In this post I describe our Kindergarten Music, Arts, Physical Education, and Health which, under DepEd are combined as one subject called MAPEH. But all are very much part of a Charlotte Mason (CM) educational.
Music
Music was a subject we did on the fly, i.e., I didn’t prepare a list of songs to learn and sing but rather just decided what we’d sing next on the spot come Music time.
It is also maybe the most relaxed subject we had because I don’t put any pressure at all for my dear daughter (DD) to learn or memorize a song. We sing as long as it takes for us to memorize a song or until the kids get tired of it.
It is actually very easy to learn and memorize a song. Even if we do not formally study a song, playing it as background music is enough for the kids to eventually memorize it.
But we actually gather to sing together during Morning Time.
Music Appreciation
We didn’t do any Composer Study yet. Instead, I decided that for Kindergarten, I would simply expose my DD to classical music, for the meantime.
So I played the following albums, in rotation, as background music during the day:
- The 50 Greatest Pieces of Classical Music
- Tchaikovsky’s The Nutcracker
- Disney’s Fantasia
Or anything similar to the above. But mostly, the above.
Hymns
To put structure and/or order on what to sing, I decided to focus on and chose hymns that praise and give glory to God.
We sang along the hymns of The Worship Zone on Spotify. I like said artist because their song renditions are the most simple I have found in Spotify (though you could recognize the British accent).
They stick to the original arrangement of the hymns/songs and they have very basic accompaniments. (I’m actually not a fan of modern hymns arrangements, I appreciate more original/classic tunes).
They also have acoustic versions of their songs. And, they have sing-along or karaoke (minus-one) tracks.
Here are the songs we learned and sang in Kindergarten.
- Leaning on the Everlasting Arms. We actually sang and learned this hymn even before my DD started Kindergarten.
- To God be the Glory. So this was the first hymn we formally sang for school.
- Praise to the Lord.
- All Things Bright and Beautiful. I learned this as a poem when I was in elementary. It was only now that I learned that it is actually a hymn.
Folk Songs
For Folk Songs, we sing whatever we feel like singing, playing and singing along Lea Salonga’s Bahaghari album.
My kids love Bahaghari and usually ask to have it played as background music when they play, singing along.
Here are some of the folk songs we sang during Kindergarten:
- Bahay Kubo. Of course this is the first song I taught my kids, way before they even started school.
- Si Filemon. We sang this next because we relocated in the south where the language is Cebuano, and this song is in Cebuano.
- Leron Leron Sinta. We sang next those that are, naturally, popular and familiar with me.
- Paruparong Bukid. Another popular folk song.
Supplement
In addition to singing hymns, folk songs, and listening to classical music, which are formally included in a CM education, for cultural literacy I added a few other songs which we also sang as part of our curriculum.
This included Tagalog Praise & Worship songs, Tagalog kids’ songs (e.g., Ako Ay May Lobo, Sampung Mga Daliri, etc.), Filipino or OPM classics (e.g., Ako’y Isang Pinoy, Ang Pipit, etc.), nursery rhymes, and Sunday School songs.
Tagalog Praise & Worship
For Tagalog Praise & Worship songs, we sang a lot of songs by Luis Baldomaro since I am very familiar with a lot of his songs because they were the songs we regularly sing back in my Church in my hometown.
Tagalog kids’ songs
For Tagalog kids’ songs, I like the songs by Babies and Kids Channel because they are not the usual high-pitch, synthetic disco-sounding kids’ songs you usually hear. The singer’s renditions (and voice) are very pleasing to the ear.
Nursery rhymes
For nursery rhymes, I follow Nursery Rhymes 123 since, like the Babies and Kids Channel, their songs are very gentle and mellow.
Sunday School songs
For Sunday School songs, we followed The First Sunday Sing-a-long because I am also familiar with Maranatha! Kids since I also grew up singing their songs. We used to have a lot of cassette tapes of their albums (back in the ’80s).
And for other Filipino or OPM classics, I just do a search on Spotify and choose a version I like best.
Schedule
Because I am a person who likes order and structure, I also made a schedule for what music to play on what day.
Yes, I’m OC, that’s how I survive, by putting order and structure in my life. Haha.
- Day 1: Hymns
- Day 2: Tagalog P&W, Filipino Classics
- Day 3: Tagalog kids songs, Folk songs
- Day 4: Classical music
- Day 5: Nursery rhymes, Sunday School song
- Day 6 & 7: Kids’ choice
I use Day 1, Day 2, etc., instead of Mondays, Tuesdays, etc. because during Kindergarten we homeschool from Tuesdays to Saturdays.
Arts
Picture Study
We also didn’t do any Artist Study but instead did a Picture Study (Art Appreciation) of popular artworks of different artists. I will commence formal Artist Study in Year 1.
I did this basically because I have the book Children: A First Art Book and I wanted it to be useful, not have it lying around. So I used it for Picture Study.
Later on, I was handed-down a copy of Come Look With Me: Enjoying Art with Children and used it for the 2nd semester because I think the pictures there are nicer. Hehe.
We didn’t do anything fancy for Picture Study. I just ask my DD to study a picture for a few minutes after which I would ask her what elements did she see in it, then I would ask her what she thinks the picture is about, or ask her to “make a story” about the picture, and, finally, ask her to recreate or draw it on paper.
I didn’t give any information about the picture or its artist. I think that can wait for later years.
We study a picture every other week or every two weeks.
My DD said that she doesn’t like doing Picture Study. I guess that explains the quality of her works for the subject. Hehe.
Drawing
For Drawing, we used What to Draw and How to Draw It. It is a sort of an instructional drawing book where a “step-by-step” drawing is provided, which you need to follow.
