Hello there! I’m not sure about you, but October seems to be FLYING at break-neck speed. Between seasonal traditions, costume making, and just life in general, we’re already somehow half way through?! Insane.
Today I am so excited to share a storytelling set for our folk song of the week, Skin and Bones! (song card here). This set has all of the characters and “set pieces” from the folk song, and I decided to have them as little props you can glue down onto some cardstock or construction paper to make your own little spooky scene. And you guys, the ghost can even “pop out” out at the end to spook everyone! It’s honestly way too cute! You can also use some playsilks and other spooky accessories to kind of build out the small world play and really make it special. We love our Sarah’s Silks and I think their starry play silk would make a fun background, creating a nighttime backdrop for the scene.
So why a playset? If you’ve been here a while, you’ll know that I’m a HUGE proponent of play. The intentionality, the purposeful repetitions, the ability to build up schemas. It’s incredible what learning can take place as our kids “just play.” The child is absorbed in the work, and the repetition of play creates a lot of opportunities to internalize and master the song. You’ll notice some vocal work as the kids solidy the melodic lines. This folk song is a bit trickier melodically than some of our other early folk songs, and the “oooo” motif is wonderful for practicing in-tune singing.
Spekaing of the importance of play, here’s a vocal play activity for you! If you’re noticing your kids singing a bit out of tune, ghosty vocal play is so fun to get them back up in their higher register and starting to match pitch. You could use a white playsilk or even just your hand to fly like ghosts through the air, sliding your voices on “oooo” like ghosts. Try all sorts of vocal slides, silly and high and spooky. As the play continues, keep changing the slides to be closer to the motif in the song, then put it back in the song. It’s like magic–all of a sudden they can sing it in tune!
Let me know if you give this activity a try! I hope you have a lot of fun with it:)
Click here to download the skin and bones play set
Happy Singing!
-Lauren
PS- BOO!