Abigail Flesch Connors
Abigail Flesch Connors is an early childhood music educator and nationally known presenter. Through her award-winning books, 101 Rhythm Instrument Activities for Young Children and Shake, Rattle and Roll: Rhythm...
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Music and movement go together like books and reading—they spread joy! It’s no secret that quiet doesn’t always equal quality learning. At times, we struggle to help children settle down so they can listen and learn. However, we can also encourage them to move to the beat so they can listen and learn in more active ways.
In Shake, Rattle, and Roll: Rhythm Instruments and More for Active Learning, you will find activities that inspire curiosity, exploration, and creativity. When children are singing, moving, listening, and playing music, their creative energy enhances their learning in many areas:
Because there is not just one right way to play rhythm instruments or move to the beat, children can explore their own capabilities while they dance, sing, and play.
Abigail Flesch Connors is an early childhood music educator and nationally known presenter. Through her award-winning books, 101 Rhythm Instrument Activities for Young Children and Shake, Rattle and Roll: Rhythm...
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Shake, Rattle, and Roll has won the Creative Child Magazine Awards (2015 Book of the Year), Tillywig Brain Child Award (2015), and Academic's Choice Smart Book Award (2015).
“Shake, Rattle and Roll: Rhythm Instruments and More for Active Learning by Abigail Connors is a well thought-out and organized compilation of activities incorporating music, instrument and movement, and much more. Abigail discusses in great detail the rationale and benefits this has on our young learners. This book is a valuable resource for those educators looking for new ways to implement more movement and hands-on participation in the classroom.”
Christina Spring
NJ Educator
“Children are the ultimate movers and shakers. Nothing could be more natural to them than the unbridled physicality of playing rhythm instruments. Rhythmic sound centers kids' attention in a way little else can, engendering a deep connection that allows them to learn and grow by leaps and bounds. This book provides an abundance of easy-to-do classroom activities through which young students explore making music and inventing movements using a broad variety of rhythm instruments. Kids respond with excitement and exhilaration, and the academic benefits are many. Music is a language that cultivates communication and listening. The math involved in keeping the beat (and divisions thereof) builds a foundational, transferable skill set. Creating and expressing oneself in a group setting accumulates a host of social skills, and the exploration and experimentation of the music-making is nothing less than the scientific method in action.”
“My 5 year old loved the rhythm sticks! We don't have the other instruments but plan to buy them soon. He seemed to like "Simon Says" and "Quiet as mouse" the best.”
“Mrs. Connors has done a fabulous job simplifying a music program for any pre-k parent or teacher. She provides ample information and evidence in regard to the benefits of music during early childhood. The book is divided in half. The first half is how to play rhythm instruments and the second is about moving with the music. Instruments such as rhythm sticks, shakers, bells and drums are introduced with a short explanation of the benefits of each instrument as well as how to play them. Songs then follow the descriptions. Spanish words and songs with sign language are also presented in the book.”
“The product develops, imagination, fine motor skills, improvisation, social skills, rhythm, gross motor skills, patterns and pattern recognition, auditory processing, body awareness, and much more.”
