Wiggle Out Loud

We had a very busy weekend.  So busy, in fact, that we almost didn't go to Wiggle Out Loud as it was a tight fit between brunch with friends at Waffle Champion and Labor Day fun with the Rouse clan.  I'm am so very glad we did.  This event was new to OKC and combined fun, live kids' music in a format similar to a music festival with art projects and lots of ways to get moving. Above, M & B are making their lanyards with art for the day.  They also decorated bracelets and made jingle sticks so they'd have their own musical instrument to carry around. 

The best part for B, by far, was the OKC Philharmonic's instrument playground.  I suspect you've seen these before, basically, they set out a variety of instruments and help the kids try them.  B LOVED it and declared he needs to learn to play violin/viola, a horn, and the drums. (Score!)

My band nerd heart loves seeing him learn now to hold a trumpet.

Here he is with the trombone.  Brent and B were in this area for at least 30 minutes, maybe longer as he tried things over and over.  Every instrument.  He played them all and loved it.  (For those not familiar with my background, everyone in my family plays an instrument and sings, many are music/instrument instructors, and everyone feels pretty passionately about this.  So far, we haven't really started with our own kids for lack of them being enthusiastic, but that phase is over at least for B). 

M mostly stuck with percussion (including piano) and seemed to have fun, but was not nearly as committed/ excited about everything. 

He played and played, and questioned and played.  Brent used to play cello for awhile so he and the staff tried to help him understand what was going on.  I'm hoping my friend Mary can help me get him connected with a teacher and how to start with strings in OKC. I want it to be fun and interesting and we're ready if he is.  I much prefer Mary and her parents' approach as opposed to people that think a first grader is too old or needs to be committed to hours a day so we'll work to keep him supported, but not overly pressured.  I'm just so excited that he's excited.  He would only leave the booth if we promised he could come back at the end of our visit (and of course we did). 

 

 E's favorite parts were the free toothbrush and the splash pad/fountain area.  It was very hot so this was a good thing even if our kids were thoroughly soaked thereafter. 

 

Of course as it was a music festival everyone had to get tattoos.

M's favorite part was listening to the live music and dancing around.  We heard the Red Dirt Rangers and Monty Harper.  There was a long list of performers wrapping up with the Verve Pipe in the evening (they now sing kids' music too).  There were also food trucks, kayak demos, folks from the library, KOSU, and much more!

This was the first year for this free, fun festival and I so hope it returns next year.  You can read more about it here and of course suggestions about B's new musical journey are greatly appreciate.