for reception aged children as i am about to begin my NQT year in reception. I am aware of the usual-e,g 5 speckled Frogs etc but have heard so many along the way and have forgotton some of them.

Does anyone know if i can access these online anywhere or a really good early years song book. Any comments much appreciated!

Also does anyone know where i can buy 'sticky kids' tapes. I loved these when i was a nursery nurse and would like to use them.

THANK U!!

[Steve]

Hi Alysha -

Wow. It's not often you meet such enthusiasm from someone who's just parted with £20! :D

Helen will be along over the weekend to suggest some good songbooks. But in the meantime, if you go to the Resources button on the left hand side and look at the Product Reviews index, you'll find a couple of reviews of music songbooks there.

And the underfives site is almost certainly your best source of sticky kids tapes. I think they do the full set, and are very reliable! www.underfives.co.uk should get you there.

Hope that helps! :)

[apple]

Hi Alysha
go to Amazon music and type in Raffi. He's a canadian song writer and his singable songs for the very young Cd is fabulous. They are really easy to learn catchy tunes, many with a funky twist on traditional songs. I absolutely love it and so do the kids.
I've tried a few other of his CD's but none as good as the one singable songs...

Also try Marks and Spencers. They do a great counting one and other action rhyme CD's
'Early Birds' is fab too. They have a website http://www.earlybirdsmusic.com/
again great catchy tunes with lots of actions
Happy hunting
and good luck with your first year
Liza :D

[AOB]

Hi Alysha,

I use a book called Okki Tokki quite a lot. If your school has resource books for early years topics they often have a song section. I'm sometimes hampered as I don't read music - but I can hold a tune, so plague more able colleagues to play or sing me the tune to get me started! Also have begun searching for Topic related material in terms of songs and poems through search engines. I just type the heading eg gingerbread man songs and poems. Sometimes you find quite a lot of material. I've noticed that Americans are good at taking a well known tune and adapting it with new lyrics. We have used this to make up an A5 booklet for each child which is added to week by week. Pages fixed with treasury tags. This works as additional reading material and families have enjoyed sharing the songs. Sometimes we also use it for guided reading.

Happy singing!

Angela :D

[mousebat]

Hi

The Early Learning Centre have some good sing song type Cd's. Hey Diddle Diddle is a good one ( I think that's the right name)

mousebat

[Helen]

Hi Alysha,
Welcome :D
My favourites at the moment are the Kindescope songbooks and CDs (you'll find them in our Resources section)...there are six or seven, I think. We use the PSE and Maths one more than any others. Also, I've just bought the Music Express Foundation Stage course (including CD and CD-rom) and, although I don't follow it as a course, there are lots of good songs and activities to dip into. I'd really recommend it.
I love doing music and movement with the children....hope you have lots of fun, too!

[leo]

I use a book called Bobby Shaftoe clap your hands by Sue Nicholls. It has new songs using familiar tunes so its good for people (like me) who can't sing or remember a tune.. I pity my children when they finally do hear 'real singing'

[apple]

hi Leo
does the Bobby Shaftoe one caome with a CD?
we've just bought the Musci Express scheme and its fab (there is even a CDrom that shows practitioners in action with their classes demonstrating 'how to' for some of the lessons in the book) a god send for me!!
liza

[leo]

Hi Liza
bobby shaftoe comes on his own :D but the tunes are well know ones. for example- the tune for ' she'll be coming down the mountain' is used for the song 'there's a wriggly caterillar ....on a leaf' , A heghhog is very prickly' is sung to the tune of 'one finger one thumb keep moving'


By the way i got the tune for the pirates song- quite different from the way i was singing it- no wonder it never semmed to end on the right note. :D But after 1 sewssion most of my chidlren are able to sing it (with action) Have i got little geniuses or what!!!!!!!!!!!

How much does the music express cost. I have to buy these things myself so i have a wish list

Leo

[Mimi]

I also use and recommend the Kindescope books www.kindescope.com they come with a CD and are full of original new songs.
A@C Black also sell a range of books and they now come with a CD which again is useful if you do not read music.

[Helen]

Hi Leo,
The Music Express Foundation Stage is £29.99 which is quite a lot, but I think it's worth it.

[Nichola]

I'd agree with others about musical express. It's a fantastic scheme of work for both the specialist and the non-specialist. The whole school use it at my current place, chosen by another specialist and I love it, good songs, clear instructions etc etc. I'd say it was definately worth the money.

[Susan]

Nichola, don't you need any sleep!?

I hope that the copy of Musical Express I left behind in my last school will be well used then, I must contact the music coord & tell her of the good things you say!

[Nichola]

It was a case of not being able to sleep, rather than not needing any! I think I'd gone past being tired! With my dancing show coming up and the madness of the end of term (meet my new class tomorrow) and me going to 2 weddings in a week (starting saturday) life is very hectic and I seem to be out of sorts with my sleep!
Anyway, I'd definately use Music Express, so much better than the rubbish we had in my last school, can't remember what it was but it was crap!

[Sue R]

I have that problem, too sometimes Nichola - isn't it great to have something fun to do in the 'wee small hours'!

Beats planning, any day!!

Sue :D