Though, to be honest, I have my doubts if it is useful in teaching a child how to draw. Hehe.
Still, we used it for the whole year because I don’t know how else to teach my child to draw because I myself do not know how to draw.
Drawing portfolio samples
Samples showing the drawings she copied.
Other drawing samples…
Brush Drawing
We followed the Brush Drawing Beginner Course from Bestowing the Brush.
Brush drawing or painting is something that I really want my children to learn and be good at. But it is something that I cannot teach because I do not know how to paint myself (and that explains why I want my children to learn).
Actually, I have no skill whatsoever when it comes to any kind of art, not drawing, not painting. And that is also one reason why CM appealed to me, because CM considered art important. And it is given emphasis as much as all other subjects, it is a “need to have”, not just something that is relegated as a “nice to have”.
I could have DIY-ed a curriculum from the web or YouTube. But I do not have the time and energy to research and choose what is the best out there. So I just bought a course.
The Beginner Course of Bestowing the Brush is very basic, it just teaches strokes.
There are optional practice prompts at the end of each lesson which I asked my child to do so she could practice the skill after each lesson.
After my DD finished the course, I would have wanted her to proceed with the Intermediate Course, but I didn’t buy it. I then realized that I should have bought the bundle (Beginner and Intermediate Course at a discount) as it is now more expensive than when I initially bought the Beginner Course.
I should mention that the Beginner Course includes a chalk and charcoal course. We haven’t tried it yet but we would do so in Year 1.
I joined my DD during her Brush Drawing “class” because I also wanted to learn. But later on I felt lazy about it.
I bought a Winson & Newton Cotman for each of us (because I was serious in learning how to paint at the start) and because CM recommended that children should have the best quality of supplies for their education.
But later on, when my DD was given a Faber-Castell pan set, I let her use it instead of the Cotman as I figured it is better for children to begin and practice with cheaper materials and save the quality ones when their skills are a little better.
Because, for example, in learning or starting to paint, a child would “waste” a lot of paint. So I think it would be wise to be economical. With the Faber-Castell, I can let her paint unsupervised.
I also bought a few sable brushes from China but at the price I paid (less than PhP 300), I think they’re rip-offs. Haha.
I also bought Fabriano mixed media papers but allow my child only one sheet per lesson. If she wants to paint more, I giver her ordinary copy paper.
Because we are homeschooling on a budget. Haha.
My DD loved Brush Drawing. Even outside school hours, she paints. Kaya magastos sa papel. Hehe.
She tells me she wants to learn how to paint images that looks real. But she is still far from that. Her paintings are still “childish”. Hopefully, she won’t be frustrated or demotivated to practice so she could improve.
Brush Drawing portfolio samples
Handicraft
We did paper folding (origami) following Chinese Paper Folding for Beginners in the 1st semester.
When it comes to doing handicrafts, my understanding of CM’s philosophy is that a handicraft should be something useful and/or functional.
That is why I decided to teach my child basic hand stitches for the 2nd semester so my DD can create something useful.
The paper folding crafts she was making were just being thrown away after playing that I felt my child’s projects were useless and a waste.
But I regretted it and wished we continued with paper folding for the whole year as I realized that even if her outputs were just thrown away afterwards, the art of paper folding isn’t completely useless because it is helpful for developing fine motor skills.
I also think that following directions from a book is good practice for literacy.
I figured learning to sew could wait. Oh well.
So for 2nd semester, I taught my child six (6) basic hand stitches. We first practiced in a scrap of cloth after which we made stitch sampler placemats as our project.
We used a thick canvass fabric and DMC embroidery threads (which I bought online and which I think are rip-offs as I don’t remember them to be that thin and frail). I told my DD we would each make three pieces of placemats for a total of six (6) pieces for our dining table.
I already finished mine but my DD hasn’t finished her share yet. But she has finished one which she now uses while eating.
Physical Education (PE) & Health
When the school year started, I was able to push myself to start an exercise routine four (4) days in a week and I let (actually, it was more of force) my kids to join me. Hehe. We jogged around our village or followed exercise, Pilates, or stretching videos on YouTube.
Our routine, however, was broken during the Christmas holidays and, until now, I haven’t been able to go back to exercising, unfortunately.
But I bought my DD a new bike and I taught her how to bike and, since learning, we’ve been biking around our village in between lessons during school days.
We also sometimes swim in the clubhouse.
Exercising weren’t things my DD enjoyed. She always complained. But she likes swimming and biking.
Summary
- Music
- Music Appreciation (in lieu of Composer Study)
- The 50 Greatest Pieces of Classical Music
- Tchaikovsky’s The Nutcracker
- Disney’s Fantasia
- Hymns
- Leaning on the Everlasting Arms
- To God be the Glory
- Praise to the Lord
- All Things Bright and Beautiful
- Folk Songs
- Bahay Kubo
- Si Filemon
- Leron Leron Sinta
- Paruparong Bukid
- Supplements
- Tagalog Praise & Worship
- Tagalog Kids’ songs
- Filipino/OPM classics
- Nursery Rhymes
- Sunday School songs
- Music Appreciation (in lieu of Composer Study)
- Arts
- Picture Study (Art Appreciation)
- Children: A First Art Book (1st semester)
- Come Look With Me: Enjoying Art with Children (2nd semester)
- Drawing
- What to Draw and How to Draw It
- Brush Drawing
- Bestowing the Brush (Beginner Course)
- Handicraft
- Chinese Paper Folding for Beginners
- Hand sewing (basic hand stitches)
- Picture Study (Art Appreciation)
- PE & Health
- Exercise sessions following YouTube videos
- Free outdoor play, e.g., biking, swimming, running