Marvin's & Milton's Revenge!

I live in Connecticut and we are under a "watch" for EEE (Eastern Equine Encephalitis).  Thanks to all of those virus-carrying mosquitos, we have to be careful to avoid being bitten!

Well, rather than worrying about it or moaning about the inconvenience, we decided to add a fun spin to this dilemma!  Meet Marvin's & Milton's Revenge!

Marvin and Milton are simply two "misunderstood" mosquitos trying to make their way across the piano keyboard.  This board game is a great way to introduce or review whole and half steps with your early learners.

The game includes the game board, game cards, game pieces - Marvin & Milton - and full instructions.

Each player starts at one end of the game board working their way across trying to be the first to get to the other side.

If you've followed us or used our materials, you know there is always an exciting twist and Marvin's & Milton's Revenge is no different!

Enter...mosquito eating dragonflies!! Snap and all his friends need lunch and Marvin & Milton are in their sights!

BEWARE! There may be a duel or two involved in this game!

This exciting game is part of our ABC & 123 line for your younger students.  You can purchase Marvin's & Milton's Revenge by going HERE or clicking the on the Birds of a Feather Tab above.

FUN-LYMPICS!!!!!

You've been asking and we've been working hard to deliver!  2020 marks the next Olympic games and we've put together our own musical version - FUN-LYMPICS!

We've created both a practice incentive AND an outdoor summer camp.  You can purchase them separately or as a bundle.  We've put together the practice incentive, MUSICIANS IN TRAINING as a prelude to the camp with the idea that you and your students will train and "practice" the events all year and then "compete" during the summer FUN-LYMPICS! event.

By training and practicing, we mean that students will work on Note Identification, Rhythm, Intervallic Recognition, Musical Terminology, Notation, Accidentals and Creativity in Playing.  By working on these concepts for 10 or so months during lessons, they "qualify" for the FUN-LYMPICS competition during the summer.

The summer camp is designed to be an outdoor camp although many of the events can be done inside if necessary.  BUT, if you live in an area that's too hot during the summer or if you don't have the outdoor space necessary, the practice incentive, MUSICIANS IN TRAINING can also work perfectly as a summer camp - INDOORS!

Here's a look at each one:

MUSICIANS IN TRAINING:
If your students are anything like ours, they love playing music games!  This practice incentive is designed to have your students work as individuals and in teams to not only accumulate practice points, but to build their musicianship through Knowledge, Skill, Focus, Endurance and Creativity.

There are 8 sports that form the foundation for the "events" and we've included beautiful graphics for each of them.  Students compete in areas such as golf, gymnastics, track and field, swimming, etc. all with a musical twist.  There are 29 competitive events (translated as 29 games for your studio!), many that will take 5 minutes or less to complete and some that will be done over several weeks.

The incentive also includes a workbook that has your students practicing music notation in a fun way. Purchase of this incentive allows you to make unlimited copies!   We've also included a large bundle of flashcards - grand staff cards, 5 levels of rhythm cards, interval cards, terminology cards - symbols and definition cards - accidental cards, and musical alphabet cards for use with the events and for just general use in your studio or classroom!

We want to encourage you and your students to give back so we have also provided information regarding the Special Olympics and how this incentive can benefit others!

FUN-LYMPICS!
The big event!  We've put an athletic twist on our musical twist!  Dizzy, anyone?  This camp has students working to learn and "perfect" their abilities during the first few days of camp so that they are ready to "officially" compete on the last day of camp - a great day to invite parents and friends to come see the FUN-LYMPICS!

Each day of camp they practice all of the events - which also secretly practices their musical knowledge - trying to hone their skills as individuals and as a team.  The events include relays, water games, races, and more!  There are also a couple of crafts that will be used on the last day of camp at the FUN-LYMPICS! competition.

Fun-lympics follows the same eight sports as MUSICIANS IN TRAINING with 27 events.  We show you how to set up everything (the events, general decor and signage) and run each event and how to set up your FUN-LYMPICS! competition on the last day.  We even give you ideas for an Awards Ceremony!

So to summarize...If you purchase the bundle of both MUSICIANS IN TRAINING and FUN-LYMPICS, you will receive 56 games to use with the program and/or in your studio anytime, a practice incentive with a music notation workbook, loads of flashcard sets AND the possibility of two camps!  WOW!!!!

Both MUSICIANS IN TRAINING and FUN-LYMPICS! are now available for sale by clicking on the Birds of a Feather Tab OR the Camp and Resources Tab above OR click on the links below:

Musicians in Training

Fun-lympics

Fun-lympics/Musicians in Training Bundle
 

And just because we want to get you as excited as we are, we're including them both in the current SALE which runs now through the end of April!

Happy competing!  

What's New? Wednesday!

Looking for a fun game to add to your summer program?  Whether you are running a camp or continuing lessons through out the summer months, your students will love this exciting way to review musical intervals!

SEVEN SEAS has easily become one of our students' favorite games!  We're getting ready for our Spring recital and helping with all of those nerves is high on our list!  Pulling out this game instantly brings smiles!

