Singing and acting out “Head, Shoulders, Knees, and Toes” from The Music Box
I’m not typically interested in curriculum for toddlers, but the contents of the Toddler Timberdoodle Core Curriculum Package piqued my interest. It was full of high quality educational toys that I would love to own, so when offered the opportunity to receive one of the package products for free in exchange for a review as a member of Timberdoodle’s Blogger Review Team, I couldn’t refuse! I picked The Music Box, both because I love music and because it was one of the products included in the package that I had never heard of.
The Music Box is a filing box, filled with 180 children’s songs and rhymes on illustrated, laminated cards. The cards are filed by number, and indexes are provided to help you find songs not only by title and fist lines, but also by type (e.g. fingerplays, call-and-response) and theme (e.g. animals and birds, family and home, hello and goodbye). This makes it very easy to find songs to go along with whatever you are talking about at a given time – and it provides excellent variety as well! The set has melodies and chords for each song, and most of the songs have suggested recordings as well. I find the card presentation to be especially guitar-friendly, with clear print and no worries about keeping a book open to a particular page. There are extra cards included in the back of the box, so that you can add any favorites that aren’t included.
My kids ADORE The Music Box. I have actually even hidden it once or twice, they love it that much. I made the mistake of telling Lily it was for her, and she took that to mean that it WAS hers. She, of course, likes to pull out ALL the cards, so they aren’t filed very well at the moment. It would have been much more strategic for me to only pull out a few cards at a time, and to not let my children EVER see the box! Of course, then we may have never discovered their favorite song, “Peter Penguin”. Someday I will get a video of them singing and acting it out!
Timberdoodle has Complete Curriculum Packages from infancy through 10th grade, as well as a range of other homeschool supplies. I think their products would interest any parent who enjoys learning alongside and engaging their children – whether or not they formally homeschool!
MaryAnne is a craft loving educator, musician, photographer, and writer who lives in Silicon Valley with her husband Mike and their four children.
I like the way the cards are filed and organised. Perfect resource to use with multiple children of different ages (something I’m very interested in).
Look at you with guitar in hand :), what a perfect way to spend time with your cherubs.
I think you would love this – I’ve been very impressed!
I have a box of alphabet word cards and I can’t bring them out or my 2 year old spreads them all over the place!
This sounds like a great thing to have, especially if you know how to play a musical instrument. LOL on Lily thinking that it’s hers :)
That music box sounds really neat! What a cool idea!
LOL! Sometimes you just don’t know what needs to be hidden until it’s too late! Would LOVE to see a Peter Penguin video. :) Looks like you are all having fun!
We have had so much fun making music together thanks to The Music Box. I’ll keep working on the Peter Penguin video – so far every attempt gets interrupted by the phone/doorbell/Mike getting home/potty emergency… but they are super cute so it needs to be documented!!!
I can’t tell you how many times I’ve made the mistake of telling my kids more info than I should have. I never seem to learn! I love that picture. Such a sweet mommy moment!