Musically Minded Blog

Making Cleanup Time Fun!

January 16, 2022

3 Secrets to Getting Your Kids to Clean Up Each and Every Time “A song can improve transitions because it becomes a behavior cue: Students grow accustomed to the length of the song or part of a song and internalize the time they have to move on to the next task, which helps them begin…

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Carnival of the Animals at Circle Time

June 20, 2021
carnival of the animals

*This post contains affiliate links to products. We may receive a commission for purchases made through these links. When it comes to Incorporating movement activities into your circle times, you may be totally on board but not sure where to look for activities. If that’s the case, this post is for you. But, if you…

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3 fall activities to (pumpkin) spice up your circle time.

September 19, 2020
fall songs for circle time

Hunting for fall circle time songs? You are in the right place! Because children will be seeing lots of fall colors and decor the next few months, they’ll be especially interested in finding out how you just might be using that pumpkin at circle time.  While this might be interesting enough to get them to…

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When Ducks Get Up in the Morning

August 24, 2020
farm songs for preschool

Finding farm songs to sing at circle time especially during your farm theme is probably fairly simple for most preschool teachers. But finding farm songs that engage and teach is a little bit more difficult! That’s why I love “When Ducks Get Up in the Morning”. Its repetitive verses with just enough variation keep kids…

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Name Games for Preschool

July 22, 2020
name games for circle time

“Remember that a person’s name is to that person the sweetest and most important sound in any language.” -Dale Carnegie Learning the names of your kids right away is a must! It instantly connects you with them and they move from being anonymous to, “oh man, she knows my name!”. My mom was a substitute…

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Matilda the Gorilla

June 28, 2020
Easy songs to play on the ukulele

If you are looking for ways to get kids engaged at circle time, look no further than the ukulele! It’s one of the easiest instruments to learn to play and kids love it! Kids also love it when the songs you play on the ukulele are interactive. I mean don’t get me wrong, I love…

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Patriotic Songs and Books for Kids

July 3, 2018

It is never too early to begin fostering a love for one’s country. That’s why it is important for even our youngest citizen to be given opportunities to learn more about the place they call home. Patriotic songs and stories provide children a meaningful, fun and engaging door into their country’s history.   Let’s check out…

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Flannel Board Activities for Circle Time Success

June 6, 2022

Hang around me for just a short time and you’ll see that I love activities that involve a flannel board. I personally love to tell stories using my flannel board. As soon as the kids see me bring it out they get so excited! Check out my retelling of a Russian Folktale, “The Enormous Turnip”.…

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How to Make Flannel Board Activities FAST!

June 6, 2022
how to make flannel board activities fast

As a mom to two busy teenagers, time to make beautiful triple layer flannel board activities is just not in the cards. Watch the video below to find out my trick that saves me time, but still brings the flannel board activities alive for kids. As far as finding felt pieces for your flannel boards,…

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4 Ways to Share Music with Babies

June 30, 2021
music and babiers

This week we’re giving special focus to actively engaging infants with music. Why? Because using music with babies can help to develop their brain. It’s easy to have music on in the background as you go about the day, but let’s talk about a few ways to create meaningful interactions and practice developmental skills through…

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5 Little Rockets

May 26, 2021
circle time songs for space

This morning there was a total lunar eclipse and tonight is a full moon! That means it’s a perfect time to learn a fun song all about rockets! Watch the video to learn the activity, then download the FREE printable and lyrics sheets just below the video.

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3 Mistakes You Don’t Want to Make with the Parachute

March 14, 2021
parachute preschool

When I think back to my elementary PE days, the most exciting week was when we got to use the parachute. It was just one week a year which I found very disappointing. I wanted to use it every time! Now I’m all grown up and I get to make the rules. That means the…

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4 Reasons Why Songs and Rhymes Plant the Seed to Read

February 14, 2021

When my girls were little I was always singing songs and saying rhymes with them. Usually it was in the car when I knew they were a captive audience. Maci and Natia probably got sick of my non-stop word play, but they always seemed to be up for it. By Kindergarten, they were both “ready…

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5 Songs to Sing at Circle Time

October 23, 2020
songs for circle time

Singing is so useful during circle time. It grabs attention in a way that speaking can’t, and children listen more carefully when they have to figure out what directions are being sung. Children also benefit when they themselves sing, as they are building confidence, exploring vocal sound, and learning skills that will help them learn…

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Latin American Music for Preschool

October 22, 2020
latin American Music for preschool

Preschool is a great time to introduce children to music from around the world. Lucky for you, we have compiled some activities that will make exploring Latin American music fun and approachable. Check out these activities to help you and your little ones learn a little about Latin American music, and pick up some Spanish…

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Jazz Activities for Preschool

October 21, 2020
Jazz Activities for preschool

Looking for ways to introduce your little ones to jazz music? These activities are all great places to start. They introduce concepts like syncopation, scat singing, and jazz rhythms in a way that is fun and approachable for both you and and your students! Check out these activities and tell us which ones are your…

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Circle Time Activities for Physical Development

October 16, 2020

Circle time is a great opportunity to develop motor skills like balance, hand-eye coordination, grasping, throwing, and ambulation. If you’re looking for more information on what makes circle time so beneficial, check out our blog post on the 5 benefits of circle time! You might be surprised by all the learning opportunities circle time provides…

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Free Songbook!

"10 SONGS EVERY CHILD SHOULD KNOW"

 

Free Ebook!

7 secrets for Circle Time Success

Tips and Tricks to turn CHAOS to CALM