Burnaby Village Storytelling and Songs

I am looking forward to going to Burnaby Village Museum over the next four days to tell stories and sing Christmas songs with children and families that visit this very special place.
I feel so privileged to get to share this special time with families. I love sitting in the special chair surrounded by Christmas trees lit up for the season, and surrounded by piles of wrapped presents, the perfect setting in the Stride Studios. Families wander in and take a seat to experience the gift of storytelling. I love asking the kids what story they would like the hear.

I have a collection of special Christmas stories, one about how the robins got their red breasts, and another about the little fir tree. Anna's Angel is very magical and I mix it up with traditional favourites such as the Three Billy Goats Gruff, or Masha and the Bear. It is a blessing to be able to tell these stories in this setting, to see the expressions on the children's faces and to share the stories that have been told for generations.

I connected with a soundscape artist while performing for the Very Vancouver Christmas Concerts and I am excited about collaborating with him and creating my storytelling CD, which has been on the back burner for a while. I was waiting for the right person to come along and this is a great opportunity to get my stories out there. I am so grateful for the magic that happens in life. So keep your eyes and ears open for the release of The Stories Of Three in 2011.

I hope everyone had a great Christmas Day and look forward to meeting lots of friends and families at Burnaby Village. I am there Dec. 27th until, Dec. 30th and all the times are on my events calendar in the side bar of this blog, or on my website.

See The Snow: a new song on pamelasunshinetv on youtube.

I love this song for its gentle quality.  It was written for a project I produced for the Children In The Valley ECE Conference in the early 1990's and has stood the test of time.
Children and special needs clients easily remember the words and melody.
Let me know what you think?

Let's Go Climb The Rockies

Let's Go Climb the Rockies is a great singalong song I wrote for children. It celebrates nature and explores the five senses, all while having the fun of singing.

I hope you enjoy singing this song with your children, the repetitive chorus makes it an easy one to learn.
You can see more great videos of songs for children on my youtube channel pamelasunshinetv

The Saturday Morning Cereal Bowl playing Pamela Sunshine

It is always exciting to discover yet another place that the songs from Growing Up Green are being played.
I just discovered that Dave Loftin has been playing songs from Growing Up Green on his Saturday Morning Cereal Bowl.
It is a podcast that is described as 'a weekly music show for the whole family.'
You can hear Dave's shows on iTunes

He plays a great collection of music and I am thrilled to be included in his playlist.
I encourage you to check it out and support this great podcast.

Nature Deficit Disorder - KQED QUEST

I always try and get my kids outside every day, skippping or doing our action school. When I had the preschool outside play was an integral part of my programme so it is so good to see this video proclaiming the importance or kids getting outside.

Stress levels go down and exercise it so important. Outside air is different and the sunlight is so important.

Pamela Sunshine: Home Sweet Home

Red Leaves Falling Down

One Two Three Four Five sung by Pamela Sunshine

Here Is A Ball For Baby

Pam Shares: Pam's Nursery Rhymes

Pam Shares: Pam's Nursery Rhymes: "Here are some useful resources for teachers and parents wishing to introduce Nursery Rhymes to their children. Pam hopes you will enjoy shar..."

New Finger Rhymes and Action Songs Uploaded onto My YouTube Channel

As some of you may know,I have worked with children all my adult life, as a children's storyteller and musical entertainer, as a primary teacher and also as the founder or Magic Puddle Preschool.
As Pam Southwell I put out 4 children's music CDs and also presented at ECE and Primary Teachers Conferences on the topics of Singing Games, Action Songs, Primary Music Programs and Storytelling and Table Top Puppets.
I have a YouTube Channel for my music videos called PamelaSunshineTV.
I have started uploading simple finger rhyme and chant videos as I feel they are so important in the development of children and often they are forgotten.
I hope people enjoy these simple little videos and share them with children.

These videos make it simple to learn all the actions and it is my hope that parents and teachers alike will use them with the children in their lives.

Here is Five Little Monkeys Swinging In A Tree.

