Review ~ Happy Kids Songs

Happy Kids Songs were written to help kids deal with various social and emotional situations in their lives, and to encourage character traits like sharing, manners, and being a good friend.

For this review we received a download of three different volumes.....

Set 1 ~ Friends and Sharing
Set 5 ~ Happiness and Attitude
Set 6 ~ Manners and Character

Pricing is $4.95 per album or .99 cents per song.

We also received the 125 page Happy Kids Songs Workbook ~ Hands on Activities to Build Character, Social, and Emotional Skills. ($12.56)

Downloading these songs was a bit challenging for me because I rarely download music and I just didn't know what I was doing on my new computer I suppose. I got some help though and was able to get them downloaded to my computer finally. The website says you can burn them to a CD, but even with help I was never able to do that, so we just listened from the computer. I'm pretty sure this was really more of a problem with me, because other reviewers reported being able to burn them just fine.

I let the kids just listen to the songs and see what they thought of them. I also gave them the workbook, which has pages to go along with each song.

The songs were written for ages 3 to 8, and two of my girls fall into this range at ages 5 and 8. The older kids listened at first but quickly left the room due to lack of interest. The little girls listened, but did not really get into the songs like I thought they might. They picked up a few of the catchy lines, and we had many nice discussions about the character traits they were trying to teach about in the songs.

The little girls colored in the workbook a bit, but a lot of the activities required them to be able to read well, so without my help they just skipped those. I felt like some of the activities were a little too difficult to complete for their age range, so we just used the parts they wanted to do and left the rest. I feel like it would be better suited for use in a classroom setting.





The songs in Happiness and Attitude were about being happy and having a good attitude towards others. Positive thinking is encouraged as well.







Friends and Sharing was about being a good friend and the different ways you can do that. Of course sharing is one of the topics, and including others in your play not excluding them.





Manners and Character had the most interesting songs for them. We talk about character a lot in our homeschool and bible studies. These songs are not Christian, they are secular, but you can always add this in yourself and use the songs as a starting point for a discussion or lesson.

Manners are always a good thing to work on, even for adults!



All in all this product was not really a good fit for us at this time. A few years ago I think the kids may have enjoyed listening to the songs a lot more, but now they are very musically opinionated and found these songs to be better suited for younger kids. I will say that they were recorded well and sound very professional, but I have to agree with them that preschoolers would get much more enjoyment from the songs than older kids would. You know your kids best, so have them listen to the samples from the website before you decide if Happy Kids Songs would be right for them.


Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/happykidssongs

Twitter: @howsyourfam

YouTube: www.youtube.com/user/4DrMacMusic

Review ~ HomeSchoolPiano

 

Piano music is something I have always loved to listen to. We listen to lots of classical music and my kids have occasionally said they would like to play piano like that. We were recently given the chance to review HomeSchoolPiano, a program that lets you learn how to play piano at your own pace through video lessons. 

We received a lifetime subscription for up to 5 students that included the HomeSchoolPiano Complete Set of Books. A lifetime subscription includes.....

Core Piano contains 30+ lessons that teach piano essentials

Book 1 which was written for the absolute beginner

Book 2 works on rhythm, techniques, music reading, songs, and improvisation

Book 3 is for advanced players. 

Plus over 20 hours of streaming lessons. You can also download the lessons for use when offline too.

To use this program you will need.....

*A computer, tablet, kindle fire, or ipad with high speed internet access. You can also use your smartphone but we found the screen size too small for our liking.
*A printer to print the books, or you can have them printed somewhere else.
*A piano or a 49 key keyboard.




I was very glad that we could use our kindle fire tablets to access our lessons. This made it very convenient for each child to log on their own kindle and stay logged in. I also didn't have to put the keyboard in the dining room where our family desktop is located. The kindle fits perfectly on the music stand.



Setting up our account was easy and fast. Each child has their own log in information, and once they log in they simply click the "Where You Left Off" button to continue.

 The teacher is Willie Myette, and I really like the way he teaches. At the top of the screen you will see two views of the piano keys. The top one shows what keys are being played by highlighting them in red, below you have a full view of his hands on the keyboard so you can see clearly what he is doing. Down in the left hand corner is a window with Willie at his keyboard where you can see him as he speaks and demonstrates.

