They will be using these foam violins in DD’s Pre-zuki class and I thought about getting her one to practice positioning at home before she’s ready for her first real violin. I am thinking around 2.5-3 but I want her to practice with the pretend one first.
https://www.ymonline.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=product.display&Product_ID=1045
Just thought I would share in case anyone else is interested.
If you like you can make your own one from foam. Here is link to a cut out
LilyandOwensMom,
What size Foam-a-lin did you order for your 2 year old? I’m thinking of getting the 1/32 one but wasn’t sure.
I did not order anything just yet. There is a local luthier we are going to see tomorrow to discuss our options. If (and that’s a big if) I can find a teacher willing to take DD, we will need to purchase a real violin so he should be able to tell us what size tomorrow. They don’t rent violins that small.
I am on the fence. I want DD exposed to the actual instrument and while she does hear her teacher play violin in class, I want her to be able to hold it in her hands and grow accustomed to it. However, she has a difficult time sitting still in class sometimes and wants to get up and spin. The group class is 45 minutes though, and this lesson would be one and one only about 15 minutes, so maybe it will be easier to keep her attention for a shorter duration, I don’t know.
I just know that in general, earlier is better, but I also don’t want to waste our time or the instructor’s time if she’s too immature. But there’s only one way to find out I guess if I can even find an instructor willing to take her. Most seem to only start at 3 or 4. That seems like a very long ways away.
@lilyandowensmum
wherea are you from ? have you check with suzuki association?
I bought a brand new red 1/8 violin on eBay for my son. It cost me $65US including shipping. It arrived last night and I took it to the local music shop to see if it was good quality and the guy said it looked fantastic.
I am in Virginia. We are currently attending official Prezuki classes which is through a music academy here that specifically teaches the suzuki program, they simply do not offer the private/group lessons for kids that young. Only the mommy & me class. I am still looking, I emailed a pretty long list of random instructors I have found online trying to see if anyone is interested, but no success just yet. I would prefer that it’s a suzuki program, but really I am open to whatever because I can always switch her back to the music academy for private lessons in a year. I just want to get her feet wet with it. I was actually kicking around trying to find a college student perhaps majoring in music, handing them the G’Dae training manual and telling them to have at it. If I can’t get an instructor otherwise, it’s better than nothing. It’s only the basics.
waterdreamer- can you tell me where you ordered it from on Ebay? I am thinking we will need a 1/64 or 1/32. Tiny.
was it this one?
Oh, and I know next to nothing about violin (I am reading what I can to better help my kids) but these foam pads looked pretty cool for correct finger placement.
http://www.gdaemusic.com/Violin_Teaching_Aids_from_G'DAE_Music.htm
This is the exact auction I bid on.
http://cgi.ebay.ca/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=120588446877&ssPageName=ADME:L:OU:CA:1123
I don’t think this site sells them that small but I’m sure the other one you found would be ok. The sellers rating it pretty good.
I got mine from ebay too
contact your local church and elementary schools to see if they have any instructors.
Here are few things we do everyday to help with our lessons
Here’s a video on how to download free Suziki books and CD’s (I am sure this has been posted earlier in the fourm)
http://www.youtube.com/v/M4ARtdJGPtA?fs=1&hl=en_US
Here are few of my favorite videos that help with teaching violin
http://www.youtube.com/v/GdLwlGqkGHw?fs=1&hl=en_US
I got this reply back from an instructor today
“We could try lessons to see if she’s ready to begin playing on a real violin. It might be better to start next year, but it depends. A lesson that is 15-20 minutes in length would be an appropriate time to begin lessons.” and then the rest about setting up the details.
So it looks like we’ll give this a shot and see if it works. We were supposed to go to the violin shop today and get DD sized, but it got put on hold until tomorrow.
Thanks for the youtube links, I didn’t even THINK to look there!
@ liliandowensmum
how excited! keep us posted how it goes… 
Hi
You all seem so resourceful. 
Would like to tap on it .
Thanks in Advance!
Hi Karmie-*
http://www.kaboodle.com/reviews/xylophone-sound-puzzle
http://www.newhorizontoys.com/music-instruction-kids.html
I was led to this items directly and indirectly via your blog. Now I need to find the puzzle, along with the ringed chopsticks. Any idea where I can get those?
I will look around online for a bow for you in a little bit!
Hi,
I have no idea where to buy that sound puzzle, really. I’ve never seen it before in the stores. I bought it off another mom who was selling it on a local forum (singapore). I bought a bunch of M&D puzzles from her.
As for the DVD - I’ve not heard of it.
Ringed chopsticks is under the Edison brand. We can find it in shops here in Singapore. And probably on ebay too (i’ve seen). Just do a search of Edison training chopsticks.
Hope that helps!
I saw those chopsticks on your blog. I might buy two pairs. One of me and one for my son. I will proabley use them longer then my son will lol
If you look at one of the websites, there are chopsticks for adults too, i think.
http://www.edisonchopsticks.com.au/products.html
I just saw this website too:
http://www.veryasia.com/260343.html
This is the Korean suppliers’ website though, I think.
http://www.inpkorea.com/eng/
sam
Karmie- I also meant to ask, where did you get such a large score for your son to read? Did you make it using a software program? When they’re very little, bigger is better in everything so something that big would be perfect to start my kiddos off on.
I cut & pasted them together from printouts from the Tweedlewink website!
But I did make some more large scores later on using MS Publisher (as in, I actually “drew” the notes). So far I’ve only done C Major Scale & a very simple “Hot Cross Bun” score which he just simply refuses to play for some reason. haha!!!