At our house, we are starting instrument lessons. Here is our new Mr. Noteman music practice report chart.

Practice Report – PDF File

I introduced the whole family of Noteman Babies to my music students this week. Within about 10 minutes, the children could identify them by name and sing their note.

The red one is Baby Do, orange is Baby Re, yellow is Baby Mi, green is Baby Fa, blue is Baby So, purple is Baby La, and pink is Baby Ti.

We played several fun games with the Noteman Babies and had a grand time. The children all did an excellent job of identifying them and singing on pitch.

Here are some colored solfege cards I made to help teach the colors to the children.

There are some incredibly inventive music teachers out there, who really understand kids! Here are links to some of their really terrific resources for teaching music to kids.

Teachers like these will really make a difference in the lives of kids.

More music manipulatives!

• Bag O’ Blocks
• Lisa’s Music Box
• E-Z Notes – Giant Floor Staff, Giant Floor Keyboard, Plastic Silent Piano, Scale Blocks, Rhythm Blocks, Magnetic Music Board, etc.
• Suzuki Educational Instruments – Bigfoot – Giant Keyboard
• Asaph Music Co. – Music Manipulatives – handheld wooden music notes
• Musique Savante – Toss-a-Tune Tunic
• Whirligig Music Games
• Susan Paradis’ Piano Teacher Resources
• Sing a New Song
• Music Note Puppet
• Pianimation
• Color In My Piano
• Giant Keyboard Curtain – great for walk-on piano!
• Note Knacks
• Singing Fundamentals Toy Box by Lee Gwozdz

If you are interested in learning more about the importance of using hands-on resources like these, you really need to check out the following materials describing the Fletcher Music Method.

• What is the Fletcher Music Method?
• The Fletcher Music Method Teacher’s Handbook

Also, you really need to check out Candida Tobin’s teaching methods. She really understood how children think, and her methods were incredible!

• Candida Tobin Music