Author: Confetti Park

  • Rosemary the Garden Fairy: How does your garden grow?

    Rosemary the Garden Fairy: How does your garden grow?

    Mary, Mary, quite contrary, how does your garden grow?

    “Follow me to the garden! Let’s check out the magic of nature!”

    Rosemary the Garden Fairy shares gardening tips and natural lore with children.

    How does your garden grow?

    All seeds need water to sprout. Sometimes rain waters the garden. You can also collect rain, in a rain barrel, to make sure you have it at exactly the right time you need it.

    Irrigation systems are another way to get the water to the plants in a garden or farm.

    After the seeds sprout, the vegetable plants or seedlings needs the right amount of sunlight. Most need six to eight hours a day.

    Other important things that will help your garden grow… keep an eye out for pests, like caterpillars and other bugs who like to eat the plants.

    Compost and fertilize when needed, and pick the vegetables when they are ripe and ready!

  • 2017 New Orleans International Music Colloquium

    2017 New Orleans International Music Colloquium

    I am really excited to be giving a presentation today at the 2017 New Orleans International Music Colloquium on “Children’s Music & Rhymes from Louisiana.” This is an opportunity to share all the really amazing stuff I’ve gathered over the last couple of years from Louisiana kids and musicians with some of our leading musicologists in New Orleans.

    I’ll be sharing photographs of the children and adult creators I’ve met from all corners of our state along with the sound clips of poems, jump rope jingles, clapping songs, and music. It should be a lot of fun!

    – Katy Hobgood Ray

     

     

     

     

  • Music Medley: Lights Turn Red

    Music Medley: Lights Turn Red

    traffic light cartoonConfetti Park is a community radio program out of New Orleans. We feature local storytellers and songs that kids love, songs created for kids, or created by kids, inspired by life here Louisiana. This medley of kids music shows the diversity of our state sound.

    Songs featured in this episode, in order:

    Also featured in this episode, a music memory from Andrew Baham and the storytime feature A Pig’s Tale by Jerica Guillory.


    The Confetti Park hosted by Katy Hobgood Ray, features music and stories spun in Louisiana. It showcases songs that kids love, songs created for kids, and songs created by kids. Sparkling interviews, in-studio performances, delightful music medleys, jokes, local author storytime, and a little surprise lagniappe make for an entertaining show!

    Subscribe on iTunes

    The radio program version launched on April 4, 2015 in New Orleans on WHIV FM and is supported by the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Foundation, OffBeat magazine and Music Rising at Tulane University.

    Current broadcast schedule:

    Community radio stations, interested in carrying Confetti Park? Contact Katy Ray.

  • New Orleans comedian Mike Strecker publishes a joke book for kids

    New Orleans comedian Mike Strecker publishes a joke book for kids

    Mike Strecker is a stand up comedian who has published a series of joke books for kids. Photo by Sally Asher
    Mike Strecker is a stand up comedian who has published a series of joke books for kids. Photo by Sally Asher

    Mike Strecker is a stand-up comedian who has been performing in the New Orleans area since 1995. And now, he is a published book author. Mike recently released two volumes of jokes, Young Comic’s Guide to Telling Jokes Vol. 1 and 2, which are nationally distributed by Sterling Children’s Books.

    “The way it came about… my wife’s a school teacher, and I have a habit of coming up with these corny little jokes. And she would say, ‘You have to write these down; kids love these kinds of books.’

    So I wound up writing them down, and sure enough, I sent them away and a publisher wanted  to publish them.”

    “First I wrote 150 jokes—I figured that would make one volume. Little did I know!” laughs Mike. “I sent it away, and they said, ‘Yes, we like this. But we want to make two volumes of 600 jokes each.’”

    Whew! That’s a lot of jokes!

    Young Comic’s Guide to Telling Jokes Vol. 1Mike rose to the challenge, and spent the next few months torturing his wife and kids with experimental puns and word play.

    “I have to say, the experience was pure joy,” says Mike. “Some days I’d come up with ten, other days, I’d come home and say, ‘Honey, what a day! I did 45 jokes!’ Finally, she was like, ‘Can you turn this off?’”

    “There is a pun every where you look…. Once you start looking for them!” says Mike.

    Mike’s books came out in January 2017. Included with over 600 jokes each are tips of how to deliver jokes, which Mike developed from his 20+ year career in standup comedy. For example, a joke should always be delivered conversationally. “Act natural,” says Mike. “Don’t read your jokes from this book or any book.”

    Mike is already working on a followup, which is tentatively titled “Jokes for Crescent City Kids.”