Students match up intervals or seas to try to be the first to get rid of the cards in their hand.  There's all kinds of "hiccups" that can happen while playing and of course that pesky seagull keeps showing up!

Included in this fantastic game is a full set of cards, Seven Seas reference cards and a set of directions!

This is a fabulous game to use in lessons, camps, group lessons and will certainly be a hit over the summer months!



To purchase Seven Seas simply click on the Birds of a Feather tab above or directly from the Lulu link below!

Download immediately.

 

 

Enjoy!

JUNGLE JAM and Deep in the Heart of the Jungle!!

It's here, folks!!!!  The long-awaited Jungle Jam camp is now available!  We've gone deep into the heart of the jungle to bring you this AMAZING camp plan!  It took us months to put it together and I'm so proud of how it turned out.  My students experienced it last summer and they're still talking about it!

Jungle Jam is packed (and I mean PACKED) with loads of musical games, activities and crafts all centered around nine jungle animals and an exciting trading post.

And if that's not enough, we've provided all the information you need to make a really cool grid-style game board that uses your students as game pieces.  This was HUGELY popular with our campers!

Let's break it down...Jungle Jam is 471 pages!  Yes, you read that right! 471 pages that include everything you need to run a full week of camp in whatever way you would like.  Using the entire camp will give you 15+ hours of material but just using parts of it for shorter camps allows you to chose what will work best for you and your campers.

If you've purchased or seen our Musicians are Like...Jungle Edition you know that we chose nine jungle animals specifically for their characteristics.  We compared those same characteristics to musicians and how we can use those to build our musicianship.

We've taken that to a whole new level with this camp.  These same animals take center stage and there are 27 games and activities that have them in mind.

In addition, we have created a really exciting trading post with seven shops.  Campers visit each shop and work through seven additional games and activities trying to earn much needed jungle supplies.

Working through the trading post alone would make a fun camp!

Here's a look at one of our shops - Moe's Meats.
It has a rhythm activity that involves a variety of meats just like at the local meat market.

Have you ever played games using a jumbo grid-style game board?  We have four just such games and here's a look at one called, Sloth Stack.  These games were so popular, we had to play them over again.

These photos show you outdoor activities, but almost all of the camp can be done indoors as well.  In fact, we've included a game index that helps you see what game matches up to what animal, whether it can be played outdoors or indoors, etc.  A great resource we hope will help make your planning easier.

In addition to the camp, we have created a year-long practice incentive called, Deep in the Heart of the Jungle.
This practice was the catalyst for the camp and includes a labyrinth-style game board that features a jungle river.  Students work their way through the river stopping at nine jungle areas.

Along the way, they collect the nine jungle animal collector cards and parts of a cypher to solve a coded message.

This incentive is packed with puzzles, mazes, and cyphers.   Even the animals have some messages for students to de-code.  This was by far one our most popular practice incentives and kept our students working hard.

Jungle Jam, Deep in the Heart of the Jungle and Musicians Are Like...Jungle Edition are all now available to purchase.   Simply click on the BIRDS OF A FEATHER tab above.  Right now there is a discount if you order Jungle Jam and Deep in the Heart of the Jungle as a bundle.  That bundle will also include all but one item of the Musicians are Like...Jungle Edition packet.  If you purchase the bundle, we are happy to send you the extra item FREE!

Also....stay tuned because Tonic Tower - a city skyscraper-themed practice incentive and Beyond City Limits - a fun, city-themed camp will be available within the next couple of weeks!

A fun Summer game!

Looking for a fun, Summer game?  Consider "What's the Scoop?"  This ice-cream scoop related game is a much requested game in my studio right now!

Add it to your summer camp, or summer lessons.  Either way, your students will be recognizing melodic and harmonic intervals - unison through 5ths - in no time.  You can read more about it here.

This delicious game is included in the current SALE, so get yours today!

Just click on the "Birds of a Feather" tab above!

The Incredible Intervals

This game, THE INCREDIBLE INTERVALS has become an absolute favorite of my 5 grade through middle school students!  In fact, I really love playing it as well!

This card game includes a full set of interval cards - melodic and harmonic in both treble and bass clef.  Using the cards, players try to be the first to get their cards in order.  Recognition of intervals is important in order to play the game so students are quick to get them down!

 

The game can be played quickly or take a bit longer depending upon how many rounds you want to play so it makes it ideal for individual lessons, group lessons or classroom centers.

Such a fun game!  Absolutely the most POPULAR game in my studio right now!

THE INCREDIBLE INTERVALS is ON SALE right now is is also part of the Giveaway!  You can find it under the BIRDS OF A FEATHER tab above!

Irresistible Intervals Sweet Shoppe

A fun game board and spinner, some interval cards and adorable pastry game pieces and you have the makings of a delicious way to practice interval recognition!


This game is not only colorful, but super sweet!  Your students name the intervals and work their way around the board.  The spinner adds just a bit of "spice" to the game.

This game is a favorite of my middle school students!

You can purchase the game through Birds of a Feather by clicking on the tab above.  And YES, this game is ON SALE as well!

Have fun!

What's the Scoop?

