More and more twinkles!!!

We're to the point where my 3-year-old knows all of her Twinkles, but it's definitely not time to move on.  There is still a lot of work with tone and bow control and posture and so practicing has become less desirable.  I will post our top 10 Twinkle games soon!  However, I just wanted to let you know that I have found a WONDERFUL tool that makes practice charts and games even more awesome!  My laminator!  I don't know why I never thought of this before.  Someone gave me a laminator years ago and I ran out of the plastic stuff and always thought it was too expensive to replace so I gave it away.  Recently I was looking around for the best store to get stuff laminated and someone mentioned just buying one.  So, I looked on Amazon and found one for only $25.  I got 100 of the plastic sheet things for $16.  That's only 41 cents per page for my first 100, then only 16 cents per page after that.  That's a great deal AND I don't have to load all my kids in the minivan to take them to the office supply store.

ANYWAY - I started laminating some of the charts and games I've been using.  This is totally awesome because stickers stick - but they can come off as well so the chart can be reused!  Also, whiteboard markers and wet-erase markers work great so you can customize some of the blank charts and games - then erase and start over.

Right now we're still working on our 100 var. A twinkles (only 10 left!) and 100 Twinkle Themes.  But, darling daughter loves to put stickers on charts so I am using the Pineapple/Ice Cream Cone race as well.

Also - I'm finding that I really have to break up the practice into little segments because it's just a killer for her to stand and concentrate while playing nothing but Twinkles.  So, we're practicing 1-2 twinkles 3-4 times a day.  It's not so bad as long as I make it fun.

Toys Can Practice Too!

Notice something weird about this picture?

Sometimes it takes a little creativity to get a child to practice.  Yesterday my 3-year-old didn't want to practice because she was playing with her Polly Pockets.  So, I told her the Polly Pockets could watch her practice.  She loved playing the pieces and looking at her dolls and she also kept her scroll up high.   We ended up having a great practice!

Some Easter Inspiration

It's a week until Easter and I finally have a small variety of charts to offer you for Easter.  If you have any Easter charts (or any kinds of practice charts for that matter) please send them over.  I'll add them online even if it's not the season because Easter will come around every year!

A chart like this (20) is great for reviewing pieces or practicing new pieces.  My 6-year-old is at the end of Suzuki Book 2.  She's learning the Minuet in G (Beethoven) and it has 4 different sections.  I will let her put a sticker on or cross off an egg each time she plays one of the 4 sections 5-10 times (the amount will depend on the day or her particular mood.)

  

 Okay, people - you know your kids will think this is funny.  Silly but easy.  Put a piece or rep in each box and a jelly bean (that's the bunny poop) in each box.  Play the piece, and eat the jelly bean.

This one can be done as a start-to-finish from the bunny to the basket or as a check-off of eggs for reps, etc.  I'm planning to pencil in a piece on each egg as a daily practice chart.

Another easy one.  Can be repetitions or pieces.  The reward is coloring the bunny when done.

You can download all of these Easter Charts HERE