Bring on the Preschoolers!

What exactly does a group of 80 preschool children look like, you ask? Here you have it! All gathered together in one old-fashioned, wooden floor gymnasium. Eighty preschoolers, one "performer" in polka-dot, asymetrical skirt, a guitar and the top favorites of the Debbie's Ditties collection. (When I was walking down the hall, one of the children said to her friend, "There goes our performer for the afternoon.") How do you spell fun? To add to the excitement, the local TV camera crew was on hand..... including a pre-tip-off interview of me. Wonder what I have to do to track that down??

ARTS: WOWOW!! Mansfield

Have I mentioned that I have the 'best' job?? I get to go to the most amazing places. Today I was at the Early Learning Children's Center in Mansfield -- for a return concert. You know that you're in a place that loves art, when the school gym has 23' high hand-painted dinosaurs on the wall. I had enough time before the afternoon concert to take a little tour down the hallways. The third picture is a 'moveable sculptural-wall.' Soooooooooo cool. The very definition of cool. The 3D pieces, shapes/colors all had massive strips of velcro and can easily be repositioned on the velcro-matic wall. Space. Shapes. Movement. How much fun is that, if you're in preschool? And take a look at that final bulletin board: celebrating Dr. Seuss in such a child friendly, open-ended, appropriate art-project manner. Three stars before we even begin!

Shaking Shakers Up High

Do you just love unrestrained enthusiasm? Shake it!!

Beach Boy Smiles

Since I've always loved "The Beach" I keep my eyes open for all things beachie. While singing this morning I had a couple of happy campers in two different classes -- each wearing a 'beach' shirt!! Imagine that?? It must be spring in OH! The sun comes out for two days in a row and we're ready to go surfing. Grab your flip-flops and sunscreen.... here we go!

Little Baby Birdie

Spring is certainly in the air. Today we sang and had puppet shows in celebration of the changing of the seasons. It's fun from the teenies to the big kids. Always a favorite.

Feedback from Facebook

What a fortunate person I am to have work I love to do and an ever growing fanclub that gives me feedback and offers such encouragement in the process.

Returning home from this weekend's big roadtrip, I smiled to recieve this message on Facebook, from dear friend and the former director of BUMP (Bexley United Methodist Preschool) Mary Meyer: "Debbie - I wish you could have seen A.J. and me last night - we had all 6 grandchildren finding "kitchen" instruments and singing and marching at the top of our lungs, "The parade is marching down the street - we thought we were really Neat!!"

So of course I thanked her and asked if anyone had thought to take pictures of this three generation parade and here's Mary's response: "I have no pictures! so sorry - now everyone is back home, the North Carolina grandchildren left this morning. To continue the word on our parade - we marched and marched, then the 2 1/2 year old got tired of marching and sat down on the floor, so we all sat down and I sang "I can hear Julian, he must be close at hand, listen to Julian, he's playing in the band" then Julian got a chance to play solo. We had him call out the name of the next cousin as we sang on. THEN when it got to Noah, 8 yrs. old, he played a pattern for us to try - and we went around again imitating what the named child played. Honestly, we played for a good 20 - 30 minutes, the grandchildren range in age from 6 mos. to 10 years, and they all loved it. Even some of their parents found their own kitchen instruments to join in. So sorry we don't have pictures. "

How very amazing to sit here in my livingroom aware that a dear family has been marching and playing instruments in response to my song recorded nearly a decade ago..... making memories for each and all in the process. Kweeze me!!

"Jerome the Gnome........

........who likes to roam!" How much fun is this picture of Caroline and I in the author's signing area? She travels all over with her classroom mascot and shares her travels with her children in photographs from the road. Now Jerome has met an author/illustrator!! What an amazing way to make the world larger, for a preschooler! Can you see the logo on his gnome hat? He's a "Virginia Tech" gnome. Even more rare due to his 'special needs' he sometimes travels in a wheel chair -- he's had extensive surgery, tho a full recovery is expected. Kudos to Caroline for stretching the box!!