My son tells me this really helps him to have the different views. He can get quickly overwhelmed and upset when he doesn't understand something. He also likes that he can watch the lesson over again and again if he wants to before he moves on.

We liked that the lessons are short, about ten minutes or less each, and daily practice is easier that way when you have a highly distractable child who doesn't want to sit and do lessons for too long. It is summer right now after all!

I tried using this with my younger children and they didn't have the motivation to sit and really get into the program at this time. My 11 year old son is who used it the most and because he does have interest he is working through it, although slowly. I tried out the lessons myself, and I do feel like it is more appropriate for older kids, 10 and up, unless your child really wants to learn it.

The website claims it is for all ages, but you know your child best, so go with what you know when deciding. The great thing about the lifetime subscription is that if my younger kids get interested later on we already have the program! It is so nice knowing we can go at our own pace as well and not feel rushed because our subscription will run out.

I would also like to add that I do not have any background in piano, so I am an absolute beginner just like the kids. Its been fun to do this with my son and learn the same things together. He sees me make mistakes just like he does and it encourages him to just keep practicing and its OK to mess up.

There are two ways to pay for your lifetime subscription to HomeSchoolPiano.....

Success Package (One payment of $299)
Unlimited life-time access to HomeSchoolPiano along with all bonuses (downloads, jam tracks, sheet music) for up to 5 students.

 OR

Payment Plan (Payments of $99.97 per month for three months)
Unlimited life-time access to HomeSchoolPiano along with all bonuses (downloads, jam tracks, sheet music) for up to 5 students.

Click on the banner below to read more reviews from other homeschool families!

You can connect with HomeSchoolPiano via.....

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HomeschoolPiano
Twitter: https://twitter.com/jazzedge
Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/jazzedge/

Review ~ KinderBach ~ Piano Lessons Online

We have been blessed to review an online beginner piano program for children. We received 6 months of access to The KinderBach Online Piano Lesson Membership With Teacher Corner.


When it comes to teaching music I can introduce them to many styles, composers, and even a lot of music history. When it comes to teaching how to play music I do not have those skills. I had music class in school as a kid but I have forgotten most of it, and wouldn't know where to begin to teach someone else what I do remember. Thank goodness for KinderBach! They have filled a need I felt we had in our homeschool. Best of all, they do all the teaching, we get have all the fun!

Since music is not a required course in our state it isn't something I put a lot of effort into, unless one of the kids had interest of course. As it turns out they had more interest than I thought. KinderBach introduced them to the art of reading music and beginning to play piano. Once you can read music then learning to play other instruments later in life is easier. Although I never learned to play piano, I did play flute in Junior High. Memories of the joy I felt when playing came flooding back as I "relearned" how to read music while the kids did these lessons.

There is nothing to download and take up space on your computer, all of the lessons are streamed from the website. A high speed internet connection is required to use KinderBach online. They do offer the same course on DVD for those who do not have access to high speed internet, have limited use of it, or just prefer not to do the course online. You will also need a printer, basic supplies such as crayons, paper, scissors, etc. and a keyboard. It doesn't need to be a fancy or expensive one.

There are workbook pages to go along with and enhance most of the lessons. These can be downloaded and printed as needed in PDF form. If you choose the DVD option your workbook pages can be printed from a CD.





There are 6 levels of lessons, each level contains 10 weeks worth if you use 4 lessons a week.

KinderBach was designed to be used with children ages 3 to 7. I used it with my 5 and 7 year old mainly, I tried to get my 9 and 10 year olds interested but they thought it was a bit babyish looking and balked until they heard their little sisters playing their first song. I think they may be willing to give it another try, minus the coloring sheets.

We started out at the very first lesson, but if your child has already had some music instruction you can begin at whatever level you wish. I loved how the lessons started out slowly and built upon each other, they were not overwhelming at all. In fact my girls often asked to do another lesson because they wanted to keep going. This is fine, you can go at whatever pace you like. If you miss a few days for some reason it is easy to start right where you left off.



 Karri is a great teacher. Her face is very expressive and her voice very soothing. She sings songs as she teaches, my girls just loved this because they sing all day long no matter what they are doing.




