Happy New Year! We’re excited to be back for another season of Clap for Classics! episodes. This year new episodes will come out on the 1st and 3rd Thursday of every month, so be sure to subscribe to the podcast so you don’t miss anything.

Today we share 2 activities that come straight from our “Winter Expedition with Vivaldi and Friends” music course. If you enjoyed these musical play activities and want to experience the rest of the fun, you can join us at www.clapforclassics.com/fourseasons. Our Four Seasons curriculum is more than just music, it also includes art, poetry, and STEM units. A perfect hands-on, play based curriculum for your toddler, preschooler, or kindergartner.

Grab some mittens or use your imagination and see if you can come up with some actions while we sing this song!

The Mitten Song

Thumbs in the thumb place, fingers all together!

This is the song we sing in mitten weather

Thumbs in the thumb place, fingers all together!

This is the song we sing in mitten weather

When it is cold it doesn’t matter whether

Mittens are made of wool or finest leather

This is the song we sing in mitten weather

Thumbs in the thumb place, fingers all together!

(credit goes to Marlys Swinger from the book “Songs of the Seasons, Ninety-Nine Songs for children”)

For the second activity grab rhythm sticks and a scarf. We guide you through the 1st movement of Vivaldi’s “Winter” concerto from the Four Seasons. You’ll have fun shivering, stomping, keeping a steady beat and chattering your teeth. Help more families find out about this podcast by leaving us a review, telling your friends, or sharing our social media content!

To leave Forte and I a message or a joke please record it here: http://www.speakpipe.com/clapforclassics. We love to feature our listeners on the podcast!

Special thanks to Classical.com for licensing the classical music that we used in this episode and that we use in all of our music courses!

Happy Hanukkah and Merry Christmas friends! This is our last episode of 2022 and we hope you enjoy making some holiday music with us.

Grab a dreidel or spinning top, a scarf, and jingle bells for the 3 activities.

I Have a Little Dreidel

I have a little dreidel I made it out of clay

And when it's dry and ready

Then, dreidel I shall play

Oh, dreidel, dreidel, dreidel I made it out of clay

And when it's dry and ready

Then, dreidel I will play

Angels We Have Heard on High 

Angels we have heard on high

Sweetly singing o'er the plane

And the mountains in reply

Echoing their joyous strain

Glooooooooriaaaaa

Jingle Bells

Dashing through the snow, in a one horse open sleigh

O’er the hills we go, laughing all the way

Bells on bobtails ring, keeping spirits bright

What fun it is to ride and sing a sleighing song tonight.

Oh, jingle bells, jingle bells, jingle all the way

Oh what fun it is to ride in a one horse open sleigh

Oh, jingle bells, jingle bells, jingle all the way

Oh what fun it is to ride in a one horse open sleigh

To join the membership and start making music with us today, go to www.clapforclassics.com/join.

Use the code “LION” for 50% off your first month!

Please help more families find out about this podcast by leaving us a review, telling your friends, or sharing our social media content!

To leave Forte and I a message or a joke please record it here: http://www.speakpipe.com/clapforclassics.  We love to feature our listeners on the podcast!

Special thanks to Classical.com for licensing the classical music that we used in this episode and that we use in all of our music courses!

Inside our All Access membership we have a Nutcracker music course for young kids!  It is an immersive experience with Tchaikovsky’s iconic ballet.  You and your kids will be experiencing the story and music of the Nutcracker through songs, games, active listening, instrument playing, and using your imagination right alongside Ms. Elizabeth and her daughter Charlotte.

To join the membership and start making music with us today, go to www.clapforclassics.com/join. Use the code “LION” for 50% off your first month!

Alternatively, you can purchase just the Nutcracker course on it’s own at www.clapforclassics.com/store

Grab a free printable of hand-drawn images of the characters from the Nutcracker.  www.clapforclassics.com/episode35.  We like to make simple popsicle stick puppets out of ours to play with while we listen to the music. Kids can also use them to retell and act out the story on their own!

For more ideas on how to supplement your Nutcracker study at home with young kids, including ideas on how to watch the ballet at home, check out this article: https://www.clapforclassics.com/blog/nutcrackerresources

Please help more families find out about this podcast by leaving us a review, telling your friends, or sharing our social media content!

