To leave feedback about the podcast and to suggest guests and topics, send an e-mail to carolyn@adventureswithgrammy.com
Do you know that playing a musical instrument is the only thing we do that exercises the entire brain at once? When a child learns to play a musical instrument, the entire brain exercises. Music involves the left, right, front and back portions of the brain making music the most powerful brain-building activity.
Children involved in music are better at reading, writing, math, language arts, spelling, vocabulary, and memorization because music builds the three areas of the brain necessary for learning: auditory cortex, visual/spatial cortex and motor cortex.
Follow Sharlene Habermeyer, the author of Good Music Brighter Children, to learn more about how music supports these areas of the brain and increases learning. Click here to buy her book.
To leave feedback about the podcast and to suggest guests and topics, send an e-mail to carolyn@adventureswithgrammy.com
Our guest today is Dr. Judith Van Hoorn, a grandmother, educator and expert on young children’s play. In addition to numerous college textbooks about play, she has written a book for grandparents, which we will discuss today. The title is
The Gift of Play: How Grandparents Enhance the Lives of Young Childrenby Dr. Judith Van Hoorn, Author
Before I launch into our conversation, I want to remind you that the next book give away will be April 7 when a lucky Adventures with Grammy newsletter subscriber will receive an autographed copy of Grad to Grown-up by Gene Rice.
Signing up for the newsletter is easy! Start by texting Grammy to 22828 to get started.
Thank you for listening, and I hope you enjoy my conversation with Judy Van Hoorn.
Sign up for the Adventures with Grammy newsletter by texting Grammy to 22828 to get started!
Newsletter subscribers are eligible to win the next book giveaway: April 7. Grad to Grown-up by Gene Rice
My guest today is Anieke Lamars, the co-founder & CEO of Peekabond — an app that helps families across the world build bonds with young children at a distance. The app combines asynchronous video connections, with playful, science-based inspiration, including games, stories and songs to help long-distance grandparents connect with their grandchildren. I like the app because I can record a video my grandchildren can watch when it is convenient for their parents. Links to learn more about the app and download it are in the show notes.
Sign up for the Adventures with Grammy newsletter by texting Grammy to 22828 to get started!
Newsletter subscribers are eligible to win the next book giveaway: April 7. Grad to Grown-up by Gene Rice
Rob Gorski’s three sons are on the Autism Spectrum. When he first learned about autism, he was angry, bewildered and often felt alone. He poured his thoughts and feelings into a blog he never imagined anyone would read, but they did. In 2020, he launched his podcast … the Autism Dad. Rob is with us today to share his journey, to introduce us to his sons, and to assure families who enter the world of autism they are not alone.
Sign up for the Adventures with Grammy newsletter by texting Grammy to 22828 to get started!
Two hundred years ago Harriet Tubman was born enslaved on a farm on the Eastern Shore of Maryland in the United States. The exact date of her birth is unknown, but consensus is sometime between 1820 and 1822. She died March 10, 1913, at about age 90, in Auburn, New York.
Kicking off today and throughout 2022 events in Maryland will trace Harriet Tubman’s footsteps and highlight her fight for freedom.
Today we are talking with Sarah Jackson, the mom behind the Instagram site 4DMVKids, and Ranger Cierra, a park ranger at the Underground Railroad National Historical Park in Church Creek, Maryland. It is run by the National Park Service and commemorates the life of former enslaved Harriet Tubman. The park has a visitors’ center, a history museum, and, according to Sarah, an awesome, price-friendly gift shop. There is a statue of Harriet Tubman sitting on a bench in the visitor center, and as Sarah’s son discovered, the perfect location for a picture to remember your day at the park.
Programs and events scheduled for the anniversary weekend include:
Friday, March 11:
7 p.m. – Virtual Premier of “Rooted Wisdom: Nature’s Role in the Underground Railroad” This film chronicles the experiences of freedom seekers’ journeys through the wilderness. The documentary film will stream live on Friday, March 11 at 7 p.m at naturesrole.org. The virtual event is free and open to all, though registration is encouraged at bit.ly/RootedWisdomPremiere. A panel discussion with historians and filmmakers will follow.
Following the premiere, the film will be shown in the multi-purpose room every hour at 10:30 a.m., 11:30 a.m., 12:30 p.m., 1:30 p.m., and 2:30 p.m. throughout the celebratory weekend.
Saturday, March 12:
10 a.m. – Opening ceremony featuring a living history interpretation by Millicent Sparks
11 a.m. – “The Discovery of the Ben Ross Homesite” Hear from Dr. Julie Schablitsky of the Maryland Department of Transportation about the successful effort to locate and excavate the homesite of Ben Ross. The artifacts are on display for the first time at the Visitor Center for the entire month of March.
12 p.m. – “Foraging Freedom: Experiencing the Natural World of the Underground Railroad” Join an interactive walking tour with historian Anthony Cohen through the Legacy Garden and adjacent Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge. Participants should expect to be on their feet and are encouraged to wear comfortable all-weather shoes.
1 p.m. – “Jubilee Voices at Harriet’s House” Hear the Washington Revels Jubilee Voices during the Tubman 200th festivities. Jubilee Voices is an ensemble that is committed to the preservation of African American history and traditions through songs and storytelling.
2 p.m. – “The Education of Harriet Ross Tubman” Kate Clifford Larson, a Tubman biographer, discusses the free and enslaved people who helped raise, protect, nurture, and educate Minty to become the woman we know as Harriet Tubman.
3 p.m. – “‘Designing a New Place to Experience History: An Exploration of the Architects”
Listen to Chris Elcock, associate principal of the architecture firm GWWO Inc., as he explains the design process behind creating the Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad State Park and Visitor Center
Sunday, March 13:
10 a.m. – “Meet Harriet Tubman” Living history interpreter Millicent Sparks performs as Tubman and shares her monumental life with audience members.
11 a.m. – “The Hidden Chesapeake Through Harriet Tubman’s Eyes” Kate Clifford Larson, a Tubman biographer, shares about some of the places around the Chesapeake Bay that bear witness to the histories, memories, and legacies of the Underground Railroad and its most famous conductor.
12 p.m. – “The Chronicles of Adam” A powerful and inspirational first-person historical interpretation of an enslaved man by the name of Adam.
1 p.m. – “The Legacy Hour” Hear from community members and enjoy musical selections from Renna McKinney as we honor the lives of Donald Pinder and Herschel Johnson. During the second half hour, become inspired by Tina Wyatt, great, great, great grandniece of Harriet Tubman as she shares “A Letter to Soph.”
2 p.m. – “The Legacy of Slavery in Maryland” Chris Haley of the Maryland State Archives presents a general overview of slavery in Maryland, which will include examples of records specifically related to the state and to counties of the Eastern Shore and how both the enslaved and free were affected by the ‘peculiar institution.’
3 p.m. – “Freedom Bound”
Join public historian and historical interpreter Marvin-Alonzo Greer in this family-friendly program with interactive songs and stories.
The Maryland Department of Natural Resources, Maryland Department of Commerce, National Park Service, and other federal, state, and local partners will continue to celebrate and highlight aspects of Tubman’s story throughout the year.
One of the upcoming events will be a lecture:
Connecting Past to Present: How to use artifacts and photos to create dynamic stories Saturday, April 2 – 10:30am-Noon, at the Harriet Tubman Museum & Educational Center, 424 Race St., Cambridge, MD. This is the subject of my newest book, Snapshots of My Life: How to Write a Memoir. You can purchase the paperback version online, or you can receive a digital version for free by signing up for my newsletter: text Grammy to 22828 to get started!
To learn about this remarkable woman, visit the following sites:
