Going out on a bang...homeschool style!!!

A few of the kids...drumming their hearts out!!

Yesterday we had our last homeschool gathering of the "school" year.  For the past few months, we've been tapping into our own community of creative people and getting them to come out and share their talents with our homeschool group.  This month we ended with a "BANG" and were lucky enough to have local drumming sensation Jean Bereton along with her lovely helpers Shanti and Dustin come out to do a drumming and rhythm workshop with our kids.  Jean led the children to explore rhythm and all sorts of different rhythm instruments...there were huge drums, bells, sticks, shakers, rattles...oh my!! 

 

The fantastic and lovely Jean in action...

Before the class began, the instruments were being set up, and the kids just dove right in and started making their own rhythm.  Jean looks at us parents standing on the sidelines and says, "This is what I LOVE about children...they just get right in there...and the parents...well, they normally stand on the sidelines waiting to be told what to do!!"  It was true.   

If you haven't drummed before...let me tell you how good it is for your SOUL!!!  The need to make a beat, its just so primal...it speaks to something in our souls that is long forgotten.  If you get the chance to drum, even if you feel less than rhythmic...just do it!!  The children were just full of JOY during this workshop, and my own daughter Ruby, kept drumming on everything in the house long into the evening!  Below are some pictures of the kids in motion...the parents were drumming a beat and the kids were moving and playing some "portable" rhythm instruments.  This was an afternoon of movement and energy...

The kids in motion...

energetic and light...

And how FUN, for us moms, normally on the sidelines or leading a class, to get to participate alongside our children...all learning together! 

A handful of the beautiful mamma friends who were there...

radiating pure JOY!!

Even the smallest people in our group were encouraged to participate!!

Babies and toddlers are just naturally drawn to participate!

  

So...at the end of the day I felt intense gratitude for being a part of the rhythm...being part of this group of children and mothers and teachers!
 

On a side note...while we were happily drumming away and dancing inside the Community Centre, there was an EARTHQUAKE...we were a part of it...drumming our way through it.  In fact, we didn't even know that it had happened until after when we heard it on the radio! 

In rhythm and JOY

maureen xo