New Review and Contest for Growing Up Green

Reviewed By Mom have featured Growing Up Green on their site.

Here is what they had to say about the CD.

"We listen to a lot of music in our home.  I try to expose the children to a good variety of artists and genres and I am always happy to expose them to someone new.  I was happy to have the chance to do a review of Pamela Sunshine's CD, Growing Up Green.

I know just why the children caught onto the chorus of this song...it IS catchy and fun.  To be honest, as I sit here and type, I have this song stuck right in my head and that is a good thing!  Growing Up Green is just one of the great songs on this environmentally friendly CD from Pamela Sunshine.
...........
 The songs are all very earth friendly and help to teach kids to care for the world around them.  The catchy lyrics and fun verses had me and the boys singing right along.  Ten Empty Pop cans is a big favorite with my boys and it makes for a fun counting song.  I just really love how the songs send important messages in ways children can understand and relate to.  In On Your Bike,  Pamela sings "if you are not going very far get on your bike" and in Turn off the Tap she sings "if we leave the water running we'll be running out of water".  These songs have stemmed some really great conversations between me and the boys about our footprint on the world around us.

I love this CD.  It now resides in my car CD player and is in permanent rotation.  Big thumbs up to Pamela Sunshine for her positive message sung in delightful songs for children (and their parents!).  You can purchase Growing Up Green here on Pamela's website.

FIVE lucky Reviewed By Mom Readers are going to win a copy of Pamela Sunshine's Growing Up Green!  Here is how to enter..."




Thank you Reviewed By Mom for the kind words
 

Great Review for Growing Up Green

 Here is the latest review on Growing Up Green, on the Review You website.

Pamela Sunshine has created a fun album of environmentally conscious songs for children of all ages...
The album’s subject matter is serious, but Pamela tackles recycling and conservation, among many other issues, in a way that isn’t condescending or childish.  All of the songs on Growing Up Green are easy to listen to, as well as infectious, thanks to Pamela’s perky singing and Gordon Maxwell’s excellent harmony vocals.  This is an album that can appeal to the child in everybody.

Pamela’s musical style is very folksy, much like Peter, Paul and Mary with the childlike innocence of Shari Lewis.  From the opening bars of the song “Growing Up Green,” you know that you are in for a enjoyable listen.  Toes will be tapping, heads will be bobbing and there will be a lot of singing along.  There’s an extra bonus to giving this album a listen: you and your children might learn something.
“Garbage Free Sea” will strike a chord with most listeners.  It reminds us of how important it is for the waters to remain free of garbage and other things.  She tackles recycling and litter in the song “Litter Matters.”  Once the song ends, you’ll think twice before tossing a candy wrapper carelessly to the ground.  She also reminds us to conserve water on “Turn Off The Tap.”

Pamela delivers her message sweetly in each song no matter what style she sings it in, from a fun reggae tune, to an upbeat country sounding tune, to a fun spoken-word song.  That spoken-word track is “Ten Empty Bottle Cans,” which has a double message.  It reminds us that littering is bad and recycling is good, and this message comes via a fun little rhyme that the kiddies will be reciting for hours after listening to it.

The album closes with the frolicking “Very Green Song.”  It really doesn’t get much greener than this tune, as she sings “Green, green green green. Green green green green. This is a very green song.” Now that’s a lot of green!  Its message is simple, “We can make a change, if we’re all green.”
It is wonderful when children’s music can accomplish more than just the basic entertainment purpose, and Pamela Sunshine’s Growing Up Green serves two purposes:  to entertain and to educate.  Wouldn’t it be wonderful if the whole world could listen to these sweet and simple tunes, take the message that each song contains, and put that message to use in their lives?  It would make the world a better place.
Pamela makes being green fun, with her songs that teach why we need to be good to our planet.   Now who was it that said, “It’s not easy being green”?
Review by Andrea Guy

TOTS Radio playing Pamela Sunshine's songs.

I have great news. Another station has added Pamela Sunshine to their playlist.

