Our day out at the British Music Experience

We were lucky enough to be invited along to visit the British Music Experience, and as I have a family of music lovers, we happily accepted!  The BME. is housed in the Cunard Buildings in Liverpool and is a new attraction, perfect for guests of all ages.

The museum houses a collection of music memorabilia that tells the story of the evolution of the British music scene from 1945 to the present day. It chronicles the history of modern music from the early days of jazz and skiffle through the eras of rock 'n' roll and Beatlemania to the psychedelic sixties through punk rock and glam rock and right up to the present day. From Hendrix's guitar to Bowie's kimono to Suggs' anti-apartheid suit, there are some amazing pieces on display. Handwritten lyrics by Adele and Chris Martin feature alongside Leona Lewis's diamante microphone and the signed, Africa shaped guitar from Live Aid.

There are lots of interactive displays where you can listen to interviews, search news archives and discover musical facts from around the country. Big screens show photos and musical performances from a host of artists through the decades. The centre stage show transports you to the excitement of a live performance where you can experience iconic acts such as Amy Winehouse, Led Zeppelin and Elton John. A special performance by Culture Club's Boy George is given via the technology of a 3D hologram. There is a music trail that children can take part in as they walk around the displays, answering questions from each decade. Completed trails can be exchanged for a certificate.

In addition to the collection of music memorabilia, the British Music Experience has lots of hands on activities. There is a dance studio where you can learn a dance from one of the featured decades. We had a try at some Ska dance moves made famous by Madness, dancing to One Step Beyond. We also recorded a vocal demo of the Cold Play song Yellow in the recording booth.

The Gibson Brands Interactive Studio is an amazing space where visitors can try their hand at playing keyboards, drums and guitars. We absolutely loved it. There are tutorial videos to follow and the staff are on hand to offer advice and encouragement. The instruments are brilliant and we all had a go at playing a host of electric, bass and  acoustic guitars, an electronic drum kit and a full length electronic piano. Ian loved the Epiphone 335 electric guitar. It was such a great place to have a go at playing quality instruments in a relaxed, fun setting.  

My girls performed an impromptu duet playing songs together. The very lovely Abigail, who is one of the staff at the BME joined in, singing harmonies with the girls and chatting to us about music. Her knowledge and passion for music and her love and enthusiasm for her job shone through. She is a wonderful asset to the museum and made our experience really enjoyable.

There are some craft workshops making dream catchers and interactive story telling and sing-along sessions going on as part of the Summer Holidays Programme at the British Music Experience, making the summer holidays a perfect time to visit for families.

Find out more at http://www.britishmusicexperience.com/.

Can You Dance to the Boogaloo?

Can You Dance the Boogaloo? is a children's picture book from new talent Alice V.Lickens.  It celebrates a love of music and dancing, that get-up-and-go, feel-good feeling that kids have in abundance.  we were sent a copy to take a look at.  It is a nice size, sturdy paperback book with 32 full colour pages.

The illustrations are a combination of ink and lino prints featuring the numerous animal characters on their way to the Boogaloo and also a selection of instruments. They are bright, bold and colourful and for me are my favourite thing about this book.

The rhythmical text is rich with sounds and imagery inviting children to join in the boogaloo and dares little ones to sit still.  The be-bop beat resonates musically as you read the words aloud.

I think a new reader would struggle to follow the text which snakes around the pictures and includes a lot of made up words and fancy fonts.  I think this is a book for reading out loud to a child, sharing the pictures and encouraging movement and interaction.

Using this book as a resource for a music and movement session with little ones would be a fun idea.  It is a high energy book that really makes you feel like dancing!

RRP £5.99

Melody Xylophone Review

Plan Toys is an eco-friendly brand that really believes in the environmentally friendly methods in which their toys are produced. For more than thirty years they have used innovation and creativity to manufacture  products in the greenest, most socially responsible way possible, minimizing their impact on our planet.  Their toys are both beautiful and durable.

Freddy was sent a Melody Xylophone to try out.  It produces musical sounds true to pitch from the eight brightly coloured bars. Musical sheets are also included featuring popular songs that children can learn to play.  It also helps children to recognise colours as they learn to play the colour coded notes on the sheets, and familiarises them to the concept of written music.

I love the beautifully simple, curved wooden design of the Xylophone.  There are no fancy embellishments to distract from this fabulous starter instrument.  It provides a great introduction to playing an instrument, teaching pre-schoolers auditory and musical skills and developing their fine motor skills.  It is a true classic and a wonderful addition to the toybox.

The wooden mallet fits neatly and securely into the back of the xylophone in a clever little holder for storage, which I think is a brilliant idea, keeping it all together between uses.

Freddy had a go at following the coloured notes and understood that the solid colours were one beat and the   notes that were just outlined were two beats.  He liked listening to the pitch of the different coloured bars as he banged them in order from low to high and back again.   But most of all he enjoyed free styling and rocking some crazy improvised xylophone tunes!

Plan Toys are available to buy on Amazon.

Making Music with Little Ones!

We love music Inside the Wendy House.  Freddy can't listen to a Disney Channel theme tune without leaping up and rocking out.  With their natural interest in music, toddlers are never too young to introduce to musical instruments.  Wooden Toy Shop sells the gorgeous Tidlo Musical Instrument Set by John Crane Toys.  It is a 14 piece percussion set that includes a tambourine, maracas, triangle, paddles, bells, sticks, scraper and castanets.  They are all beautifully made and each piece came individually wrapped in protective material and packaged into a good quality, strong box that can be used to store the instruments in when not in use.  It has a cloth handle for carrying around, for music on the go!

This percussion instrument set introduces children to sound, rhythm and music.  It encourages children to play together and is the perfect starter set for some creative, musical playtimes! It is recommended for ages 3 and up, but with supervision a younger child can enjoy learning about music too.  Each piece feels like such good quality and plays really nicely.  I loved the feel of the wood...it is so much nicer than the cheap plastic instruments you can buy.

Freddy and big sister Kizzy really enjoyed playing music together.  Here is a video of them in action which shows you what fun making music can be for children!

The Musical Instrument Set costs £28.79 from Wooden Toy Shop.  This is great value for money and who knows, you could be investing in a future musician!!