Cup Drumming for Kids (download)

In this hour-long video, you'll learn how to play 18 different two- and three-part rhythms from Africa and Cuba, as well as rock and pop music. It's for kids 5 and up, but it's also for grown-ups, as you'll see when I play the rhythms along with my wife Betsy and our 27-year-old daughter Molly.  And whether you're a teacher looking for a funkier way to use Boomwhackers® in the classroom or a family that just wants to play together, this video will get you rockin' in no time.

To play the rhythms, all you need are two sets of pentatonic Boomwhackers® and one set of Boomwhacker® caps. 

Boomwhacker Rhythms is also available as part of my "Rhythm for Kids Package Deal" that includes the video "Cup Drumming" and the book "Slap Happy."  The package deal gives you 3 titles for the price of 2 as downloads (click on the image below). 

As a bonus, you'll get some free music when you order this video, including the album Jaguar at Half Moon Lake and the four piano songs I wrote for The Joy of Six. 

You don't need a drum to be a drummer!  Features of this video:
*For kids age 10 and up (or a precocious 5 and up)
*For parents who want to do something fun with their kids
*For teachers who are looking for a music program that doesn't require any instruments

*Learn 12 rock and pop rhythms
*Learn the pass, the slide, and the roll
*Learn basic rhythmic concepts
*Play alone, in pairs, or in a group
*Play along with us as we rock out to real music in every lesson
*Play along with your favorite music.
*Running time: 56 minutes

Cup drumming builds coordination, cooperation and connection, and it's great for parties, sleep-overs, retreats or camp. 

Cup Drumming is available as part of my "Rhythm for Kids Package Deal" that also includes the video "Boomwhacker Rhythms" and the book "Slap Happy." The package deal gives you 3 titles for the price of 2 as downloads (click on the image below). You can also get Cup Drumming separately as a DVD by clicking on "Physical DVDs" on the main menu of Videos and Books.  

by Alan Dworsky and Betsy Sansby

This is the download version of Slap Happy, which includes the book in PDF format and the audio CD as mp3 files.  Slap Happy is for kids of all ages. It turns drum rhythms into body rhythms you can step, clap, and slap with a buddy. Right from the start, you'll be learning traditional dance rhythms from West Africa and the Caribbean: Kuku from Guinea, Sunguru Bani from Mali, Kpegisu from Ghana, Bomba from Puerto Rico, and Conga from Cuba. 

You can do Slap Happy in pairs or in groups, indoors or out, at home or at school. If you're a parent, it's a great way to do something fun and educational with your kids that doesn't require any previous musical training. If you're a music teacher, you can use Slap Happy to give your students a hands-on experience of world rhythms without having to buy any instruments. It's physical, it's funky, and it's fun! 

Slap Happy is also available as part of my downloadable "Rhythm for Kids Package Deal" that  includes the videos "Cup Drumming" and "Boomwhacker Rhythms"  If you want all 3 for the price of 2, just click on the image on the left in the top row below. 

"I came across Slap Happy years ago and used it with joy and pleasure in my classroom. Thank you for the happiness it brought to my elementary and middle school students!   Joan Kingsolver, Wyoming 

"Slap Happy is the BEST!!!!!" Shannon Williams, K-6 general music teacher in Athens City Schools in Ohio

This package deal gives you 3 kid-friendly instructional titles for the price of 2.  It includes the videos "Cup Drumming for Kids" and "Boomwhacker Rhythms for Beginners of All Ages," as well as the book "Slap Happy."  All are in downloadable form. If you want to learn more about each individual title in this package, just click on its image below. 

As a bonus, you'll get some free music when you order this package, including the album Jaguar at Half Moon Lake and the piano songs I wrote for The Joy of Six. 

"Perfect for my kids!"  Diego Peris, Algard School, Ibiza, Spain

"I came across Slap Happy years ago and used it with joy and pleasure in my classroom. Thank you for the happiness it  brought to my elementary and middle school students!"   Joan Kingsolver, Wyoming 

"Slap Happy is the BEST!!!!!" Shannon Williams, K-6 general music teacher in Athens City Schools in Ohio