TOTS Radio in Georgia USA has been playing Pamela Sunshine's songs for over a month now!! They have played "On Your Bike", "Garbage Free Sea" and the "Very Green Song"!!

You can listen to Tots Radio at http://www.totsradio.com

It is a wonderful station.

Founders and Owners, Tim & Quovaddus established TOT’S RADIO in December 2008, after a continuous struggle of looking for appropriate music for their four year old daughter. After Quovaddus begin making mix CD’s at her daughter’s birthday parties, the parents of the children started to ask questions about the music. That’s when TOT’S RADIO launched into a podcast in December 2008 and is now a professional online radio station.

Tim & Quovaddus: founders of Tots Radio

TOT’S RADIO was created for infants, toddlers, and preschoolers. There are children radio stations out on the air but they focus on playing music for children older than 7. When listening to TOT’S RADIO you can hear fun and exciting music to get your little ones moving. Toddlers and Preschoolers use music as a way of developing motor skills and encourage musical interaction with their playmates. This music allows them to dance and learn everything from their number colors and alphabets all while having fun.
While listening to TOT’S RADIO kids can tune in to a special segment called “TOT’S BUZZ” hosted by our 4 year old daughter Alyssa, being a food critic, birthday shout-outs, prize giveaways and giving movie reviews on rated G box office hits!
TOT’S RADIO interactive website, totsradio.com, offers a birthday club, story time, fun activities and upcoming event page. There is also a lullaby page that offer soothing music to help that little one fall asleep.
What makes TOT’S RADIO different?
TOT’S RADIO offers a variety of music! We have hidden favorite songs for the parents too! Our radio station plays educational music to help children learn their alphabets, colors and numbers. We play the popular music that all children love; they will hear music from their favorite artist like Laurie Berkner, Imagination Movers, Dirty Fun Sock Band, Choo Choo Soul, Pamela Sunshine and many more including new upcoming artists!

Playlist for the Planet features Pamela Sunshine

I just submitted Growing Up Green to David Suzuki's Playlist for the Planet on CBC Radio
3. Please take a listen to my song at my profile page there http://radio3.cbc.ca/#/bands/Pamela-Sunshine.  

Growing UP Green is currently #22 on the Weekly Favourites list on Playlist for the Planet on CBC radio 3 http://radio3.cbc.ca/#/play/Playlist-for-the-Planet/playlist/Playlist-for-the-Planet-Weekly-Favorites

The voting is currently over while they tally the top songs for the provinces and then reopens this week sometime so people... can vote again.
I will let people know when I find out and hopefully I will be in the list and you can vote for Growing UP Green. I am thrilled to be featured on the list right now.

So head on over to the links above and find out more about David Suzuki's search to find Canada's environmental anthem. 

 

 

I am off on a Cob Building Adventure

I am very excited to be heading off on an adventure to Summerland. I am all packed up and even got a new tent. For the next two weeks I will be camping in Summerland and helping build a recording studio as part of Cob and the Community. I will be helping put up the walls and learning all about the different stages of building.

My dream is to build my own cob home on Mayne Island next summer.

Cob is a very old method of building with earth and straw or other fibers. It is quite similar to adobe in that the basic mix of clay and sand is the same, but it usually has a higher percentage of long straw fibers mixed in. Instead of creating uniform blocks to build with, cob is normally applied by hand in large gobs (or cobs) which can be tossed from one person to another during the building process. The traditional way of mixing the clay/sand/straw is with the bare feet; for this reason, it is fairly labor intensive. Some of the process can be mechanized by using a backhoe to do the mixing, but that diminishes the organic nature of it.

The wonderful thing about cob construction is that it can be a wildly freeform, sculptural affair. I've seen some very charming homes made this way. Cob was a common building material in England in the nineteenth century, and many of those buildings are still standing.

Cob buildings are beautiful. You can see pictures of some cob homes at http://www.cobworks.com/.

Pat Hennebery leads the workshop and he has been an leader in the world of Natural Home building. He has built many cob homes with folks on Mayne Island and beyond.

