Learning With Hap Palmer

by Cindy Wilkinson

Hap Palmer is a wonderful musician who has been around for three decades! One of his greatest contributions to the world of kid's music is his amazing song, Sammy, from his Getting to Know Myself CD. Any child who has ever worked with me in a music class knows this song. It ranks at the top of the list of most requested songs by my students. And, my fellow teachers with organizations like the Denver Center Theatre Academy seem to like it just as much! Hap weaves together a wonderful story about a little boy who goes to the store to buy bread for his father, with the child deciding it is more fun to fly like a bird or swim like a fish, as he follows on with this task. The song incorporates an array of movement opportunities for the children as they too can move like birds or fish as they sing this lovely song.

To find more about Sammy or other musical works of Hap Palmer, you can go to his website at: http://happalmer.com/. You will find links to his children's CDs as well as DVDs and MP3s. There are more great links where you can get info on making teacher aids such as bean bags, hoops, and scarves, as well as coloring pages for the little ones. My favorite link on his website is the Lyrics and Activities section. Here you can find additional activites to complement many of Hap's CDs such as his Early Childhood Classics CD. It includes a great version of Old McDonald's Farm in which not only is there a farm, but also a zoo and a pet shop.

And, for those hard core Sammy fans out there, if listening to or singing with Hap's CDs isn't enough for you, there is also a wonderful video of this song too. Here is the link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zyjuuySiwe0&feature=related Another awsome video I saw by Hap is called Hap Palmer's Follow-Along Songs. My favorite song/activity from this video is called Homemade Band. Here is the link to this video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QDwFYLUFU6w

So, when you and your little one are in need of some new activities, where learning and musical enjoyment go hand in hand, try out one of Hap Palmer's CDs, videos, or an activity from his website. Both you and your child will likely become life-long fans like so many others!!