To leave Forte and I a message or a joke please record it here: http://www.speakpipe.com/clapforclassics.  We love to feature our listeners on the podcast! 

Special thanks to Classical.com for licensing the classical music that we used in this episode and that we use in all of our music courses!

For the next 2 weeks we are sharing a sneak peek into our popular Nutcracker course for kids ages 2-8.  You are in for a treat, this music and story and interactive way that we share it with young kids is so much fun!

Inside the course is an immersive experience with Tchaikovsky’s iconic ballet. You and your kids will be experiencing the story and music of the Nutcracker through songs, games, active listening, instrument playing, and using your imagination right alongside Ms. Elizabeth and her daughter Charlotte.

To join the membership and start making music with us today, go to www.clapforclassics.com/join. Use the code “LION” for 50% off your first month!

Alternatively, you can purchase just the Nutcracker course on it’s own at www.clapforclassics.com/store

Grab a free printable of hand-drawn images of the characters from the Nutcracker. www.clapforclassics.com/episode35. We like to make simple popsicle stick puppets out of ours to play with while we listen to the music. Kids can also use them to retell and act out the story on their own!

For more ideas on how to supplement your Nutcracker study at home with young kids check out this article: https://www.clapforclassics.com/blog/nutcrackerresources

Please help more families find out about this podcast by leaving us a review, telling your friends, or sharing our social media content!

To leave Forte and I a message or a joke please record it here: http://www.speakpipe.com/clapforclassics.  We love to feature our listeners on the podcast!

Special thanks to Classical.com for licensing the classical music that we used in this episode and that we use in all of our music courses!

Grab an egg shaker for this episode, if you have one. (Anything that shakes will work!).  Today we are sharing two songs to help us get in the Thanksgiving spirit.

The first song is a twist on a familiar favorite: “If You’re Happy And You Know It.”  Customize this one with all the things that you’re thankful for!

“I like pie” is a Clap for Classics! Original written by Kathryn Lieppman.  This catchy song will be in your head this season while you’re making and eating pie!

Watch a video of us singing “I Like Pie” on our blog, or on our youtube channel.

For information about our All Access Membership for kids ages 2-6 go to www.clapforclassics.com/join.  Use the code “LION” for 50% off your first month.

Please help more families find out about this podcast by leaving us a review, telling your friends, or sharing our social media content!

To leave Forte and I a message or a joke please record it here: http://www.speakpipe.com/clapforclassics 

Special thanks to Classical.com for licensing the classical music that we used in this episode and that we use in all of our music courses!

For this episode you might want to grab a teapot and a scarf or wind wand if you have one.

Forte, Charlotte and Ms. Elizabeth share the familiar favorite:

“I’m a little teapot” and talk about the musical concepts forte and piano.

We also listen to a beautiful piano piece called “November” by Tchaikovsky.

Use a scarf or a ribbon wand to move your body while you listen to this music. Can you imagine what inspired Tchaikovsky to write this piece?

Watch a video of us teaching I’m a little teapot here on our blog, or on our youtube channel.

For information about our All Access Membership for kids ages 2-6 go to www.clapforclassics.com/join. And don't forget to use the code LION at checkout for 50% off your first month!

Please help more families find out about this podcast by leaving us a review, telling your friends, or sharing our social media content!

To leave Forte and I a message or a joke please record it here: http://www.speakpipe.com/clapforclassics 

Special thanks to Classical.com for licensing the classical music that we used in this episode and that we use in all of our music courses!

Forte and I share 3 pumpkin activities, perfect for this time of year. Grab a pumpkin if you have one to use as a drum, and let’s get started!

For information about our All Access Membership for kids ages 2-6 go to www.clapforclassics.com/join. And don't forget to use the code "LION" at checkout for 50% off your first month!

Ring around the pumpkin

A pocket full of nuts

Leaves, leaves, we all fall down

(Then replace “ring” with “tiptoe” or “gallop” or “stomp” etc.)

5 little pumpkins sitting on the gate.

The first one said, “Oh my it’s getting late!”

The second one said, “There’s a chill in the air.”

The third one said, “But we don’t care.”

The fourth one said, “I’m ready for some fun”

The fifth one said, “Let’s run and run and run!”

