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Writer's pictureChristy | the Practice Pro
Oct 16, 20205 min read

#11 Pumpkin Faces | Halloween Activity for Review Pieces

Updated: Oct 10



Christy | The Practicing Pro

Let's change up your home practices during the Halloween Season!
In the Suzuki method of learning, they have an absolutely brilliant philosophy that you do six or more review pieces a day and this is the foundation and the most important part of your practice!
Do you need a SUPER FUN HALLOWEEN Themed activity to use for YOUR Review Pieces?
Well, I've got you covered!

With my Pumpkin Faces Review Piece Activity you can keep YOUR REVIEW happening effortlessly making it exciting and fun this Halloween Season!

Reviewing helps you to learn faster!

By playing six review pieces each practice while inserting the new things you are learning in between, your learning curve goes up quickly with less work.
If we pick up our instruments and spend our entire practice time doing new things, thinking that spending more time on our new things will help us learn faster...that is actually incorrect. Your brain actually attaches new skills to old familiar ones.

Try to do half or more of your practice by doing things you already know well - then the rest of the time drill your harder new things in between.
This will give you the highest and fastest learning curve.

Reviewing Pieces helps Improve Memory
We want to improve our memory!
When we have a good memory, it is almost like having a superpower! We can learn faster and better recalling things from the past. Then we connect new things to the old things as we recall them.
As you review your pieces, every day, it will be magic how you can increase your learning both in ease and speed. When you use practice review charts and you keep track of the 6 songs you are reviewing daily then and as the list gets longer your memory gets longer at the same time!
Imagine the benefit of having such a wonderful memory when you are taking a course and need to write an exam!

FREE PDF

Pumpkin Faces - Downloads
Here are the Pumpkin Face Pieces to use in the Review Pieces Activity.

How to use the Pumpkin Faces for Review Pieces

The way you use the Pumpkin Faces for review is to print the Face Pieces and Song List for your level (or the blank one if you want to fill it out on your own).
Cut out all the Face Pieces and Pumpkins and write the numbers from 1-20 on the back of each piece.
Put all the pieces (including the pumpkins) into a hat or bag or bowl.
Close your eyes and pick out a piece!
The number that is on the back of the pumpkin piece that you chose will tell you which review song to play (Refer to your Song List to know which piece corresponds with each number. You can use one of the Suzuki ones provided or make your own on the BLANK sheet).

As you play more songs you will get more pumpkin face pieces!
When you get enough you can build your Jack-O-Lantern Face and see how big of a Jack-o-lantern Pumpkin Patch you can make!



This is what I used:
  1. Pumpkin Pieces Download - printed
  2. Song List Download (choose the one that fits you best)
  3. Scissors to cut out all the pieces
  4. A bag or bow to put all the pieces into
  5. Pen or Pencil to write numbers on the back of each piece
  6. colored pencils/markers (optional if you choose to color the black and white pumpkins)

Song Lists for Pumpkin Pieces - Downloads

This will be the perfect review activity for your Halloween Practicing! It will make playing your review pieces fun and rewarding!
Happy Halloween and Happy Reviewing!

Make this a LONGER activity and add a celebration:
These pumpkins are so fun and easy to make with great practice results - let's say you do TWO pumpkins each day and build a HUGE PUMPKIN PATCH! Make a hard-working celebration goal and take a trip to a pumpkin farm!!!

EXAMPLES:
As soon as we complete 20 pumpkins we will put on our calendar a trip to a farm to go to a real pumpkin patch and pick real pumpkins!
OR
Go to the store and each pick out your own practice pumpkin to CARVE together!


My favorite place to go pumpkin picking is Howard Dill's Pumpkin Farm, in Windsor Nova Scotia! I lived for 3 years just one street away and it was so fun to see the pumpkins growing all fall until they were finally BIG and orange and out in the yard ready for everyone to come and choose their favorite one to take home!


This is the October Challenge that I created to help keep your practicing intentional and meaningful through the Spookiest month of the year! You can also print one and give it to your teacher for a gift or they can do it WITH you too!

Please send me a photo to share with every one of your completed pumpkins.



Check out my Free PDF download Checklist for a Successful Music Practice for teachers and practicing parents.

Your easy checklist for successful home music practices from Christy, the practicing pro. Whether you are a new or seasoned practice parent or music teacher, this checklist will help you organize before, during, and after practices for effective and fun practices.

INVITATION from Christy Hodder:

Speaking of amazing practices, let me tell you all about the digital course, the Practicing Pro Academy. This is for the serious practicing parents and music teachers and is an at-your-own-pace, step-by-step, online course to bring you more effective, positive, and fun home music practices. Registrants receive a special package in the mail from me, and I am with you in person with Q&As to answer all your questions.

Learn more about PPA and join the waitlist HERE for the next Practicing Pro Academy course. It's only offered once a year so you don't want to miss it. The registration will only open for a few weeks and I'll let everyone on the waitlist know immediately so that you can grab one of the spots.

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