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In Celebration of International Children’s Book Day

International Childrens Book DayInternational Children’s Book Day has been celebrated annually since 1967 as a way not only to inspire a love for books and reading, but also to draw attention to great books for children.  At Kindermusik, we celebrate – and foster! – a love of reading and wonderful books in class and at home with our exclusive Kindermusik Home Materials all throughout the year.
In honor of International Children’s book Day, here is a short list of books we love to read in the Kindermusik classroom… PLUS a few of favorite books found in the Reading Rainbow app:
Big Red Barn by Margaret Wise Brown
The Doorbell Rang by Pat Hutchins
Dancing Feet by Lindsey Craig
Zin! Zin! A Violin by Lloyd Moss
If You Give a Mouse a Cookie by Laura Joffe Numeroff
On Mother’s Lap by Ann Herbert Scott
Jamberry by Bruce Degen
From Head to Toe by Eric Carle
Clap Your Hands by Lorinda Bryan Cauley
And as a bonus, we also wanted to highlight a few of our favorite Kindermusik books now available on the Reading Rainbow app for free on iPad or Kindle Fire:

  • A Quieter Instrument
  • Flip-Flap, Sugar Snap!
  • Henry’s Parade
  • I Went to Visit a Farm One Day
  • Jenny Jenkins

We also invite you to learn more about the music-literacy connection by downloading our Music and Reading guide  and by trying a free Kindermusik class.  Most of all, we hope you’ll cuddle with your child and a good book and enjoy celebrating International Children’s Book Day together!

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March is National Reading Month

Yes, we know that today is February 28.  But that means that tomorrow is March 1, and March is National Reading Month in the U.S. And what exactly do reading and early literacy skills have to do with music, you ask? More than you might think!
Here are just a few of the connections between music and reading – and just some of the reasons why literacy and books are an important part of our Kindermusik curricula and the musical learning that is so foundational to all we do:
• Music incorporates rhythm and tempo just like words and sentences do.
• You read music the same way you read music – from left to right.
• Patterns are as much a part of music as they are of reading.
• Music helps children learn to listen which is also an essential skill for literacy.
• In both music and reading, symbols are used when writing music and words.
In celebration of National Reading Month which kicks off with National Read Across Amercia Day on Monday, March 3, here are a few of our favorite music-themed books.
Meet the Orchestra Ann HayesMusical Instruments from A to Z by Bobbie Kalman
Meet the Orchestra by Ann Hayes
Ah, Music! by Aliki
Music, Music for Everyone by Vera B. Williams
Hand Hand Fingers Thumb by Al Perkins
Zin! Zin! Zin! A Violin by Lloyd Moss
Berlioz the Bear by Jan Brett
The Musical Life of Gustav Mole by Kathryn Meyrick
And here are some additional resources to help you and your child get reading.
Also, enjoy these Read Across America printables and resources from Seussville.com.

“You’re never too old, too wacky, too wild, to pick up a book and read with a child.”  ~ Dr. Seuss

Shared by Theresa Case, who has an award-winning Kindermusik program at Piano Central Studios in Greenville, SC.