What is the most effective way of offering positive, creative experiences for young children?

There are some aspects of human behaviour which virtually every child finds engaging, encouraging, helpful, and positive.

Children don’t have to be tutored in any way to get enjoyment out of these activities – it is just a natural element of self-expression; a part of growing up.

For example, drawing and painting can be considered one such area that virtually all children seem to enjoy and benefit from experiencing.  Movement and dance is another, while a third is singing, and yet another is writing lyrics to songs.

Building on this natural desire for artistic expression among children, SEALSONGS was created by a well-known songwriter, working with a group of London primary schools, using children’s ideas.  It is now used in hundreds upon hundreds of schools across the country and has become a firm favourite in assemblies.

What’s more, in addition to the songs, SEALSONGS gives advice to non-specialist teachers on teaching songs and leading singing.

Indeed Sealsongs also acts as a classroom resource for SEAL, with notes on how each song relates to its topic, while explaining how pupils may explore their ideas by writing new lyrics to the songs.  Thus it gives children the positive experience of working with others in creating new songs within the SEAL framework.

The SEAL themes include New beginnings, Getting on and falling out, Say no to bullying, Going for goals, Good to be, Relationships and Changes.  Two further general songs – one about writing songs and one providing a Rhyme Game – are also included in the pack.

SEALSONGS was written by David Stoll, the well-known composer of music for the concert hall, the theatre, television and radio. David often also writes songs and other works for children, and he designs projects in creativity for schools, higher education and the corporate sector.

The complete pack including music, lyrics, backing tracks and teachers’ notes is available as a download.  The price is £24.00, which includes a licence for printing, copying and using the products in a non-commercial way within schools; the price also includes VAT.

Sample pages are available to download from www.schools.co.uk/samples/SEALSONGSSamples.zip

SEALSONGS is available for immediate download from www.schools.uk/index.php/on-line-shop/item/13-sealsongs