Introducing Susan Geffen!

We are very pleased to introduce to you the newest Member of the Kindermusik Love and Grow family, Susan Geffen!

Ms. Susan is a licensed Kindermusik educator who has been teaching arts education to children since she was in high school. Music is her calling, and she is active as an educator, a pianist, a speaker, a piano adjudicator, and even as a managing editor of Clavier Companion, a magazine devoted to the piano and piano pedagogy. Her M.A. (under the tutelage of composer Robert Rodríguez) is from the University of Texas at Dallas, and she has a Permanent Professional Certification from the Music Teachers National Association. She is also a member of the Music Critics Association of North America.

Whether her students are three or seventy-three, Ms. Susan believes that music enriches every life and that Kindermusik classes are an exciting, joyful, and meaningful way for children to begin their musical journeys. 

Look for Ms. Susan to be teaching the following classes: Village in Allen (Wednesdays), Young Child 2 in Allen (Fridays),  as well as Village and Our Time in Firewheel (Tuesdays). 

Make Your Own Snowflake!

As a former chemistry teacher, this craft is right up my alley! Aside from being incredibly easy, all of the supplies for this project can be found at home! For those that don't know, Borax is a naturally-occurring mineral that is used for cleaning; you can buy it for super cheap at stores like Walmart. You can find the original "recipe" here. I recommend you use gloves when handling the Borax. Adult supervision is always required and you can also make a snowflake using sugar or salt!

Source: www.ask.com

1.            The first step of making borax crystal snowflakes is to make the snowflake shape. Cut a pipe cleaner into three equal sections.

2.            Twist the sections together at their centers to form a six-sided snowflake shape. Don't worry if an end isn't even, just trim to get the desired shape. The snowflake should fit inside the jar.

3.            Tie the string to the end of one of the snowflake arms. Tie the other end of the string to the pencil. You want the length to be such that the pencil hangs the snowflake into the jar.

4.            Fill the widemouthed pint jar with boiling water.

5.            Add borax one tablespoon at a time to the boiling water, stirring to dissolve after each addition. The amount used is 3 tablespoons borax per cup of water. It is okay if some undissolved borax settles to the bottom of the jar.

6.            If desired, you may tint the mixture with food color.

7.            Hang the pipe cleaner snowflake into the jar so that the pencil rests on top of the jar and the snowflake is completely covered with liquid and hangs freely (not touching the bottom of the jar).

8.            Allow the jar to sit in an undisturbed location overnight.

9.            Look at the pretty crystals!!! You can hang your snowflake as a decoration or in a window to catch the sunlight :-)

Tips:

1.            Borax is available at grocery stores in the laundry soap section, such as 20 Mule Team Borax Laundry Booster. Do not use Boraxo soap.

2.            Because boiling water is used and because borax isn't intended for eating, adult supervision is recommended for this project.

3.            If you can't find borax, you can use sugar or salt (may take longer to grow the crystals, so be patient). Add sugar or salt to the boiling water until it stops dissolving. Ideally you want no crystals at the bottom of the jar.

What You Need

•               string

•               wide mouth jar (pint)

•               white pipe cleaners

•               borax (see tips)

•               pencil

•               boiling water

•               food coloring (opt.)

•               scissors

Give the Gift of Music!

Looking for a last minute gift for your niece or nephew? Does your mother in-law need a gift idea? We have the perfect gift for your little ones!  Kindermusik Gift Certificates!  Kindermusik is a gift that your child can enjoy throughout the year, with memories and lessons that will last a lifetime. Email KindermusikLoveAndGrow@gmail.com to order your gift card, in any denomination!

Jingle Jangle Playdate

Jingle Jangle Holiday Playdate!

When: Saturday, Dec. 15, 10:15-11:00a.m.
Where: Joe Farmer Recreation Center in Allen (1201 E. Bethany)
Who: Ages newborn-4years

Bring the entire Family!

Enroll at www.AllenParks.org or call 214-509-4750

Free Music Download - Winter Wonderland

Courtesy: kindermusik.com

Kindermusik is offering a free download of Winter Wonderland. Singing is a wonderful way to make family memories! The entire album is also available on the Kindermusik website.

Snowman In A Bag!

'Tis the season for crafts! One of our favorite blogs, I Can Teach My Child, is featuring a tutorial on how to make this cute snowman in a bag:

Courtesy: www.icanteachmychild.com

This craft is perfect for playdates or snow days! This craft would also be cute hung on a wall or on a Christmas tree. Happy crafting!

Raffle Winners

Thank you so much to all of the families who attended our Cocoa & Cookies event last week. We had so much fun! Here are the winners of our raffle drawings:

Jewel's The Merry Goes 'Round CD - Julia Gravley, grandmother to Kaylee

4 FREE Baby Boot Camp Classes (McKinney, Fairview and Prosper locations) - Jennifer Podowski, mom to Jake

FREE Family Photo Session with Emily Megan Photography - Natalia Wells, mom to Sophia

Thank you to our sponsors, too! We are so proud of these prizes!

Spring 2013 Registration

Courtesy: KIndermusik.com

Our 2013 calendar is now available!  We are very excited about the upcoming curriculum.  For detailed instructions on how to register, please visit our website.

Community Highlight: Santa's Village in Richardson

Courtesy: www.cor.net

Fun for all ages!  Your family will enjoy a stroll through the cascade of twinkling lights, illuminating Santa’s Village.  The Village includes miniature versions of a fire department, post office, bank, bakery, hospital, and more, all lit up and just the right size for your child to explore.  Each stop in the Village has a theme and child’s activity. 

This is a free family event, open from 6:00-9:00pm.  Santa arrives on a fire truck at 6:00p.m. to kick off the fun!  Each night on the stage are performances from school and community groups.  Hot chocolate and other treats are available to keep you warm and cozy as you stroll through the Village.

Santa’s Village is open December 1 and 2, December 6-9, and December 13-16, 2012, near the Richardson Public Library, on the lawn at the City Hall/Civic Center Complex, 411 W. Arapaho in Richardson, TX.  Mrs. Cara has taken her children to Santa's Village the past 2 years, and loves the new family tradition!  It can get crowded, so plan to arrive early.