I Sing, You Sing, We All Sing . . . (Or We Used To!): Children’s Sing-Along Event

Join us at Vista House on Friday, August 28 from 7-9 pm for our special childrens’ sing-along event with musician and educator, Jory Aronson!

http://jorysings.com/

Jory Aronson engages all of the senses with her dynamic musical programs.

Bring your favorite young people and a couple of chairs for a lively evening filled with songs, instruments, skits, and puppets.

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We have been hosting (and, at times, leading!) a series of singing events in the Gorge this year.

At Rooster Rock State Park, it has been monthly song circles on the waterfront–singing songs of yesteryear as swimmers romp around in the Columbia, barges plod through the channel, and the sun sinks slowly over Washington in a crimson wave.

Enjoy a sunset and a children’s sing-along at Vista House on Crown Point.

At Vista House, it has also been monthly song circles, but within the magical sand and limestone walls of the rotunda as visitors flock to capture the last moments of the sun’s rays falling across the Gorge, birds soar towards their final resting spots for the night, and the Columbia rolls on for as far as the eye can see.

Although they are not widely advertised, we are also bringing song back to the campground with “Old-Fashioned Campfire” events at Ainsworth State Park on the first and third Fridays of the month.  These programs, as you might imagine, are a bit different.  There are fewer instruments, Ranger Patrick and I sing far less well (although Ranger Jami can hold a tune!), and the songs are less formal.  Instead, we stomp and clap and lead skits, we beg and plead until campers come up to sing for us, and the songs less than sing-y are more, well, campy.

As children, we sang and danced unabashedly.

Our last old-fashioned campfire at Ainsworth was hands-down our best.  Sure, we rangers are getting our shtick down.  But what really made the night so wonderful was that before the 8:30 hour even rolled around, a little camper was up on the stage declaring that she would like to sing the first song.  We could hardly say no.  And without a moment’s hesitation, she started in on “Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star.”  Not one song later, she was marching up to the stage again, this time with her cousin in tow.  They performed “The Alphabet Song,” complete with the elemeno p.  Five minutes later they were back.  Something from Frozen, although they couldn’t agree on what until another young camper from another family jumped up and in to help the group settle on “Let It Go.”  This other camper also led us in a handful of her favorite camp songs, from “Apples and Bananas” to “Bazooka Bubblegum.”

As a long-time performer, educator, and advocate of young children, Jory believes in the magic that can be created with music.

Besides we rangers, only one other adult dared lead any part of any other song.  It was really the kids jumping up and leading unabashedly that made the night a roaring success.  It was a reminder of both how fearless kids can be and how important singing is to us in childhood.  Learning a song as a child was a big deal, something to be celebrated . . . by singing it repeatedly.  And which of we did not use the alphabet song to learn our letters?  Many of us teach it to our kids, grandkids, nieces, and nephews today.  In some ways childhood and singing are inseparable.

“Today, young children are often in front of screens … [I believe] that children thrive when they’re using their senses.”

Which brings me to our next event at Vista House on August 28:  A Children’s Sing-Along with Jory Aronson, a musician and early education trainer.  Jory blends song with puppets, skits, and instruments for a fully participatory musical experience for children.  Besides being fun for the whole family, there is sound benefit to music for children:

“Music is an intelligence in and of itself. It also uses some of the other 6 intelligences in various ways. Songs are linguistic, rhythm is logical, dance and using instruments is body kinesthetic, musical interpretation is interpersonal, etc. Thus, by being involved in music, a child becomes in tune with many aspects of the self.”  – Dr. Howard Gardner (The Theory of Multiple Intelligences)

Join us at Vista House on Friday, August 28 from 7-9 pm for our special kids’ event!