Then “ooooo” went the wind “ooooo”

And out went the light, shhhhhhh

And the 5 little pumpkins rolled out of sight.

To check out our fun song all about pumpkin pie- go here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9_QhpU5WFu8

To watch some of the activities in video form, check out a live pumpkin mini class Elizabeth and Charlotte taught a few years ago.  Find it on our blog or on youtube: https://www.clapforclassics.com/blog/pumpkin

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JlMqLruDOXg

Please help more families find out about this podcast by leaving us a review, telling your friends, or sharing our social media content!

To leave Forte and I a message or a joke please record it here: http://www.speakpipe.com/clapforclassics 

Special thanks to Classical.com for licensing the classical music that we used in this episode and that we use in all of our music courses!

Elizabeth and Forte share 2 related activities in this episode.  They share the wonderful classical piece, “In the Hall of the Mountain King” by Edvard Grieg, as well as the Mountain King Game that was inspired by the music.

Grab some rhythm sticks and a pillow and clear some space for this episode.  You will be using your imagination and moving your body.  We think you’re going to love this exciting music and fun interactive game.  It might just become a new favorite in your home.

To watch the Mountain King Game in video format check out our blog or our youtube channel.

The two activities we share come straight out of either our All Access Membership or our Four Seasons curriculum.  For details on how to join us go to www.clapforclassics.com/join or www.clapforclassics.com/fourseasons

Don’t forget to use the code “LION” at checkout to get 50% off your first month.

Please help more families find out about this podcast by leaving us a review, telling your friends, or sharing our social media content!

To leave Forte and I a message or a joke please record it here: http://www.speakpipe.com/clapforclassics 

Special thanks to Classical.com for licensing the classical music that we used in this episode and that we use in all of our music courses!

Grab a scarf if you have one and we’ll learn about and practice hearing the difference between Major and Minor together.

Elizabeth and Forte introduce the concept of major and minor by singing a few different songs in their original key, and then switching the song from major to minor or minor to major to highlight the difference.

We also share clips from some familiar classical pieces and try to identify if the piece is in a major key or a minor key.

Classical music for this podcast is licensed to us for our use by Classical.com

We shared excerpts from the following classical pieces on today’s podcast: 

To watch a follow-up to this major and minor lesson in video format check out our blog or our youtube channel.

This activity comes straight out of our Autumn All Around course inside our All Access Membership. For details on how to join us there go to www.clapforclassics.com/join.

Don’t forget to use the code “PODCAST” at checkout to get 50% off your first month.

Ready for some more Halloween-themed music?  spooky pipe organ music?? Here is a video of some spooky pipe organ music.   

For more fall-themed activities like this one, make sure to grab our free resource, "Fall-themed Classical Pieces to Listen to with Your Child" by going to www.clapforclassics.com/fallclassicalmusic

Help more families find out about this podcast by leaving us a review, telling your friends, or sharing our social media content!

To leave Forte and I a message or a joke please record it here: http://www.speakpipe.com/clapforclassics

You’ll need rhythm sticks for this activity. Feel free to use blocks, wooden spoons, or of course just your clapping hands always work as well.

Grab the free printable that accompanies this activity at www.clapforclassics.com/episode29. It is a PDF with the lyrics, suggested actions, and extension ideas to go along with this song.

This activity prompts quite a few actions, if you’d like to see a video of this same activity, head over to the blog at www.clapforclassics.com/blog/oats or you can watch it on Youtube. (Be sure to subscribe to our channel while you’re there so you don’t miss a video!)

This activity comes straight out of our “Fun on the Farm” course inside our All Access Membership. For details on how to join us there go to www.clapforclassics.com/join.  Don’t forget to use the code “PODCAST” at checkout to get 50% off your first month.

Do you have a little one who likes tractors? We’ve got the perfect song for you, also from our “Fun on the Farm” course. It is so catchy and fun, I bet you’ll be singing the chorus everytime you see a tractor! Check out our tractor video at https://www.clapforclassics.com/blog/tractor.

Please help more families find out about this podcast by leaving us a review, telling your friends, or sharing our social media content!

To leave Forte and I a message or a joke please record it here: http://www.speakpipe.com/clapforclassics

Classical music for this podcast is licensed to us for our use by Classical.com