I found the teacher corner useful but we did not use it much.  The lessons are self guided really, just print the corresponding workbook pages, play the video, and go. It did a lot of explaining about how the program works, and offered many suggestions for extra activities. There are a lot of suggestions and help for teaching a group if you have the desire to do that sort of thing. This is also included with your subscription.

Below is a sample of one of the songs kids eventually learn how to play. (We aren't there yet, but with perseverance we will be!)

 

Overall we have really enjoyed using KinderBach and plan to continue with it as long as the girls have interest. We had just one simple thing that would have made using KinderBach easier for us, bigger screen size for the video. Since the two girls were watching it together at the computer they had to squeeze in to get the best view. Of course this always leads to arguing. Enlarging the screen did not help, it became blurry. We tried using the desktop computer because the screen is bigger but it didn't solve this problem. Otherwise the video quality is excellent and the sound perfect.




Right now a One Year Online Membership Plus Teacher Corner starts at just $7.99 per month, or $95.88 per year. This special price may not last for long, a regularly priced subscription is $130.00 per year. This is very affordable in my opinion, and if you are using it with more than one child in your family it is an even greater deal!

They also offer a free trial and a 30 day money back guarantee. So give KinderBach a try if this sounds like something your kids would enjoy.

Connect with KinderBach.....

Facebook:  www.facebook.com/kinderbach
Facebook for Teachers:  www.facebook.com/classroomkinderbach
Twitter: @KinderBach
Pinterest: https://pinterest.com/KinderBach/
YouTube: KinderBach Preschool Piano

Review ~ Composers Activity Pak from Homeschool In The Woods

The kids and I have been having fun this past few weeks learning more about composers and their music using the Composers Activity Pak from Homeschool In The Woods. After starting piano lessons through MusIQ, my 8 year old daughter in particular became very interested in knowing more about some of her "teachers" and what other music they had written, when they lived, etc. This was a perfect companion product!

The composers Activity Pak is a digital product designed for grades 3-8. You can get an instant download for $18.95 or a CD version for $19.95. No supplies are included, you will need a printer, white and colored paper, white and colored card stock, colored pencils or other coloring instruments, file folders, general supplies such as glue sticks, tape, scissors, and a few random items like a brad fastener and piece of velcro. I had most of these items already left over from other art projects. There are also 29 music files included from 42 composers in MP3 format to listen to.


The file downloaded quickly and easily and I was able to begin printing right away. There are quite a few files to open and print. I recommend printing the instructional pages first, because some project pieces need to be printed on card stock or colored paper. It took me about an hour to get all the printing done, so make this a weekend or evening project when you aren't busy with other things.

 I want to mention here that my laser printer only prints in black and white. Thats OK! I was very relieved to know we didnt need any colored ink to make this lap book. The kids colored some pieces themselves, for others we used colored paper. My printer is also fussy and would NOT print on card stock no matter how many times I tried. We found ways around that problem too.

Complete instructions for assembling and completing each activity are included. These are very detailed and made the product easier to use.

 

 

 

How we used it.....

We worked on this lapbook a little each day and I counted it as history. I let the kids decide which part they wanted to start with, and they chose the composer cards. Instead of using card stock as suggested, I printed them on regular paper, then we cut them out and glued them to index cards. It took more time of course but they work just as good!

The kids enjoyed listening to the music pieces and discussing them, but did not want to fill out the music appreciation sheets. They are young, so I didn't push them to do it, I wanted this project to be very enjoyable for them. 

The orchestra page helped start some thoughtful conversations. I am in choir so I explained why some singers are on the front row, some in the back, and some in the middle. We each have a specific spot to be in so that our voices blend better. It is the same with instruments. Proper placement is key to having the proper sound. We found some video clips of an orchestra playing on YouTube for a visual. I didn't know that the placement had changed over time, I learned right along with them.


The timeline was a great visual when discussing when each composer lived compared to others, and how long it has been since the music was composed.

The Pieces With A Purpose, Vocabulary Piano Keys and Periods of Music sections were fun to put together and make good reference pieces when they forget something and need to look up the information again.

What we thought of it.....

