Tag: kidsongs

Goodbye, Dolly. Sing-along in Milton. A seriously silly new book!

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Welcome to my community media space for music and learning!

Goodbye, Dolly …

“Light of a Clear Blue Morning” by Dolly Parton and friends.
Proceeds from this performance benefit pediatric cancer research.

Rest in peace, Dolly Parton. I’ll remember you for your kindness, as well as your music. Thanks to your Imagination Library, when I worked at the DC Library, I got to tell expectant parents that they could receive free books for their children at birth. Those moments made us sparkle. Dolly, you showed us that we mattered — both the recipients of your gift and the facilitators. You put magic in the mundane, lighting up those long, late library shifts. Thank you, Dolly, for a life well-lived. You are missed.

Arts Milton presents …

Ingrid Christina performs for Milton Culture Days.

Sing, Rhyme, and Play with Ingrid Christina for Milton Culture Days

Sat, Sep 19, 2:00PM – 3:00PM

FirstOntario Arts Center Milton, mini-stage

(click the photo or link ↑ for full details)

That’s right, I’m so happy to announce my next live show! I’ll be leading a children’s sing-along at the incredible FirstOntario Arts Center in Milton, Ontario. It’s my joy and privilege to participate in Milton Culture Days by Arts Milton, part of the national Culture Days celebration taking place across Canada from Sep 18 thru Oct 4, 2026. Come enjoy my show for ages 0-5 and all the other wonderful events in this nationwide celebration of arts, culture, and creativity!

Featured Quote

“Find out who you are and do it on purpose.”

Dolly Parton

ALA Editions presents …

Announcing: THE SERIOUSLY SILLY STORYTIME SURVIVAL GUIDE by Storytime Solidarity and ALA Editions.

THE SERIOUSLY SILLY STORYTIME SURVIVAL GUIDE by Kate Reynolds, Rosie Camargo, Ingrid Christina, and Anne Coppell is coming soon. That’s right, four seasoned story timers — including me — have written the book we wish we’d had when we started. And it’s being published in Spring 2007 by ALA Editions. (Yes, that’s the American Library Association!) This book is guaranteed to revive your storytime, as it did for us while writing it. You can pre-order your copy now on the ALA Store!

Your Take

Poll: How can we best carry on Dolly Parton’s legacy of music and kindness?

(From the email, click “read on blog” above to take the poll.)

Final Thoughts

We’re so glad you came! Until next time …

◊ Like, comment, and share this post.

◊ Stream us on Apple Music, Spotify, Soundcloud, etc.

◊ Visit Storytime Solidarity.

◊ Be the world we want for our kids!

Ingrid Christina with a yellow bucket hat, a blue shirt, and their ukulele. Text reads, "Sing, Rhyme, and Play" and "The Sing Rhyme and Play Song."

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An Award, A Launch, and A New Language

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Welcome to my community media space for music and learning!

ASCAP Plus+ Award

I’m excited to share that I won a Plus+ Award from the American Society of Composers and Musicians (ASCAP). The award is for live performances of my original music in 2025. Thanks to everyone who supports my music. That’s YOU!

Whether you attended one of those live shows in 2025, or you enjoy my songs online, every bit counts. And awards like this really help independent musicians like me carry on.

So thank you, ASCAP, for this nice boost. And thank YOU, listeners, for lending me your ears. I’ve got more original music in the works that I can’t wait to share with you soon.

Click for a message from me about my ASCAP Plus+ Award. Thank you for supporting my music!

New Release: OWLS MAKE TERRIBLE TEACHERS by Kristi Mahoney

OWLS MAKE TERRIBLE TEACHERS by Kristi Mahoney available now!

A wonderful new picture book flies today!

OWLS MAKE TERRIBLE TEACHERS by Kristi Mahoney is ready for you now. You remember ALPACAS MAKE TERRIBLE LIBRARIANS — you couldn’t forget it if you tried. (That hairstyle!) Well, the gleeful fashion choices continue with an owl substitute teacher.

Find out why Kirkus Reviews called this book “Classroom chaos done right.” And why I can’t stop laughing/learning from this charming series. Get your claws on OWLS now!

Your Take

Poll: In your opinion, which animal / profession combo is the worst?

(From the email, click “read on blog” above to take poll.)

Featured Quote

“I don’t know of a single author that does this alone. And, really, who would want to?”

Kristi Mahoney

From “Six Questions with Kristi Mahoney” by Mary Boone.

Songs in French Coming Soon!

Guess who’s learning French — c’est moi!

Quebec flag

That’s right, since Canada is a bilingual country (English and French), I’m all in for both languages. I’m at the intermediate level now and even starting to write songs in French. So stayed tuned!

In the meantime, here’s “Slippery Fish” in French: “La Belle Pieuvre.” The writer of this storytime favorite, Charlotte Diamond, happens to be a bilingual Canadian and she gave us her wonderful children’s song in two languages. I’ve actually been using it to learn French myself! I hope you enjoy it as much as I have. À bientôt!