    You can catch Mike performing his family-friendly brand of stand up comedy around New Orleans. Check out his schedule at http://openmikestrecker.com/index.html

  • Family Pyrate Day in Old Algiers Point on Saturday, March 25

    Family Pyrate Day in Old Algiers Point on Saturday, March 25

    Family Pyrate Day
    Family Pyrate Day in Old Algiers Point

    Treasures from the Point and Family Pyrate Day – Saturday, March 25 
    The Confetti Kids Treasures from the Point porch sale starting at 8 a.m. will be followed by a day-long family-friendly celebration of pirate culture hosted by Confetti Kids & the NOLA Pyrates starting at 11 a.m. in Algiers Point

    Arghh, mateys! It’s the first annual Family Pyrate Day in Old Algiers Point, a family friendly event celebrating pirate culture in New Orleans.

    Join Confetti Kids, Confetti Park and our mates of NOLA Pyrate Week for a swashbuckling good time on the Mississippi River in Algiers Point. SEE MAP There will be storytellers, musical performances, a pyrate market and cafe…games, demonstrations, and crafting, too.

    Storyteller-LineupConfetti Park Storytelling Stage

    You can look forward to the sea shanties of The Whiskey Bay Rovers and the Confetti Park Players, and pirate tales spun by authors such as Dianne de Las Casas, John Couret, David Ray, Erin Rovin, Ol’ Chumbucket, Sam Staley, Zachary W. Mohr, and crafting with Karen Konnerth of Calliope Puppets.

    Lots more piratical fun

    Next door to the kids pirate cafe at Warren’s Corner at 601 Patterson is the 21+ pirate tavern, the Old Point Bar. There will be fun along the river all the way down to Larkin Playspot, including pirate merchants, magicians, historians, nautical knot lessons, and a neighborhood-wide treasure hunt co-sponsored by Hubbell Library. And it’s all coinciding with the Treasures from the Point sale of the century in Algiers Point (beginning at 8 a.m.)

    NOLA-Pyrate-Week-LOGO-2017-1280Take what you can, give something back

    All proceeds from Pyrate Day food sales, garage sales, and donation buckets go to building a new children’s park in Algiers. Want to help in other ways? Bring your old instruments to donate to children. The Hungry for Music bus will be parked at 601 Patterson to take donations! And bring canned food for the Algiers Point Lil Free Pantry and take a “pigture” with Coco the Pirate Pig!
    More information about Family Pyrate Day

  • Music Medley – Beets at the Door

    Music Medley – Beets at the Door

    Beets with facesConfetti Park is a community radio program out of New Orleans. We feature local storytellers and songs that kids love, songs created for kids, or created by kids, right here in Louisiana. This medley of kids music shows the diversity of Louisiana musicians.

    Songs featured in this episode, in order:
    Woody, Lead Belly & Pete – Ph Fred
    Pig Latin Song – Lead Belly
    Woodpecker – a poem by Nola Frazier
    Lost in the Library – Judy Caplan Ginsburgh
    O’Guillori – Michael Doucet
    This Old Man – The Swing Setters
    Goodbye in the Bayou – Jazzy Ash

    Also featured in this episode, a music memory from Layla Isis and a story called Dixie the Old Dog by Tommie Townsley.

     


    The Confetti Park hosted by Katy Hobgood Ray, features music and stories spun in Louisiana. It showcases songs that kids love, songs created for kids, and songs created by kids. Sparkling interviews, in-studio performances, delightful music medleys, jokes, local author storytime, and a little surprise lagniappe make for an entertaining show!

    Subscribe on iTunes

    The radio program version launched on April 4, 2015 in New Orleans on WHIV FM and is supported by the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Foundation, OffBeat magazine and Music Rising at Tulane University.

    Current broadcast schedule:

    Community radio stations, interested in carrying Confetti Park? Contact Katy Ray.

  • There be pirates in Algiers Point!

    There be pirates in Algiers Point!

    Family Pyrate Day is upon us!

    Treasures from the Point and Family Pyrate Day – Saturday, March 25
    Rain or shine! The Confetti Kids Treasures from the Point porch sale will be followed by a day-long family-friendly celebration of pirate culture hosted by Confetti Kids & the NOLA Pyrates

    Join Confetti Kids, Confetti Park and our mates of NOLA Pyrate Week for a swashbuckling good time on the Mississippi River in Algiers Point. SEE MAP There will be storytellers, musical performances, a pyrate market and cafe…games, demonstrations, and crafting, too.

  • Storytime: To Dream of Dancing: Desdemona’s Dreams by Z.W. Mohr

    Storytime: To Dream of Dancing: Desdemona’s Dreams by Z.W. Mohr

    Desdemona's Dreams In this episode of Confetti Park, we hear an excerpt from the enchanting fairy tale To Dream of Dancing: Desdemona’s Dreams, Volume 1. Z.W. Mohr, the author, narrates for us a dream poem and an introduction to Desdemona. This is an excerpt from the first book in his original series co-created with illustrator Aaron Damon Porter.

    Desdemona is an 11 year old girl who is being raised by her two mysterious aunts and guardian teddy bear. When we first meet Desdemona, she is battling a mad maestro who wants to steal away her dream of dancing. When she awakes, her adventures continue…..