In April I went to a workshop on how to plan your Natural Home at OUR EcoVillage in Lake Cowichan on Vancouver Island. Elke Cole led an inspiring weekend and I hope to post pictures from this event soon.

I hope the sun shines today as I set off up the highway to Summerland. I want to put the top down on my little red beetle and enjoy the trip.

I hope you are all having a great summer, and I will be posting some pictures of my adventures in the next few weeks.

"The Best of the Fests" WorldFest 2010, Lake Balboa: Ray Schiel reports

In May I went down to LA to play at WorldFest. Here is a video created that encapsulates all that happened on that hot and sunny day, the music, the food, the booths, so much packed into one day in May.

Here is the Official Song Video for Growing Up Green

I am so excited to have a beautiful new video available now on my youtube station, PamelaSunshineTV.

The talented George Faulkner produced a wonderful montage of images that perfectly reflect the sentiments of the lyrics in this, the title song off my new CD. He cleverly included some clips of the live show at the PAL Theatre. I am so grateful to him for his many talents, as a cameraman and editor, as well as a producer.

Please let me know what you think of the video, I know my grandaughter Kayla makes her mom watch it over and over lol. She loves it!

I am looking forward to performing at the Car Free Days Vancouver event on Commercial Drive this, Sunday, June 20th. I will be on the REACH stage at 2:30. It is located at Commercial and Napier.

I will have all my percussion instruments there and hope to see lots of families out for a fun filled day.

Radio play for On Your Bike

Lots has been happening in the last few days.
I discovered Gooney Birds Kids radio are playing On Your Bike. They have a show featuring songs about riding bikes along with other things.

It is great to know my songs are being played out there.


Hope you are all well and that the sun will be shining soon, enough of the grey skies.

Love and light
Pamela

Heading off the World Fest in May, California Here I Come

It is pretty amazing to be invited to perform at LA largest Earth Day event. It is billed as LA's Green, Compassionate Living, Music Festival
WorldFest is a solar-powered celebration of music, the environment, animals and humanity. We’re helping people learn what they can do for the Earth and its inhabitants.

The WorldFest 2010 Earth Day Festival will be held at the beautiful outdoor setting of Woodley Park in Lake Balboa, CA. We welcome our attendees to a magnificent day filled with entertainment, education and enlightenment. The combination of great music, empowering speakers, environmental, humanitarian and animal welfare non-profits, kids' activities and a delicious food court make for an earth-friendly experience that is sure to be inspiring and enjoyable for all.

Here's What's Happening at WorldFest this Year:

• Main Stage - bigger-name bands and celebrity speakers.
  
• Earth Lounge - singer/songwriters, jazz, rock, funk, and world music groups and poets.
  
• EcoTent - speakers, discussions, and displays about sustainable living and current environmental issues
  
• Healthy Hut - speakers, discussions, and displays about health including yoga, meditation & cooking demos.
  
• Exhibitors - more than 100 companies and organizations showcasing their products or eco- and animal-friendly messages.
  
• Kids' World - storytelling, face painting, and children's entertainers and other activities!
  
• BarkFest - a new dog park inside WorldFest (more info coming soon)
• Oasis Beer and Wine Garden - Refresh yourself in the Oasis located near the Main Stage!
  
• Animal Adoptions - dogs, cats, rabbits and lots of animals looking for good homes!

So to any fans and friends in the LA area, I look forward to seeing you at World Fest on May 16th.

First Video from the CD Release concert at the PAL Theatre

Here is one of the videos I uploaded on to youtube.

I was so lucky to have George Faulkner tape the entire Official Growing Up Green CD Release Concert at the PAL Theater last Sunday, March 21st.

We had a great turnout and so much fun.

I would like to thank all the people who came out and made it such a joyful afternoon. I also had lots of help to make it such a great success. My daughter Claire helped run the box office, and folks from PAL volunteered, welcoming everyone as they arrived and showing them up to the top floor theatre.

Jesse Waldman did a terrific job running the sound and Fionna, donated so much time helping me set up the stage and the sound system, as well as the lights.

