Disney and Hal Leonard have launched their Disney Learning “Explore Music” series and we are HUGE FANS!
My kids and I love to read together all day. These picture books are not only beautiful to look at but, they encourage creative play whether it is using movement with your body or your voice to create music or getting crafty to make your own musical instruments with items around your home. Turn a day at home or a rainy day into a fun day of musical exploration with some familiar characters.
Authored by a Hal Leonard team of artists, designers, writers, music educators, songwriters, and music producers, and based on an early childhood music curriculum commissioned by Disney Learning, each of these hardcover picture books includes not only a charming, colorfully illustrated story that’s perfect for ages 4 – 8, but also an array of musical exploration activities. To add to the fun, additional online activities, including video read-alongs, audio sing-alongs, and more, are provided for each title on the Hal Leonard Explore Music website.
My kids and I love going through the online activities and watching the video read-alongs on the website. It makes the book come to life and makes the kids even more excited about what they just read.
MOANA: THE BEAT OF YOUR HEART
A Musical Exploration Activity Book
Princess Moana, who lives in a tropical island paradise, shares her culture with young readers who discover how the natural rhythms of Moana’s environment are expressed artistically through hand clapping, body rhythm, and drumming. Kids will develop their sense of inner pulse by playing along with the drums of Motonui on percussion instruments that they themselves craft from household objects. This beautifully illustrated book with online musical enhancements serves as a guide for children to explore beat, rhythm, and the sounds of Motonui’s drums through constructive activities and creative play.
*I think we can all agree that kids and adults are huge fans of Moana. What I love about The Beat of your Heart is how the writers and illustrators incorporated the drumming with the Polynesian culture. They used Polynesian words to describe the movements that we enjoy doing while looking through the colorful picture book or instructional videos online. This is a really fun book that I encourage you to buy. Your kids will love it.*
TANGLED: IT’S BETTER WHEN YOU SING IT
A Musical Exploration Storybook
Graced with the charming familiarity of Tangled-inspired illustrations, this innovative musical exploration storybook integrates thoughtful activities right in the engaging narrative. Rapunzel shows youngsters that everything is better when they sing! Learning about music becomes an exciting adventure with this playful story that encourages children to experience the joy of singing while they discover the qualities of their own unique voice. Along the way, they’ll explore concepts like tempo, pitch awareness, proper breathing, careful listening, using music to express feelings, and much more.
* My youngest daughter loves this book because she loves Rapunzel. She loves using her voice throughout the book to create sounds that her favorite Disney character does in the movie. The online activities are fun and we love the read-along story and songs. *
MICKEY’S FOUND SOUNDS
A Musical Exploration Storybook
The Main Street Parade has been rained out, but Mickey, Minnie, and Goofy, along with Donald and Daisy Duck and all their friends, form their own parade playing musical instruments they have made from everyday items found around the house. Children will follow simple instructions and share with Mickey and his pals the fun of playing music with instruments they create themselves. This exploration storybook combines music making with imaginative play, following directions to create crafts, and experiencing the sounds of different instruments.
*Mickey Mouse and all of his friends are a big hit in our house. We love that the beginning of this book is a story and the rest of the book is a guide to creative musical play by giving you crafty suggestions to create musical instruments that you and your family can make to become your own marching band. My girls love encouraging each other to make music. *
WANT TO BUY YOUR OWN COPIES?
We love these books and highly recommend buying them. Turn an ordinary day at home into a musical adventure thanks to Disney and Hal Leonard.
Look for Moana: The Beat of Your Heart – A Musical Exploration Activity Book, Tangled: It’s Better When You Sing It – A Musical Exploration Storybook, and Mickey’s Found Sounds – A Musical Exploration Storybook at fine music and bookstores everywhere or by visiting www.halleonard.com. Click —> HERE
