Lions & Tigers & Bears, Oh My!!

When was the last time you and your children watched The Wizard of Oz? In the movie, there is a famous line when Dorothy, the Tinman, and the Scarecrow take a fearful walk through the forest whispering, "Lions and Tigers and Bears, Oh my!" Then they repeat it, a little louder, then repeat it yet again even louder!


Being silly with your child and imitating this part of the movie, is a wonderful way of introducing piano (soft), crescendo (growing louder), and forte (loud). Most kids have some level of understanding of loud and soft, but it is the crescendo--the growing louder-- that can be a challenge. It requires control and the grasping of this concept makes crescendo and decrescendo in music lessons much easier to understanding and perform.

Enjoy the movie and entertainment!

*Let me know if you try this tip and how it worked for you!