Final Thoughts

We’re so glad you came! Until next time …

◊ Like, comment, and share this post.

◊ Stream us on Apple Music, Spotify, Soundcloud, etc.

◊ Visit Storytime Solidarity.

◊ Be the world we want for our kids!

Ingrid Christina with a yellow bucket hat, a blue shirt, and their ukulele. Text reads, "Sing, Rhyme, and Play" and "The Sing Rhyme and Play Song."

Want these posts as emails? Subscribe here.

Contact

info@singrhymeandplay.com

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Three Storytime Rules for Grownups

a notebook with three lines and a checkmark next to each line in red, yellow, and blue

Please allow this interruption for an urgent message from Sing, Rhyme, and Play.

We all know the storytime rules for kids; but do you know the storytime rules for grownups? (Especially leaders?) These three simple rules make storytime better. They also ensure the kind world we all want for our kids!

Storytime Rules for Grownups

1. All the children at storytime are our children—treat them so.

There is no hierarchy of child value in which some children deserve kindness and others don’t.

2. Support the children at storytime—don’t hurt them.

A choice that is good for some children and bad for others is a bad choice.

3. These rules are not just for storytime.

***

Ingrid Christina shares The Lavender Librarian’s storytime song, “I Choose Kindness.”

Thank you for your kind attention.

Sing, Rhyme, and Play wishes you a better day.

Ingrid Christina with a yellow bucket hat, a blue shirt, and their ukulele. Text reads, "Sing, Rhyme, and Play" and "The Sing Rhyme and Play Song."

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Three Early Learning Mistakes to Avoid in 2026

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Welcome to my community media space for music and learning!

Happy New Year!

Enjoy Ingrid Christina’s original song for ringing in the new year.

2025 was a big year for Sing, Rhyme and Play.

One (1) big international move.

Six hundred (600) streams.

One thousand (1k) live show attendees.

One thousand eight hundred (1.8k) website views.

One hundred seven thousand (107k) video views.

What’s missing from this list? Books!

That’s right. Stay tuned for news of books coming out in 2026.

Thank you for being here with us!

Ingrid Christina and family wish you a happy new year! Enjoy this ukulele performance of the classic NYE song, “Auld Lang Syne,” for times past.

Three early learning mistakes to avoid in 2026!

What are your New Year’s Resolutions? Mine are to stop making three common early learning mistakes. Will you join me?

1. Stop thinking you can’t sing.

If you’re self-taught, like me, you’ll never forget those voices that said you couldn’t sing. Maybe those were others’ voices; maybe they were your own. Regardless, you can tell those voices to shut it. It doesn’t matter if you can sing! You don’t have to sound good to get people to feel comfortable and want to learn from you. You only have to sound happy. So enjoy singing, and you’ll sound better than you think.

2. Stop skipping your daily twenty minutes of reading.

Reading aloud to children for just twenty minutes a day exposes them to 1.8 million words per year and sets the stage for all future learning. Yes, it’s that easy and that impactful. Reading together is also just a really good habit and feel-good ritual. We all need to slow down and turn off our screens. We all need to connect with each other in person. So set that twenty minutes aside for reading together and protect it like it’s therapy.

3. Stop thinking your kids are too young. Or too old.

There’s no such thing as a kid that’s too old or too young to read to. In utero is a good time to start. And when they’re older and no longer want to be read to (this will be later than you think) let them see you reading for your own pleasure. Show them that they’re important enough to make the time for. Show them that reading is something you do for yourself too. Bonus points: Apply the same advice to singing.

What do you think? Are these three resolutions doable? If we commit to avoiding these early learning mistakes in 2026, the year will be fun for everyone!

Your Take – What are your New Year’s Resolutions?

Quote of the Week

When we fall down we get back up!

Rose Lani

Featured Creator

Like and comment on this video to propel Rose Lani to full-length albumhood!

Rose Lani, you did it! Please join me in offering huge congratulations to Rose Lani for surpassing 90% of her crowdfunding goal. Rose ran an excellent campaign to fund her upcoming children’s album. She’s almost there with a solid plan for earning the last 10%. I am so proud and inspired. Make sure you subscribe to her newsletter here to get updates as the album gets underway. Go, Rose Lani, go!

Final Thoughts

We’re so glad you came! Until next time …

◊ Like, comment, and share this post.

◊ Stream us on Apple Music, Spotify, Soundcloud, etc.

◊ Visit Storytime Solidarity.

◊ Be the world we want for our kids!

Ingrid Christina with a yellow bucket hat, a blue shirt, and their ukulele. Text reads, "Sing, Rhyme, and Play" and "The Sing Rhyme and Play Song."

Want these posts as emails? Subscribe here.

Contact

info@singrhymeandplay.com

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