Story by Karen Rattenborg

December in the CSU Administration Building just wouldn’t be the same without the annual holiday sing-along, which took place this year on Dec. 6. The four-year-olds who attend the CSU Early Childhood Center take a field trip each year to the Oval to sing for President Tony Frank.

The children were accompanied by their teachers, and additional support was provided by interns and practicum students from the Department of Human Development and Family Studies who have spent the semester at the ECC learning about best practice in early childhood education. Guitar accompaniment was provided by Department of Music, Theatre, and Dance Professor Andrew Knight, who has been supervising music therapy practicum students at the ECC during the fall semester.

The children selected the songs to sing through their interest-based curriculum and practiced with their teachers and Knight for several weeks leading up to the visit. Many family members, as well as CSU faculty and staff, were on hand to share in the concert as the children sang some of their favorites, including “Jingle Bells.”

The CSU Early Childhood Center is housed in the Department of Human Development and Family Studies in the College of Health and Human Sciences, and has been a training site for CSU students since 1929. The ECC is open year-round and provides a Reggio Emilia-inspired education for children ages 6 weeks to 6 years.

Watch a video and view photos from the sing-along