If you are crafty and enjoy hands on projects this will be a lot of fun for your family! The kids loved all the cutting, coloring, gluing and arranging it all together. Although there are a lot of great activities there is not a lot of information included. It is essential that you look up websites, find books at the library, or use other ways of obtaining the information you need to make this study complete. A page of suggested materials is included in the pak, but I wasn't able to find any of them where I live. I spent more time than I had anticipated because I like things all "boxed up" and ready to go. I had to stretch myself out and be a bit more adventurous. It was a good thing. You can go as deep as you like with this, or keep it very simple for younger children. I feel like it is a very versatile and open ended unit study, just be aware that this isn't an all inclusive product.

Many more great products are available from Homeschool In The Woods including The 20th Century in America Hands-On History Lap-Pak and Great Empires Activity Study which were reviewed by other members of The Schoolhouse Review Crew. Click the banner below to read more reviews!

Review ~ MusIQ Homeschool Piano Lessons

 Learning to play the piano has always been a dream of mine. My 9 year old son started having a real interest in learning to play piano last year but we live so far out and lessons are so expensive it has never happened. I jumped at the chance to review the MusIQ HomeSchool program from Adventus. We do all of our other learning from home so why not piano lessons too?

What a blessing MusIQ has turned out to be! We used Children's Music Journey which is recommended for ages 4-10. We started at the very beginning with Volume 1 since none of us have ever had a lesson before. I love how this program starts assuming you know nothing, it was the perfect way to start for my kids.

Each child has their own login, so they can progress at their own pace. To my surprise my 8 year old daughter, River, who showed very little interest in learning to play piano has been the one who begs to go first each morning. She has already gone through lesson 20 and can play a few simple songs. My 6 year old daughter, Skye, has also taken a liking to music and is more than glad to have her session each day and practices faithfully.




MusIQ is a complete music curriculum and has programs available for ages 4-18. See what each year teaches here.

 

You can purchase MusIQ via download or on CD-ROM for $69.95 each level or use the monthly subscription plan for $10.95 per month and get access to all the levels at once. I feel like this is the best option for families of multiple children like us.

You MUST have a keyboard with either a USB or MIDI output to use the program. A keyboard can be purchased through Adventus if you do not already own one. Most modern keyboards already have this output, all that is needed is a cable to connect to the computer which costs about $6.00. You also must have an internet connection to use the software. System requirements are: Windows 7/Vista/XP/2000 or Macintosh OSX  for the Early Curriculum and Windows 7/Vista/XP/2000 for the Multi Level Curriculum.

See what a sample lesson looks like .....




Each lesson begins with a famous composer acting as the teacher. The composer tells a little bit about themselves and some of their music is played. I like that this is included, my kids have always liked listening to classical music and this added to their learning experience. After the lesson they go to Miss Melody's practice room to play music themselves. There are games to play, and a place to compose and even record your own songs using many different instruments.





If you want to further your lessons Adventus also offers homeschool lesson plans and printable worksheets.

There is so much to this program it would be nearly impossible to write it all down in one review. If you have a keyboard at home already I highly recommend you try out the free 7 day trial and see for yourself just how much this program has to offer!

Here's my little confession...I have been using the program to learn piano too. I started at lesson 1 just like they did. I have been learning right along with them. I really enjoy music, I always have, and I hope to be more musical as I get older. Just for the JOY of it!

We all give MusIQ two thumbs up! It is enjoyable, easy to use, and we are learning together. I highly recommend it!

Vocal Coach ~ Teaching Kids to Sing

Music and singing are a big part of my life, the kids love music too and sing along all the time. I had never given much thought about singing lessons for kids until recently when we had the chance to review Teaching Kids to Sing with Chris and Carole Beatty from Vocal Coach.com.

Chris Beatty is an accomplished singer, songwriter (Holy Ground, You Are Worthy), Author and mentor to many young singers. He does most of the teaching in the DVDs, Carole assists with the children and helps her husband.

 The set contains two volumes on DVD, and one CD of accompaniment tracks.

Volume 1 ~ Building Foundations That Last teaches...
Posture
Breathing
Tone
Warm Ups
Volume 2 ~ Essential Skills For Growing Voices teaches...
Rhythm
Diction
Dynamics
The accompaniment CD contains...
26 tracks, some with vocals and some without, of the songs learned on the DVDs.

The website even has a special homeschool section with lots of extra helps and ideas on using the lessons at home.

How we used Teaching Kids To Sing

The first time the kids watched the DVDs I was making dinner, I could hear them in there getting into it. They have never been shy singers (unlike me) so they were not quiet. My 8 year old daughter enjoyed it the most I think, I heard her telling a friend she is getting singing lessons at home and she was very proud.