Johnnie Wray designed the beautiful banners and posters for me and Nicole Scofield played violin, while Beth Southwell added accordian and djembe.

It was so much fun and I am excited to be adding the video up onto my youtube channel.
I hope you all enjoy the songs and the story.

Extra Day added to Funzone Family Festival

Great news, I will be doing an extra show at the Maple Ridge Fairgrounds for the Funzone Family Festival. I will be performing on both the Saturday and the Sunday, May 1st and 2nd, times TBC.

This Festival is shaping up to be quite the event. I will keep you posted as I learn more about who will be performing there.

Burnaby Village Performance added for March 14th

I will be doing three shows at Burnaby Village on Sunday March 14th, starting at 1:00.
As always it is a treat to tell stories and share my songs at this wonderful Village setting.

Hopefully I will be in the church, but if this is not available I will be in Brookfield Hall.

Lets hope for the sunshine and I look forward to seeing my friends there. It is a great way to wind up Spring Break and welcome in the coming season.

Growing Up Green CD Release Concert Set for PAL Theatre, March 21st

Celebrate the coming of Spring on March 21st by joining me at the PAL Theatre at 581 Cardero St, Vancouver. The Growing Up Green CD Release concert starts at 1:00 and I am thrilled to have two wonderful musicians joining me on stage.
My daughter Beth Southwell will be playing accordian, djembe and adding her beautiful harmonies. Also I am privileged to have the talented Nicole Scofield join me on violin.

There will be lots of audience participation as always, at my shows, and some surprises along the way as well.

This is the Official CD Release and I am hoping for a great turn out.

The PAL Theatre is a great venue with a lovely roof garden just outside the lobby.

I hope to see you there at the showl

Tickets are only $10 for adults, $5 for children and younger siblings/babies are free.
You can get your tickets online at http://www.ticketstonight.ca or at the door.

CDS will be for sale and there might be some other merch available.

Funzone at the Home Show.

I will be appearing at this years FUNZONE at the Maple Ridge Home Show at the beginning of May. I will let you know who else will be appearing at this popular children's festival as soon as the line up is finalized.

Beth will be playing with me, adding accordian, penny whistle, djembe etc to add some sparkle.

Pamela Sunshine at Lilli Q's in February

There is a new place for families in Vancouver. The Lilli’Q Café and Playhouse believes that the family is truly the heart of the community.

They have designed their café with parents in mind, there is plenty of space for the kids to play in their child friendly play-area and there is even room to park strollers!

Lilli Q's goal is to provide a stylish, yet comfortable environment to enjoy fantastic coffee, superb baked goods and phenomenal service.

Lilli Q is at 1268 Pacific Blvd. in Yaletown, downtown Vancouver, BC. Close to David Lam Park and the Roundhouse Community center. Very close to the Olympic Public Viewing Space as well!

I will be performing at Lilli Q's on February 14th and February 21st from 10-12 in the morning, part of their Soulful Expressions month. I will be telling stories as well as singing songs from my new CD, Growing Up Green.

They have a special play area for children as well. I hope to see you there.

Photo's by Erica Miller Photography

The Festival of Lights was a Huge Success

Friday, Jan 29th was great. I got to perform at the Festival of Light in Maple Ridge. There were the Stave Falls Scottish Dancers performing for the huge crowds in Haney Place Mall.

I would like to say thanks to all my friends, big and small, who showed up at the show.

All the children brightened the occasion with their enthusiastic instrument playing.

I feel so blessed to be able to be a part of this wonderful community and its events. Maple Ridge is a special place indeed.





Ineke Boekhorst looks at some of the lanterns made in previous years for the Festival of Light Tuesday afternoon at the Gourmet Hideaway.

Colleen Flanagan/ The News

Burnaby Village Christmas Pics

Christmas at Burnaby Village Museum was wonderful. I am so happy to have had some pictures sent to me from some of the happy visitors.

Thanks to everyone who came out to explore Burnaby Village and ride on the carousel and share my stories and songs with me.