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Lucky Sponsored Kids: Mason Plays Music | KalliKids

Mason plays music with Kimbalu

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Mason was chosen in the Sponsor my Child competition as the winner of a year of fun with music at Kimbalu music classes.
Kimbalu is a music group for young children and their carers. The classes provide a fun, lively and relaxed environment in which there are opportunities for children and carers to both make new friends and enjoy quality time together. Held every week during term time, the session includes a half hour music class followed by toys and refreshments. During each class, songs both old & new are used to develop musical ability as well as language, speech & listening skills.

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Autumn Term 2nd Half

Mason turned three this half term and was so excited to share his birthday news with his little friends and Lorrie & Kimba! Mason even had a Kimba themed birthday cake! This half term's songs had a wintery, fun theme with changes of words to songs to fit with the time of year. The children experimented with lots of bells, triangles and finger cymbals and had the correct modelling of how to play them from Lorrie. Mason has mastered following Lorrie's rhythms this term and has really enjoyed when the rhythms went faster and faster!

This term ended with a fun Christmas themed session with lots of Christmas songs to jingle bells - which the children confidently played due to their previous experience through the half term. It also meant the release of the new Kimbalu CD2 which has been on repeat in our car ever since. It's a great way to extend sessions at home (helped me to learn all the words to the new songs too!) Mason has become more and more confident in classes and this has been reflected at home teaching his Daddy the actions to the songs!

Spring Term 1st Half

Lots of big pictures of animals used this half term. Our favourite has been the 'Over in the Meadow' song. The turtles are always a huge hit with Mason. Lorrie always looks at the pictures closely with the children while they count and decide upon the colours of each creature.

Mason has also especially enjoyed 'Miss Mary Jane's' song and has confidently given Lorrie suggestions loudly about what mode of transport they could sing about next! It's always a train or a plane suggestion from Mason! :-)

Unfortunately Mason was admitted to hospital and has had a very tough month so has missed quite few sessions this half term.

Lorrie from Kimbalu

It's been delightful having Mason as our Kallikids 2014 Sponsored Child. He has grown from quite an introverted little boy who clung closely to Mum to a confident boy who, even after a few weeks, would suggest activities, play his instrument in front of others and happily join in independent activities with the other children. His awareness of music and his ability to listen carefully and discriminate between musical sounds has definitely improved as has his sense of rhythm. He will now happily play fast, slow, loud or quiet or getting faster or louder and likes to show his mum how well he can do. He loves to be one of the first up to say hello to Kimba and is always keen to give his suggestions or get involved with the picture songs. He had spent much time in hospital before starting Kimbalu and had missed out on many opportunities for interaction with other children so coming to Kimbalu was a really special thing for him to do with his mum. When Mason's little sister arrived, she came along from very early on and it was lovely to see him joining in and enjoying the classes still….and showing off his new baby sister :-) His mum, Beth, did so well making him feel it was his special time with her even though little one had arrived. Mason often brought his little monkey along so he could play with monkey if mummy had to feed the baby.

He has unfortunately had to miss a few weeks again just recently due to more hospital visits but we're looking forward to seeing him again at Kimbalu this week :-)

Mason- Hopes for Kimbalu and experiences so far!
My hopes for Mason and his attendance to Kimbalu are to be a typical child in a non-hospital environment which unfortunately we have got quite used to! I want him to enjoy a regular, quality, fun time with me and gain confidence in interacting with other children similar to his age. I would also like Mason to feel more confident around others and feel able to share his ideas through signing or speaking with other adults and children. I also hope Mason will feel empowered to share his time at these sessions with his new baby due to arrive soon!
 
Session 1- 29th May 2014 We all sat in a big circle and sang, “Hello” to everyone and Kimba the Monkey-Mason’s face just lit up as soon as he heard Lorrie singing and holding Kimba! Lorrie made time for the children to go over and say, ‘hello’ to Kimba in their own way (hugging/waving) Mason was slightly hesitant- so waved from my lap. We then sang songs, some familiar to Mason and he copied the actions and watched Lorrie and the other children with intent. At then end of the session Lorrie introduced brightly coloured Hoola Hoops to the children and gave them time to experiment with them. After a couple of minutes Lorrie sang, “I am …… in my hoop”. She sang what ideas she had seen the children do and this made Mason smile from ear to ear! (Especially when his idea of crawling through the hoop was sang out loud!)
  Session 2- 24th April 2014 Mason did not hesitate to sing, “Hello” today and go over and give Kimba a great big hug! We sang lots of action songs today and Mason verbally joined in with all the songs he was familiar with. He also joined in with the actions to the songs less familiar and again kept his eyes on Lorrie. Then we had time to collect a musical instrument. Mason got up from my lap and chose some hand bells. He ran back over to me with a huge smile on his face while shaking them. Lorrie used signing for ‘loud’ and ‘quiet’ and demonstrated how to play the instruments in each way! At the end of the session the children were able to get up and move about popping bubbles with different parts of their bodies! Mason especially enjoyed this time and made lots of eye contact with other children as well as giggling with them as the bubbles ‘popped!’
 
 
Session 3- 16th May 2014
We all sat in a big circle and sang, “Hello” to everyone and Kimba the Monkey. Mason ran over to show his little monkey to Kimba.
We sang lots of songs familiar to Mason today and he joined in with most of the actions and words!
Mason has started to talk about Kimbalu at home to his big sister and Daddy. He often bursts into song during bath time!
 
Session 4- 23rd May 2014
We had a daily count down to ‘Kimablu’ this week! When we arrived Mason ran straight over and gave Kimba a great big hug!
We had time to experiment with ribbons on hoops this week and playing chime bars with bouncing beaters! The children watched Lorrie and then had a try. They played quietly and loudly then slowly and quickly. The class were then given the opportunity to play a tune/song to their own grownups! Mason loved this and sang loudly while playing the chime bars! His faced glowed up when I gave him a great big clap for his little show to Mummy!
 
 

 

 

Visit the Kimbalu profile!

 "Due to Mason's allergies and allergic reactions before he started coming to Kimbalu he had become insecure, shy and reluctant to talk and interact with peers&adults due to lots of medical prodding and poking! As a mum I also became slightly safe and avoided these "clicky mum groups" worried about how people would stare at him. So I think emotionally and socially he's achieved so very much! (We both have!) ....and I am pleased to say the mums, dads and nans at Kimbalu are not clicky at all and we've both made lovely friends! :-) There's also time for a play, chat and cuppa before the singing begins every weeks which is lovely!"
Mum Beth, September 2014

Autumn Term 1st Half 2014-
This half term we have had a lovely time. It's given Mummy a focus activity each week to attend now baby Thea has settled in nicely to our family. It's also given Mason that routine which can so easily be lost when there's a new addition!
The first few weeks saw lots of Kimbalu favourites as it welcomed lots of new parents and friends.
There had been lots of focus on rhythms and little hidden themes like "The Jungle" and "Flowers". Lorrie often uses big pictures which Mason loves- especially when he gets chosen to hold one up while everybody sings about it! So empowering and his little face lights up!
Mason has really enjoyed using the drums and copying Lorrie and his friends making loud, quiet, fast and slow music. At Kimbalu this half term he's also had the opportunity to use wooden instruments which is something we do not have at home nor have access to. Ribbons and scarves have been used throughout the half term too and lots of language has been used to describe how we can move them. Lorrie gives ownership of the classes to the children asking for their ideas and help. Mason's confidence had grown and grown so much that he now happily suggests ideas to Lorrie and Kimba in front of the whole room of adults and children!