Jim Rohe

Music and Storytelling
● Celebrating 25 years
● Schools
● Preschools
● Libraries
● Special Events
● References Furnished

Thanks for stopping by, I am in the process of updating my site,
please feel free to contact me or call 973-284-1985

Preschools

Gentle Rhythms is a dynamic program of music and storytelling developed especially for preschoolers by master storyteller and folksinger Jim Rohe. Now in its 25^th year, it has entertained and educated thousands of youngsters in preschools all over New Jersey.

The success of Gentle Rhythms is largely due to Jim’s natural rapport with children and his caring attitude. It was created for his own children and their classmates in 1988.

Music Jim plays Guitar, harmonica, and tambourine- sometimes all at once! – along with a variety of instruments from around the world. Kids join right in as he leads them through folk songs, sing alongs and funny tunes, fingerplays and dances.

Storytelling Most children will give you their undivided attention if you have something interesting to say and say it in an interesting way. This is the heart of storytelling and Jim’s work. Simple dramas, well told, never fail to captivate audiences. Jim draws on folk tales and literary sources for stories to excite the imagination. His vast repertoire for young listeners includes many participation stories. Note: this is not book reading.

This program is a powerful educational tool for developing children’s language skills. Studies show that a rich verbal environment leads to greater success in reading. The use of storytelling in the classroom will stimulate your students’ ability to sequence, predict, and comprehend. You’ll be pleasantly surprised when you see how positively children respond to storytelling.

Schools love this program and many of them have been with Jim for years. The following schools continue work with Jim on a weekly or bimonthly basis:

î Early Learning Center, Fairfield
23 years

î Clendinning Nursery School, Nutley
23 years

î Children’s Day Nursery, Passaic
21 years

î Over The Rainbow Nursery School, Montclair
18 years

î Union Congregational Nursery School, Montclair 16 years

î Keansburg Public School Pre-K 15 years

î Kradles To Kindergarten, Oakland
12 years

î Kradles To Kindergarten, Ringwood
12 years

î Busy Bee, Fairfield
4 years

î Headstart, Dover and Morristown 3 years

“I owe a great deal to my own children and the many thousands of children I’ve had the pleasure to work with over the years. My work is continually inspired and informed by their enthusiasm, laughter, and sense of wonder. It is this spirit of sharing, of listening that I bring to the classroom.”

Gentle Rhythms at your school

Jim prefers to work with preschoolers in small groups (12-20 children). His visits are for 2- 2 1/2 hours. This allows him to visit 2 to 5 small groups for 30-45 minutes each.

Single Visit Jim will bring excitement to your school’s special day. Spend a morning or afternoon with the storyteller.

Monthly Ongoing visits give kids a chance to learn lots of new songs and stories. They’ll look forward to the next visit.

Bimonthly Twice the fun plus follow up activities like drawing and dramatic play. At this level, the educational benefits are evident.

Weekly May include a concert for parents or at a local nursing home. Currently only afternoons available.

Talk to Jim via email or Phone, contact Jim or call 973-284-1985 and set up some special days for your school's children.