Interested in a super-fun game with a super-fun summer twist?  What's the Scoop? is a great way to work on interval recognition while trying to build the tallest ice cream cone!  It's become a favorite game in my studio!

Students work their way around the game board while trying to collect scoops for their cones.  There's all kinds of flavors - Ballad Beat Blueberry, Perfectly Presto Pistachio, Rocky Road Ritardando, Triplet Chocolate Chunk, Stradivarius Strawberry, Minty Mezzo Mango and Tutti Frutti Fermata!

The best part - while having fun with this favorite summer treat, they're also learning to recognize musical intervals!

Enjoy this fun game with your students this summer by purchasing this game through Birds of a Feather!

Musical Hearts!

The gift that keeps on giving...

Another 18" last night...sigh...













Now on to more fun and less exhausting things:

Knowing that Valentine's Day was coming, I was trying to think of some fun activities for lessons as well as the group lesson I have planned for the following week.  Once again I picked up some foam shapes (I really don't have an obsession with them!  They just seem to work well and stand up to lots of abuse!).  Hearts!

I took a sharpie and put challenges on one side of the heart. Name the key, Name this note and find it on the piano, Name this interval, Name this term, Name this note, and Clap this rhythm!  This game is obviously for my group of beginners.

There are 35 hearts to a package and I only bought one package at Michaels, but I'm considering buying another. They are pretty inexpensive - $3.00 or so when you use a coupon found on-line for 40-50% off!

Now that they are all labeled, here's how I plan to use them:
I'm going to lay them all out in a path upside down as you see pictured here and the path doesn't have an end or a beginning.  It can be in a circle, oval, trail around the piano, whatever...

Each student will stand on one heart of their choosing (without shoes on!).  I will start to play a tune on the piano and they will walk from heart to heart to the beat of the music.  When I stop playing, they stop on the closest heart and try to complete the hidden challenge.  Each person takes a turn.  If they complete it correctly, they can stay in the game.  If not, they are eliminated and can watch or help by playing the piano for the next round. 

The game is played until there is one person left standing or until the time limit you set for this activity is complete.  I thought (after I finished writing on all of the hearts!) that I should have put a goofy piano or silly looking note on one and that would be the "old maid" of the set and the heart to be avoided!  If I decide to get another set, I'll add that in.

On an individual basis, my students are happy if I hide them around the studio!  When they find one and can correctly answer the challenge, they can keep the heart.  If they don't, I get the heart!  Whoever has the most hearts at the end of the game wins!  This should help keep them moving, reinforce all those concepts and help with steady beat as they walk to the music!

Music Olympics - some more pictures!

Another event we did at Music Olympics had to do with recognition of musical terms. I made two sets of cards with the same musical terms, laminated them and spread them out on the lawn. I called the event, "Slalom Terminology". After given the teams a definition, I had them run around cones in slalom fashion to retrieve the correct term. We had been reviewing the terms so much during the week that both teams got ALL of them correct! This game was a big hit!





Here's a look another game we did quizzing intervals...

And of course, no Olympic games are complete without the medal ceremony!

I had some really happy kids on Friday because amazingly, it was a tie and in the individual events, everyone went home with medals!

Steps and Skips

Tomorrow starts my Music Olympics camp! All the kids are excited and I've got to admit that so am I! Since I'll be super busy and may not be able to post much, I thought I would share a quick post today.

This is Deidra! She was having a bit of confusion reading steps in her method book, so I pulled her away from the piano during her lesson and using the magnetic staff board I just made, I had her work on them through a fun activity!

I had made up two sets of cards - one set had just the words "step" and "skip" and the other set of cards had "up" and "down". She turned one card of each set over and then went to the staff board to show me how to notate it. Once we had a few done, she went to the piano and played them! This really helped her. AND...she had a lot of fun doing it! I love when something simple makes such a big impact!

"Tic-Tac-Term"

As a part of my Music Olympics Camp next week, the kids will be working on quickly naming musical terms. I created this game to help make it more fun! Team members are given a definition and asked to name the term. If they get it correct, they have the chance to throw a bean bag onto the mat in an effort to get 3 in a row for their team.

Although I made this large - a 9' x 9' tarp with colored duct tape marking the lines, you can easily make it smaller - even small enough for your studio. In fact, I'm planning to make a 3' x 3' one for indoor use. I made this large one because our olympic games will be outdoors and the kids love things BIG!

It was super easy to make. I just marked off the tarp in thirds and made the lines with hot pink duct tape. You can find lots of colors of duct tape to make it fun and appealing. You can also use this for drilling note identification, rhythm patterns, intervals, or whatever works for you. A smaller one would work great at a pre-piano camp to quiz finger numbers, the musical alphabet or even white key names.

I hope this gives you lots of ideas! Have fun!

Musical Sorry with an Interval Twist

I needed a game to reinforce intervals for my group lessons and for one of my summer camps, so I purchased the game of Sorry and made some new cards to go with it. By just replacing the cards that come with the game with these cards I made, students reinforce their recognition of intervals in both the bass and treble clefs.

Here is a close-up of the cards I made. You can print your own cards off my website here.

It's a fun game and the kids are loving it!