    From this introduction, we, along with Desdemona, will discover she can bring her dreams into the waking world at a time when everyone else is forgetting how to dream.

    Many more chapters of Desdemona’s Dreams are to come from New Orleans-based co-creators Mohr and Porter. Currently, there is To Dream of Dancing: Desdemona’s Dreams, Volume 1 and The Land of Mar: Desdemona’s Dreams, Volume 2. The second book features pirates!!!

    The Desdemona’s Dreams series offers a whirlwind of adventures in magical places, with inspiring and strong female characters. It also shows us the beauty of a child’s imagination, and how dreams shape the very world around us.

    Stay tuned for an interview with Z.W. Mohr and Aaron Damon Porter on Confetti Park.

  • Music Medley: Desert Snow Man

    Music Medley: Desert Snow Man

    Listen to this music medley "Desert Snow Man" from Confetti Park!Confetti Park: Children’s Music Radio Show from Louisiana

    This medley of kids music shows the diversity of Louisiana musicians.

    Songs featured in this episode, in order:

    Also featured in this episode, a story called “The Lord’s Supper” by Ms. Chocolate and a music memory from Dirty Dozen saxophone player Roger Lewis.


    The Confetti Park hosted by Katy Hobgood Ray, features music and stories spun in Louisiana. It showcases songs that kids love, songs created for kids, and songs created by kids. Sparkling interviews, in-studio performances, delightful music medleys, jokes, local author storytime, and a little surprise lagniappe make for an entertaining show!

    Subscribe on iTunes

    The radio program version launched on April 4, 2015 in New Orleans on WHIV FM and is supported by the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Foundation, OffBeat magazine and Music Rising at Tulane University.

    Current broadcast schedule:

    Community radio stations, interested in carrying Confetti Park? Contact Katy Ray.

  • Music Medley: Worm in My Apple

    Music Medley: Worm in My Apple

    worm in appleThis medley of kids music shows the diversity of Louisiana musicians. Songs featured in this episode, in order:

    Summit of Sound – kids at the Renzi Center in Shreveport
    Mardi Gras – Mr. Michael’s Class of Young Audiences Raps
    Nobody Likes Fun More Than Me! – Don Hoffman and Bryan Wagar
    Big Hola – Imagination Movers
    Lollipop Tree – Judy Caplan Ginsburgh
    Lemonade, Crunchy Ice – Confetti Park Players
    The Clapping Song – Confetti Park Players
    Skunk in the Grave Yard – Sadie Strong
    Coconuts – Virginia Strong
    Bubblegum in a Dish – Belin Walker
    Days of the Week – Jason & Layla
    Allons a Lafayette – La bande Feufollet


    Also featured in this episode, a story called Alphonse and the Alligator by Black Guidry and a music memory from Carole Gauthier Lancon.


    The Confetti Park hosted by Katy Hobgood Ray, features music and stories spun in Louisiana. It showcases songs that kids love, songs created for kids, and songs created by kids. Sparkling interviews, in-studio performances, delightful music medleys, jokes, local author storytime, and a little surprise lagniappe make for an entertaining show!

    Subscribe on iTunes

    The radio program version launched on April 4, 2015 in New Orleans on WHIV FM and is supported by the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Foundation, OffBeat magazine and Music Rising at Tulane University.

    Current broadcast schedule:

    Community radio stations, interested in carrying Confetti Park? Contact Katy Ray.

  • Music Medley – Lettuce In!

    Music Medley – Lettuce In!

    lettueConfetti Park kids radio

    This medley of kids music shows the diversity of Louisiana musicians. Songs featured in this episode, in order:

    Whole World in His Hands – George Porter, Jr.
    Kazoo Song – Judy Caplan Ginsburgh
    I’m a Puppy – Mel Lecompte
    Louisiana Catahoula Leopard Dog – Don Abney & the Louisiana Pollywogs
    Messy Room Blues – Johnette Downing
    Ducks in a Nest – Belen Walker
    Inky Pinky Ponky – Nola Frazier
    Clean My Room – Imagination Movers
    Farmer in the Dell – Julieann Banks and Friends
    Goodbye – Red Wolf Brass Band

    Also featured in this episode, The Little Louisiana Pine Tree, and a music memory from Duane Petri.


    About Confetti Park

    The Confetti Park hosted by Katy Hobgood Ray, features music and stories spun in Louisiana. It showcases songs that kids love, songs created for kids, and songs created by kids. Sparkling interviews, in-studio performances, delightful music medleys, jokes, local author storytime, and a little surprise lagniappe make for an entertaining show!

    Subscribe on iTunes

    The radio program version launched on April 4, 2015 in New Orleans on WHIV FM and is supported by the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Foundation, OffBeat magazine and Music Rising at Tulane University.

    Current broadcast schedule:

    Community radio stations, interested in carrying Confetti Park? Contact Katy Ray.