Impromptu Family Marching Band

Kids LOVE to stomp their feet and make noise... why not put those natural instincts to good use, and form your very own band?

It was some random night after supper, the kitchen was a mess and it was bathtime, and yet there we were: four of us, shirking our duties and instead marching around the house, one following the other, making noise. A LOT of noise.Giggles and smiles abound.

It was one of those impromptu family events that you don't plan or anticipate, and ends up being so fun and memorable that the kids occasionally say "Remember that time we...?".

I'm demented! Heeheeheeheehee!!

One of us - I can't recall who - asked, "What makes music?" (a la Let's Make Music Elmo Video which we had just watched*). The challenge was upon us: find the things around us - in the kitchen, living room, toy box - that would make 'music' -- or, in our case, just funny noises. Now, maybe you have one of those sets of toy instruments with a tambourine and various other noise-making apparati, but we do not - we were winging it!  


*As a side, can anyone tell me why Elmo is always giggling? What is so damn funny all the time? What is that dude smoking that makes everything worth a giggle? "Elmo loves his green crayon! Hee hee hee hee hee!"

Just like this, only with more spoons. And fewer carrots.

Anyway. There we were... marching with gusto, playing our instruments -- coffee cans, spoons, toy cars, containers filles with popcorn kernels... we even added vocal instruments with the likes of "Bup bup buhh-bup!" and "Doot doot dee doooooo". We took turns being the leader (not on purpose, mind you... some of us just got lost going around the corner and / or changed direction and ended up in the front somehow!). The 'song' (I use the term loosely) changed as we went, but we all went with the flow and I'm telling you, we had a blast in our Impromptu Family Marching Band.

Personally, I thought we sounded fantastic... The neighbours may have beeged to differ (or begged for earplugs) had our windows been open. Lucky for them it's the middle of the winter...

If you try this at home, tell me about it, okay? I want to know about all the parades going on in other houses. What instruments did you come up with? Keep in mind it's not about making some elaborate thing that requires glue or scissors or talent... it's literally just pick it up and start marching.

And if you're not giggling right along with your kids by the end of it, there's something wrong with you. ;)