I have noticed them standing up straighter (posture), and doing warm ups in the van on the way to church.  I believe they have more confidence, and my daughter is starting to develop better tone. My kids have always enjoyed learning things through song, and these songs help them remember what they are learning.

I joined the choir for the Christmas Cantata for the first time this year, I am ok singing in a group just not by myself. Yet. I'm working on that! So I started doing the lessons with the kids and have learned a few things myself from the program. This program was designed for use by elementary students, ages 5-6th grade. They do offer programs for adults as well, like Vocal Coach Singer which was reviewed by members of  The Schoolhouse Crew. Click the banner below to read their reviews!






Teaching Kids To Sing can be purchased through the Vocal Coach.com website for $44.99. If you subscribe to their email newsletter they offer monthly discounts and free singing tips.

 Disclaimer ~ We received this product at no cost in exchange for an honest review after using it in our homeschool. No other compensation was given. All opinions expressed here are my own.  Other opinions may vary. Click the banner above to read what others thought of this product.

Music Together ~ Family Favorites

One of my fondest memories from elementary school is music class. Every other day we rotated between music and gym. I wasn't very fond of gym, but music was something I looked forward to very much! I learned to play recorder, ukelele, and sing a lot of songs I still remember today. We also listened to classical music and learned about composers. 

When I began homeschooling I especially wanted to incorporate music into our days. We sing songs for fun, to help us remember things like the continents and oceans, skip counting, etc, and we sing to praise our Lord Jesus. I jumped at the chance to review Music Together Family Favorites. It is recommended for babies up to second grade, so two of my littles were at the recommended age, and two were slightly older.

Music together started as a small class offered to the public in 1987. Now it is a well known early childhood education program used by many families and preschools across the country. Now it's available to purchase and use at home. What a blessing for homeschooling families!

As soon as our package arrived I put the 19 song CD in the player in the kitchen. The kids came in and immediately noticed the music was different that day. They began to dance along, and when it ended they asked me to play it again. When I introduced the idea of using instruments to play along they got super excited!

The songbook for teachers tells you how to use the book, introduces the Music Together philosophy, teaching principles, types of songs and activities, working with instruments and props, and using the program with special needs children. There is an alphabetical list of all the songs. Sheet music is in this section if you play an instrument and want to make your own music. Activities are suggested for each song, and some have cute illustrations to inspire the imagination. At the end is a reference section giving information on family classes, the preschool program, licensed use info, guitar notes and reference chart, and a glossary.

Designed to be enjoyed along with your child, you are encouraged to sing along and use musical instruments such as maracas, egg shakers, tambourines, drums, and kazoos. You do not need expensive instruments to do this, have fun making your own or ask the kids to find things around the house. I was surprised by some of the things my kids found. Those toddler Lego sets have great shakers in them! The Dollar Tree also had some fun instruments...

During breaks between subjects they ask to play a song or two and get up and dance around to get their wiggles out. :)

 My son likes to play solo in his room sometimes. Someone brought a can of  Pringles to our Keepers meeting and he snatched it up to use as a drum.

I didn't think I would like the song "Playin' in the Kitchen", especially if they used my pots as instruments, but now I count it as my favorite song. It is so upbeat and makes me want to dance. I like playing it while I do dishes, and I sing "Cleanin' in the Kitchen" instead.

All four little kids gave this CD two thumbs up! They each have a favorite song of their own, and they know all the lyrics by heart now, and can sing the songs without the CD. I think it would have been great if the CD also included just the music without the singing too. 

The Music Together Family Favorites set can be purchased from the Music Together website for $39.95. You save $5.00 by purchasing as a set. Use the coupon code SCHOOLHOUSE during checkout and save $2.00! You can listen to a preview of all of the songs before you purchase.

• NAPPA Gold Award winner
• A Parents’ Choice Silver Honor Award winner
• Association of Educational Publishers (AEP) 2010 Distinguished Achievement Award Winner

Disclaimer ~ We received this product at no cost in exchange for an honest review after using it in our homeschool. No other compensation was given. All opinions expressed here are my own.  Other opinions may vary. Click the banner above to read what others thought of this product.